The camp kitchen here is the social heart of the park, and it comes with a bonus you will not find in many parks: free Foxtel, so you can cook your dinner on the free barbecues without missing the footy. The cabins are fully self contained with proper kitchens, and after a day exploring the Southern Downs we liked nothing better than dinner on the deck as the birds settled in for the evening.

In town, five minutes up the road, Belle Vue Cafe is the locals' pick for the best coffee in Warwick, brewing Byron Bay beans alongside generous burgers, scones and milkshakes. We grabbed a flat white and a scone on our first morning and took them down to the Condamine riverbank.

For lunch, The Cherry Tree Coffee & Dining on the main street is a cosy favourite with generous portions, from Caesar wraps and Tuscan open sandwiches to proper country-sized salads.

Come dinner time, Bluebird Kitchen and Smokehouse is Warwick's temple to slow-smoked meat. The brisket and ribs come off the smoker with a proper bark on them.

The park itself is built for unwinding, with lots of room to move, a swimming pool for the warmer months and a shaded playground for the kids. We spent our first afternoon doing very little beyond the pool and a cold drink.

Warwick is known as the Rose and Rodeo Capital, and the town rewards a wander. The 5 Walks of Warwick follow the Condamine River past some of Queensland's finest original sandstone buildings, including the Abbey of the Roses and St Mary's Church. If you are here on the last weekend of October, the famous Warwick Rodeo and Rose Festival takes over the town, and it is well worth planning a trip around.

Motorsport fans are spoiled, with Morgan Park Raceway just minutes from the park hosting race meets, drags and drift events through the year, which is why so many crews and spectators make this park their base.

Further out, the Queen Mary Falls circuit in Main Range National Park is about 45 minutes' drive southeast, where Spring Creek plunges 40 metres into a rainforest gorge and rainbows hang in the mist on sunny mornings. Keep going another hour and you are in the Granite Belt wine country around Stanthorpe for cellar doors and cool-climate wines.

The park fills quickly during the October Rodeo weekend and major race dates at Morgan Park Raceway. Book well in advance if travelling during event weekends, or plan a midweek stay to enjoy quiet grounds and the pool to yourself.