Trees face chop at Christmas tourist farm
TALK about going out on a limb.
Queensland’s first tourist Christmas tree farm has celebrated its first harvest with 1000 trees facing the chop just outside of Stanthorpe on the Granite Belt.
Brad and Katrina Fraser opened Granite Belt Christmas Farm 18 months ago as a quaint tourist attraction, but they were expecting their biggest crowds with the first batch of trees planted now reaching maturity just in time for the festive season.
Former farmers from Longreach in west Queensland, the couple decided to make a tree change – literally, heading to Stanthorpe to start a unique venture featuring Santa’s animals - reindeer, donkeys, sheep and goats and a winter wonderland gift store offering Belgian hot chocolate, Christmas themed sweets and delicate trinkets.
A Queensland Christmas is more synonymous with prawns and beach cricket, but Mrs Fraser said visitors had embraced the farm for a more traditional Christmas experience.
“It’s the coldest place in Queensland, so we thought it was the perfect location,” she said.
“It’s proved really popular, especially in winter when we do our Christmas in July.
“It’s a really unique product and people love coming here.”
They have already heard from people who plan to travel from as far as Brisbane and the Gold Coast to get their hands on one of the perfectly manicured Christmas trees.
They hope to have 2000 trees ready in time for Christmas next year.