The best things to do in Tamborine Mountain

NB: Due to overwhelming popular demand, Mater Prize Home lottery No. 301 sold out early. You can purchase tickets in our latest lottery here.

Not too far from our latest Mater Prize Home lottery No. 301 (a mere 15 minutes drive) is a beautiful natural playground, Tamborine Mountain. Expect to spend lots of your weekends here, getting your fix of fresh air, lush forests, and fudge—amongst many other activities that will have you uncovering more with every visit.

From the quaint town centre to many outdoor activities and the stunning scenery, there’s something for everyone at Tamborine Mountain.

Feast on fresh produce

If you can’t start your day without a good cup of coffee, go straight to the source. Tamborine Mountain Coffee Plantation grows, grinds and brews its own, so you know that if anyone if going to do a great coffee, it’s this place. When you’re in the mood for something a little stronger, take your pick from the eight wineries, two breweries and one distillery in the area. No need to hit them up all at once, or to pick a favourite—when you live so close by in our Mater prize home, you’ll have the luxury of coming back again and again to try them all.

Feeling hungry? Fortitude Brewing make amazing pizzas to go with their always-changing menu of beers. For something heartier, Three Little Pigs Bar & Bistro do an exceptional slow roast pork belly (hint: in winter, book yourself a seat beside the fireplace). You’ll also find locally-made produce like artisan cheese at Witches Chase Cheese, Granny Macs’ famous fudge, and gelato made with authentic Italian and local ingredients at Lemon Lovers Gelato. Or, stop off at the numerous road-side stalls that sell fresh and organic produce straight from local farms.

Uncover local artisans

If you love supporting local, Tamborine Mountain’s iconic Gallery Walk conveniently brings together over 70 speciality shops all in the one block. Between the diverse selection of boutique fashion, jewellery, art and crafts stores, you’ll find unique treasures from artisans and creatives that call Mount Tamborine home. Art lovers will appreciate the handful of galleries in the area. To name a few, Margaret Goldsmith Studio & Art Gallery specialises in paintings and glassworks; Tamborine Dreaming celebrates Indigenous & Australian art, curios, keepsakes and wares; and Arthur Hamblin Art Gallery has an impressive collection of oil and watercolour paintings from the ‘Father of Australian Outback Art’, Arthur Hamblin.

Wander into the wilderness

If you agree that one of the best motivations to set off on a hike is the reward of finding a waterfall at the other end then Mount Tamborine has plenty to get you up and moving. You’ll find 12 walking tracks in the area, none of which are too difficult. Two crowd favourites would have to be Curtis Falls and Cedar Creek Falls, which as their names suggest, deliver gorgeous waterfalls along your journey. In the Joalah section of the Tamborine National Park, the Curtis Falls track takes you along a moderate grade 1.5km return circuit through a wet eucalypt forest that merges into lush rainforest. While you can’t swim in the rock pool, do keep your eyes peeled for platypus who love to play in the water. There’s also a cafe at the starting point which offers a great place for an ice cream or coffee and cake post-walk. On a hot Queensland day, the Cedar Creek Falls track is a popular choice—after stopping at the lookout, continue down to cool off with a swim in the rock pool before climbing your way back up for a second look at the beautiful eucalypt forest and dry rainforest all around.

If you’re keen to see Tamborine Mountain from another angle, walk above the treetops on the Tamborine Rainforest SkyWalk. An easy, peaceful trail that takes around 45 minutes to complete, you’ll get to experience the subtropical rainforests of Mount Tamborine from all levels, from the forest floor to the highest points of the upper canopy along 300 metres of high-tech steel bridges, then across a 40-metre cantilever bridge that soars 30 metres above the creek and rainforest below.

Family-friendly finds

If you’re sick of hearing the kids say they’re bored, then jump in the car and head to Tamborine Mountain. The Treetop Challenge is a great day outdoors for the adventurous. Australia’s largest zipline and high ropes adventure course, there are seven different ziplines spanning 1.5kms and over 120 different high ropes challenges to entertain them for hours (even days!).

For something different, check out the Glow Worms Caves Tamborine Mountain. The 30-minute tour delivers a stunning ‘light show’ of glow worms in their natural dark caves and an informative insight into the life of these unique creatures.

If you’re in the mood for an outing that’s simple and free, take a stroll through the Mount Tamborine Botanic Gardens and throw down a picnic rug beside the lake or amongst your favourite garden patch.

Want to spend your spare time chasing waterfalls, wining and dining, and zipping through the rainforest? Buy your tickets today to win this Mater Prize Home lottery and explore every inch of Tamborine Mountain. Plus, for every ticket you purchase you’re helping support the vital medical research and patient care at Mater.