Queensland’s Hinterland Jewel
Tamborine Mountain sits on the western edge of the Scenic Rim — a plateau of volcanic rainforest rising 500 metres above the Gold Coast coastal plain — just 45 minutes from Surfers Paradise and an hour from Brisbane. It packs a remarkable amount into a small area: subtropical rainforest walks, a world-class elevated skywalk, Queensland’s only purpose-built glow worm caves, over 50 boutique shops and cellar doors, award-winning craft beer and gin, multiple waterfalls, and enough restaurants and cafes to fill a full day without ever feeling rushed.
Witches Falls, on Tamborine Mountain’s eastern escarpment, was declared Queensland’s very first national park in 1908. The Wanggeriburra people of the Yugambeh language group are the Traditional Custodians of this mountain Country, and their deep connection to this land predates the national park by tens of thousands of years.
📍 Distance
~1hr from Brisbane via Pacific Motorway (exit 57, Tamborine-Oxenford Rd). ~45 minutes from Gold Coast. Hop-on Hop-off Bus also available from both cities.
🍂 Best Time
Year-round. Winter (June–August) is ideal for clear days and rainforest walks. June is Scenic Rim Eat Local Month. Arrive early morning to beat crowds and see wildlife.
🌿 Must-Do
Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk · Eagle Heights Gallery Walk · Glow Worm Caves · Witches Falls Winery · Curtis Falls walk
🚌 Getting Around
Car recommended for flexibility. Hop-on Hop-off Bus connects major attractions. Main areas: Eagle Heights (Gallery Walk + Skywalk) and North Tamborine (entry point).
🌿 Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk
🌿 The Skywalk — Key Facts
The Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk is Queensland’s only family-owned skywalk — a 1.5km eco-adventure set in 30 acres of privately owned subtropical rainforest beside the crystal-clear rock pools of Cedar Creek. The walk begins at the Rainforest Eco Gallery, a comprehensive display of Australian rainforest flora, fauna, and Indigenous history, with insect dioramas, freshwater aquarium exhibits, and butterfly collections.
From the gallery, the path ascends through the forest floor before rising into the upper canopy on 300 metres of high-tech steel bridges. The signature experience is the 40-metre cantilever bridge — a dramatic structure that thrusts out 30 metres above Cedar Creek and the rainforest below. On a clear day the views extend across the valley and toward the Gold Coast skyline in the distance. The bridge has a gentle sway as you walk, adding to the exhilaration without being frightening — it is designed for all ages and fitness levels.
Keep your eyes open for rosellas, lorikeets, cockatoos, and the occasional rare butterfly throughout the walk. The Birdwing Café on site is a lovely spot for a coffee and light lunch with rainforest views after completing the circuit.
🍷 Eagle Heights & Gallery Walk
Gallery Walk is the social and commercial heart of Tamborine Mountain — a charming strip of over 50 boutique shops, galleries, cellar doors, and cafes running along Long Road between Eagle Heights and North Tamborine. It is entirely walkable, and most visitors spend 2–3 hours exploring its range at a relaxed pace.
The character of Gallery Walk is genuinely eclectic: you’ll find handmade fudge (the vanilla custard is a standout) and artisan chocolates alongside serious art galleries and a crystal shop. The German Cuckoo Clock Nest is one of the most distinctive and visited shops — handcrafted clocks and traditional German craft pieces that feel completely incongruous and completely wonderful in a Queensland rainforest village. Several shops are run by the artists and makers themselves, which gives the walk an authentic character that manufactured tourist strips lack.
Eagle Heights Hotel
The Eagle Heights Hotel on Gallery Walk consistently tops recommendations for lunch — good pub food in a relaxed atmosphere with spectacular panoramic views over the valley and toward the Gold Coast. It is the natural lunch anchor for a Gallery Walk morning. Book ahead on weekends.
Tamborine Mountain Glow Worm Caves
Located at Cedar Creek Estate Vineyard and Winery, the Tamborine Mountain Glow Worm Caves are the world’s only purpose-built glow worm cave environment — designed to protect and display the Arachnocampa flava species native to Queensland. Opened in 2004, the man-made caves feature realistic stalactite and stalagmite formations and are fully accessible via guided tour. Inside the cave, thousands of bioluminescent creatures illuminate the ceiling with an ethereal blue-green glow that has to be seen to be believed.
Guided tours run for approximately 30 minutes and are educational as well as visually extraordinary. After the tour, the Cedar Creek Estate cellar door is steps away for wine tastings — making this a perfect combination stop.
🏔️ More Tamborine Mountain Attractions
Curtis Falls & Cedar Creek Falls
Curtis Falls is the most accessible and visited waterfall on the mountain — a moderate 1km return walk through the Joalah section of Tamborine National Park, descending through lush subtropical rainforest to a viewing platform above the falls. Free entry. Cedar Creek Falls, on the southern edge of the mountain, offers rock pools and a popular swimming spot alongside the cascade.
Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens
An 11-hectare site in the heart of the mountain encompassing a wide variety of rainforest and subtropical gardens. Free entry and open year-round. A quiet, beautiful contrast to the more commercial attractions on Gallery Walk — excellent for a morning walk with coffee. The gardens include fern gullies, rainforest walks, and formal garden sections.
Canyon Flyer Ziplines & Thunderbird Park
For thrill-seekers, Thunderbird Park on Cedar Creek Falls Road operates the Canyon Flyer — one of the most exhilarating zipline experiences in Queensland, sending riders through ancient rainforest at speeds up to 70km/h. The park also offers fossicking for thundereggs (volcanic stones lined with crystals), rock pools, and camping for those wanting to stay overnight.
Hang Gliders Lookout
Tamborine Mountain’s most dramatic viewpoint — a lookout from which licensed tandem hang gliders launch over the valley. Even if you’re not flying, the views from Hang Gliders Lookout are among the best on the mountain — a sweeping panorama across the Scenic Rim and Gold Coast hinterland. Watching a glider launch silently off the escarpment edge is a genuinely memorable sight.
🍷 Cellar Doors, Craft Beer & Local Food
Tamborine Mountain has an outstanding food and drink scene for a community of its size. The Scenic Rim wine region is emerging as one of Queensland’s most interesting, and the mountain’s cellar doors and craft producers are at its heart.
- Witches Falls WineryOne of the most celebrated cellar doors on the mountain, named after the national park next door. Award-winning reds, whites, and apple cider. Cheese and produce platters complement the tastings. A beautifully appointed cellar door with views across the property — excellent for a long afternoon.
- Fortitude Brewing Co + Tamborine Cheese ShopFortitude Brewing’s Tamborine Mountain taproom is one of the best craft beer stops in the Gold Coast hinterland. The Tamborine Cheese Shop operates within the same premises — making it a natural pairing of local cheese and cold beer with mountain views.
- Tamborine Mountain DistilleryAward-winning spirits and liqueurs made on the mountain. Tastings available. Popular for gin, fruit liqueurs, and seasonal small-batch releases. The gift shop makes for excellent souvenir shopping.
- Cedar Creek Estate Vineyard & WineryHome to both the Glow Worm Caves and a working vineyard — artisan wine made from hand-harvested grapes with tastings available in the homestead. Picnic hampers can be arranged beside the creek. One of the most atmospheric cellar door settings on the mountain.
- Choux Box & Gallery Walk CafesChoux Box is consistently praised for excellent coffee and handmade cakes. Franquette is a favourite for something more substantial. Multiple bakeries on the walk offer fresh pastries and sandwiches. The overall standard of casual dining on Gallery Walk is surprisingly high for a mountain village.
📅 Perfect Day Itinerary
Depart Brisbane (or 9:15am from Gold Coast). Aim to arrive on the mountain by 9:30–10:00am to catch the rainforest wildlife at its most active.
Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk — begin at the Eco Gallery, walk the canopy bridges, and cross the 40-metre cantilever. Allow 45–60 minutes. Coffee at Birdwing Café on site.
Curtis Falls walk — a 1km return through the Joalah section of Tamborine National Park. Free, easy, and a beautiful contrast to the elevated Skywalk experience.
Eagle Heights Gallery Walk — lunch at the Eagle Heights Hotel (book ahead on weekends). Browse the 50+ shops: fudge, chocolates, the German Cuckoo Clock Nest, galleries, and the Tamborine Tea shop.
Cellar door tasting — Witches Falls Winery for wine and a cheese platter, or Fortitude Brewing for craft beer and local cheese. Both are close to Gallery Walk.
Tamborine Mountain Glow Worm Caves at Cedar Creek Estate — guided tour (~30 min) then a winery tasting if you haven’t already. The afternoon light on the vineyard is beautiful.
Hang Gliders Lookout for the sunset panorama across the Scenic Rim and Gold Coast hinterland — one of the best viewpoints in South East Queensland. Then return to Brisbane or Gold Coast.
Explore Tamborine Mountain with Cooee Tours
From guided day tours out of Brisbane and the Gold Coast to full hinterland experiences combining Tamborine Mountain, Springbrook, and the Scenic Rim wine country.
Plan with Cooee Tours Scenic Rim Guide →Frequently Asked Questions
Tamborine Mountain is approximately 1 hour from Brisbane via the Pacific Motorway (exit 57 toward Tamborine-Oxenford Road) and around 45 minutes from the Gold Coast. A Hop-on Hop-off Bus also operates from both cities, providing an easy transport option if you prefer not to drive the winding mountain roads.
The Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk is a 1.5km eco-adventure set in 30 acres of privately owned subtropical rainforest beside Cedar Creek. The walk combines forest floor trails, 300 metres of steel bridges through the upper canopy, and a 40-metre cantilever bridge soaring 30 metres above the creek. It takes approximately 45 minutes at a relaxed pace and begins at the Rainforest Eco Gallery. It is Queensland’s only family-owned skywalk.
Gallery Walk is a charming strip of over 50 boutique shops, galleries, cafes, and artisan producers on Long Road between Eagle Heights and North Tamborine. It is the commercial heart of Tamborine Mountain — handmade fudge, artisan chocolates, local wine and gin tastings, the German Cuckoo Clock Nest, art galleries, and the Eagle Heights Hotel for lunch with panoramic views.
Located at Cedar Creek Estate Vineyard and Winery, the Tamborine Mountain Glow Worm Caves are the world’s only purpose-built glow worm cave environment, opened in 2004. They display the Arachnocampa flava species native to Queensland in realistic cave formations. Fully guided tours run for approximately 30 minutes. After the tour, the Cedar Creek Estate cellar door is immediately accessible for wine tastings.
Tamborine Mountain is excellent year-round. Winter (June–August) offers clear, mild days perfect for rainforest walks and cellar door visits — June is also Scenic Rim Eat Local Month (120+ paddock-to-plate events across the region). Spring brings wildflowers and warm temperatures. Arrive early in the morning to beat crowds and see the rainforest wildlife at its most active.