Tamborine Mountain is part of the lush Coastal Hinterland, south of Brisbane, west of the Gold Coast and is the eastern side of the Scenic Rim Shire in south east Queensland, Australia. The plateau is about 580m high and only 8 km long and 4 km wide and has 4 small villages (Tamborine, North Tamborine, Eagle Heights and Mount Tamborine) with a total population of just under 8000. The plateau originated from the Mount Warning volcanic eruption 23 million years ago and is part of the Scenic Rim. The plateau looks down on the surrounding valleys, to the Gold Coast and Pacific Ocean to the east and right out to the Great Dividing Range to the west. The Gold Coast view is beautiful by day, but by night the panorama of lights is even more stunning. To the west spectacular sunsets can be viewed most evenings.

Tamborine Mountain was the home of the Wangerriburra aboriginals tens of thousands of years before white settlement. It was completely covered by subtropical rainforest, which was cleared at a rapid pace for agriculture and timber production after it was opened for selection in 1875. Fortunately in 1908 efforts were made to protect the natural beauty of the mountain and the first National Park of Queensland was gazetted - Witches Falls National Park. Over the years 12 separate sections with mainly remnant rainforest were added to the original National Park, almost encircling the plateau and named 'Tamborine Mountain National Park'. Most areas have well beaten and easy to negotiate bushwalking tracks right through the rainforest.

Tamborine Mountain's Climate

Queensland is known as the Sunshine State of Australia. On Tamborine Mountain you can enjoy abundant sunshine without the heat and humidity that more northerly parts of Queensland sometimes have to endure. The climate is subtropical, with the annual rainfall of about 1600 mm falling mainly between December and March. Temperatures vary between max 18°C in winter and 28°C in summer, averaging some four or five degrees cooler than the surrounding lowlands. Because of this relatively large temperature difference in close proximity to the city, a lot of city folk come up the mountain in winter to celebrate Christmas in July in front of a log fire.

Tamborine has the traditional four seasons, but no real extremes of temperature. Most areas are frost free most winter seasons. Winter days usually dawn to clear blue skies, but the evening brings a distinctive chill to the air, with fog and clouds on wet nights.
The first part of summer is marked by warm clear days and spectacular evening thunderstorms in traditional tropical style. Sometime after Christmas the summer rains carried in from further north by the North-West Monsoon reach down to replenish the underground water supply that provides both garden and irrigation water for most of the area. Although the humidity can be relatively high during this latter part of summer, the temperatures are quite mild and you only realize how high the humidity must be when you see the Mountain mists - rolling in like huge breakers over the eastern escarpment as the sea breeze blows across in the late afternoon.

With its cool climate and spectacular scenery, as well as its proximity to Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Tamborine Mountain has become a very popular tourist destination for the locals.

Tamborine Mountain's Fauna

The mountain is a sanctuary for the native flora and fauna. Shy lyrebirds, bold scrub turkeys, brilliant parrots and lorikeets, tawny frog mouth (see picture), vociferous whipbirds and inquisitive bowerbirds populate the forests and can often be seen and always heard. Elusive platypuses live in the clear mountain creeks and at night the fire flies glow in the rainforest.

Bird feeding is a local hobby enjoyed by many residents. The most friendly and colourful birds are the parrots, especially the aptly named Rainbow Lorikeets. The beautiful red and green King Parrots, the pastel blue and yellow Pale Headed Rosellas and the red and purple Eastern Rosellas are all to be seen in most Mountain gardens.

If you can find the time to walk through some of the National Parks you will hear many other bird songs and see an amazing range of Australia's bird life. The Brush Turkey inhabits the rainforest and home gardens. The male builds huge mounds of leaf mulch then the female lays her eggs in the mound and walks away leaving him to manage the entire incubation process.

There are quite a few furred creatures like possums, bandicoots and wallabies as well. Ring-tail and brush-tail possums appreciate the presence of human habitation and take full advantage of all opportunities. Bandicoots, dainty Wallabies, even Koalas and various other small Australian natives all call this area home. Butterflies add passing colour throughout the Mountain and a wide variety of frogs, especially the green tree frog, welcome the summer rains with a cacophony of sound.

Tamborine Mountain's Flora

With its fertile red volcanic soil and high rainfall, the plateau produces rich crops of avocados, kiwi, macadamia nuts and rhubarb. Private gardens, as well as the Botanical Garden thrive and produce colorful displays any time of the year.

The original vegetation was predominantly sub-tropical rainforest. Valuable cabinet timbers such as the Australian Red Cedar lured the first settlers to Tamborine Mountain over 100 years ago. Since then much of this dense forest has been cleared to make way for farming although many remnant stands of the original forest still exist. The most amazing of these are the belts of Piccabean Palm forest around creeks and waterfalls.

Bush Walking Tracks

Most walking tracks are short and can be walked within a few hours. The walks are relatively easy although some tracks have short steep grades. At usual walking pace, 3km takes about an hour. Time spent bird watching, photographing or walking with young children will extend walking time.

From Joalah

Curtis Falls (1.5km return) - Pass through rainforest and descend steep stairs to a large pool at the base of Curtis Falls. There is an impressive veiw of the falls and the surrounding columnar basalt rock face.

Joalah Circuit (4.2km) - This track continues down stream from Curtis falls along a palm fringed creek, past cascades to a small pool. Rainforest tress laden with elkhorn, staghorn, hare's foot and birds nest ferns. Look out for Brush Turkeys on this walk.

From The Knoll

Cameron Falls Circuit (3km) - Scenic views, rainforest with large emergent trees, piccabeen groves, transition and open forests. Look out for land mullets, large black skinks, sunning themselves on this track.

From Cedar Creek

Cedar Creek Circuit (3.2km) - Provides access to Cedar Creek and some of its spectacular cascades, waterfalls and rock pools. Pass creek-side plant communities, open and dry rainforests with hoop pines, includes an easy rock hop accross the creek.

Rock Scree Walk (1.5km) - Extensive jumbled rock scree slopes feature on this walk through open forest. This track joins the Cedar Creek Circuit where it passes through dry rainforest to the lower falls and returns past the cascades, rock pools and waterfalls.

From Witches Falls

Witches Falls Circuit (3km) - This walk zigzags down the steep mountain side through open forest with banksia trees and into rainforest with huge strangler figs. Pass seasonal lagoons surrounded by piccabeen palm groves and cycad groves before reaching Witches falls.

Beacon Road Track (4km one way) - Descend through rainforest to Witches Falls and continues along the cliff through rainforest with large red cedar trees and eucalypt forest to Beaco Road. From here the Witches Falls carpark is 3km via the Beacon and Tamborine Mountain Road.

From MacDonald Park

Rainforest Circuit (2.6km) - Pass through rainforests with large strangler figs, piccabeen palm groves and tall trees with vines and ferns. Ideal for birdwatches and visitors seeking a quiet rainforest walk away from road noise and large numbers of people. Plants along this walking track are named.

From Palm Grove

Palm Grove Circuit (1.4km) - Piccabeen palm groves and rainforest with strangler figs and yellow carabeens feature on this walk.

Curtis Road Track (1.2km one way) - This short walk through rainforest links Palm Groves' two access roads.