Tamborine Mountain shows how it’s done
The roads are cleared, the wine is flowing, and the operators at Tamborine Mountain have something to say!
This is how you do it!
In a brilliant Where The Bloody Hell Are You, the people of Tamborine Mountain are calling on Australians to come back after the Christmas superstorm.
Watch and love here: Where the bloody hell are you? on Vimeo
“We’ve cleared the roads, we’ve poured the wine, there’s a spot saved by the creek (you can even bring your best doggo mate), we’ve turned on the lights (in the Glow Worm caves), we have the best seat in the house (at Thunderbird Park’s Zipline) ready, our bakers, brewers, distillers, winemakers and hotels, are all open, so come and visit, for a day or longer,” said Judi Minikin, owner of Cedar Creek Lodges and Thunderbird Park and the driver of the campaign on behalf of the Tamborine Mountain Chamber of Commerce.
“The heartbreaking thing is that being the resilient and collaborative business community that we are, we all recovered from the weather conditions really quickly and are very much open for business. We really need this message to be shared far and wide, particularly across greater South East Queensland,” she said.
Tamborine Mountain just out of Brisbane and the Gold Coast is a place where locally distilled, award-winning True Blue Gin, Butter Whiskey or Choc ‘n’ Chilli Liqueur can be sipped while listening to the famous Whipbirds of the ancient rainforest, before taking a spectacular Skywalk 30m above the valley, tasting local wine and cheeses in the vineyard and then having a choice of waterfalls … to chase!
It’s also home to possibly the best sausage rolls in the country, Queensland’s first national park and views that tell millions of years of stories. Often called the green island in the sky, it’s just under an hour from the Gold Coast in the famous Scenic Rim, named by travel bible The Lonely Planet as one of the top 10 regions in the world to visit in 2022, and by Qantas Travel Insider as one of the coolest places in the world to visit this year! Yep 🎉
And right now, IT’S TAMBORINE TIME.
The Christmas night super storm caused huge outages, but the ‘mountain people” are resilient, and are now saying WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU!! As resilient as they may be though, NOW is the time to support this glorious place, so come on, visit for the first time, or revisit and reconnect. Here’s some tips …
CEDAR CREEK LODGES is the home of incredible glamping, luxe stays and gorgeous self-contained lodges, the complete mix, and it’s pet friendly! Cedar Creek runs crystal clear and cold, and is the perfect walk, or just sit and listen to its tales, before dining at the Rainforest Restaurant which has amazing, shared produce platters and great cocktails!
THUNDERBIRD PARK AT CEDAR CREEK is where adventure really does meet and love nature. It’s home to the famous Dig It, Australia’s first mini-excavation park, mini-golf, high walks, the world’s largest thunderegg mine and the Treetop Challenge – there’s over 100 challenges to choose from! It’s a family paradise! Come for the day or stay and play. There are many options from camping and glamping at Thunderbird Park right through to stylish rooms to self-contained lodges at Cedar Creek Lodges. Thunderbird Park.
THE CAULDRON DISTILLERY at 89-123 Hartley Road is one of the newest experiences on Tamborine Mountain. At home in the Hartley Road Winery Precinct, Cauldron Estate is seven glorious hectares of established vineyards and lush green meadows perfect for picnics, lawn games and sips and its dog friendly. www.cauldrondistillery.com.au
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY at 10 Macdonnell Road is Australia’s MOST awarded distillery and liquor brand this century! Yep, they have a HUGE mantelpiece, and their range is mind blowing, there’s not a spirit or liquor these guys can’t conjure! It’s a brilliant visit and like going down a liqueur-lined rabbit hole! https://www.tamborinemountaindistillery.com/
WITCHES FALLS at 79 Main Western Road is a perfect place to wander the vineyard (and take some stunning selfies 🤗), sip famed wines, share a local produce platter and talk to the winemakers. Sunset Sips are held until 7pm every Friday and Saturday night. https://witchesfalls.com.au/
REAL PICNIC FOOD BAR at 46 Main St is the brainchild of famed Queensland foodie Brenda Fawdon. This is the home of possibly the country’s best sausage rolls (try the Tommerup Pork, apple and fennel!). A cool fact is they have a closed-loop sustainability system that turns the kitchen waste into compost to minimise garbage and nourish the soil. PS. Wear stretchy pants. https://northstores.com.au/picnic-real-food-bar/
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN COFFEE PLANTATION at 64 Alpine Terrace is an all-local coffee experience: their coffee is grown, roasted and blended on the mountain, and their restaurant is 👍🏽
Tamborine Mountain Coffee Plantation | Queensland
FRANQUETTE is Mount Tamborine’s newest exquisite French Bakery at 155 Long Road.
STROLL Gallery Walk
Park the car and wander down the famous Long Road to explore the art, craft, artisan food, gift and collectible stores along Gallery Walk. On the eastern side, there’s Granny Mac’s Fudge Store and Café and Chocolates on Gallery Walk and the nostalgia-inducing Bygone Days and Vintage Crafts. Finish with a pint of local beer at Fortitude Brewing Co and pop in to visit local artist and homewares store e360
ST BERNARDS HOTEL is Tamborine’s oldest and most iconic pub, on Alpine Terrace off the beaten track boasting n sweeping views of Tamborine Valley overlooking the Guanaba Gorge, northern Gold Coast out to Stradbroke Island, and the Pacific Ocean https://stbernardshotel.com.au/
FARM STALLS 🧑🏽🌾There’s always farm gate stalls open, with great hyper local produce for a just a few bucks, or an honesty system; all part of the mountain community.
TAMBORINE RAINFOREST SKYWALK at 333 Geissmann Dr is an eco-adventure MUST DO! Such a great way to explore the beautiful rainforest canopies.
DO GO CHASING WATERFALLS!!
For a guaranteed waterfall, follow the 1.1km track Curtis Falls, or pack a picnic and follow the trail to Cedar Creek Falls to peer up at the 15-20m waterfall. There’s the 3.1km Witches Falls Circuit, which has incredible views. The walk to Cameron Falls takes about half an hour each way! **Just double check if walks are open after the storm.
HANG GLIDE OVER THE SCENIC RIM
Right oh adrenaline junkies and sky seekers, get a bird’s-eye view over the beautiful Scenic Rim with SEQ Hang Gliding, via the purest form of free flight. No cockpit, no engine – just you and nature. And GO!
GLOW WORMS!
Take a tour through the rainforest and into the famous GLOW WORM caves at Cedar Creek Winery.
ART ON THE MOUNTAIN
Tamborine time means taking in some of the mountain’s great art galleries. Try the Arthur Hamblin Art Gallery, or visit the Mountain Dreams Studio to view unique creations by Maki Horanai and Hilltop on Tamborine for contemporary and traditional art.
FUN FACT: Witches Falls at Tamborine Mountain was declared a national park in the Government Gazette on 28 March 1908, becoming the first national park in Queensland—30 years after Collins first heard of the concept in the United States – that would be, Yellowstone National Park of course!
