By Jess Baker
A popular Ballandean accommodation destination has been recognised for its gold-standard service, earning near perfect scores in two separate assessments.
Just Red Wines Vineyard Cabins was recently identified by Tourism and Events Queensland as a ‘Best of Queensland Experience’ with a score of 9.7 out of 10 for delivery of an exceptional experience.
Weeks later, the venue was acknowledged by price comparison website HotelsCombined as “one of the very best”, receiving a score of 9.6 out of 10 for standard of customer satisfaction.
Owners of the cabins, and the 50 acres of land they sit on, Julia and Tony Hassall said they were thrilled to receive both awards.
“It’s nice to get the recognition,” Tony said.
“It’s a lot of work really when you think about the cabins.”
Together, Julia and Tony manage two cabins at the Eukey Road property, as well as a vineyard and cellar door service.
The pair purchased the property in 1997 and immediately got to work turning it into the place of their dreams.
“So we both had jobs in Warwick and our children went to high school in Warwick and we’d come down on the weekend,” Julia said.
“And we’d stay in our little two-room cabin which is still here.
“We planted all the grapes with our children.”
Tony and Julia have been living at the property themselves since 2006, and have had their two vineyard stay cabins open for bookings since 2018.
Julia said she now wouldn’t do anything else.
“It’s lovely. It’s a beautiful spot. The birds, the wildlife, the kangaroos … and four seasons,” she said.
“We just love being part of the Granite Belt wine and tourism industry.”
Despite recent Covid-19 uncertainty and snap lockdowns across Queensland, Just Red Wines’ cabins remain almost fully booked until September.
Speaking of last week’s lockdowns, Julia said there had been cancellations but – once vacancies were listed – the pair were “flooded with more enquiries”.
This is a welcome change to the three-month intermission in bookings Julia and Tony experienced last year when Covid-19 restrictions were in full force.
“It’s been fantastic since the Covid lockdown finished last year,” Tony said.
“We’ve been really busy ever since really because people aren’t able to travel overseas, (and) sometimes not even interstate so we’ve had many first time visitors in the area.
“A lot of them are saying they’re going to come back so I think it’s going to be good for the Granite Belt in the long term.”
Despite the brief Covid-induced shutdown, neither Tony nor Julia sat idle for every long.
Tony actually wrote a book – his fifth book – in that time.
“I knitted him a jumper,” Julia said. “It’s good to be busy.”
