Tamborine National Park

Tamborine is a national park in Queensland (Australia), 45 km south of Brisbane.

Fact sheet

* Area: 11.60 km²
* Coordinates: coord|27|51|37|S|153|10|42|E|type:landmark_region:AU
* Date of establishment: 1993
* Managing authorities: Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
* IUCN category: II

Tamborine National Park

Tamborine National Park covers 11.60 km² on the plateau of Tamborine Mountain and around its foothills. The plateau is 8 km long, 5 km wide and rises to an altitude of 525 meteres. The elevation of the plateau keeps the temperature down a little in summer although December to April is also the wettest time to visit. Winter is drier but also cooler.

The area is spattered with the 12 separate reserves which make up the National Park, interspersed with villages. There are a number of beautiful picnic areas as well as scenic drives and many bushwalks to such attractions as lookouts, gorges, cliffs, waterfalls, rainforest areas, wet eucalypt forest, open forest and woodlands.

Wildlife in the park includes Lyrebirds, the elusive Platypus, Brush-turkeys, lorikeets, Eastern Whipbirds and Satin Bowerbirds. Camping is not permitted but the area's many small settlements offer a range of mostly small-scale cottage/bed-and-breakfast style of accommodation.

The main areas to visit in the park are Joalah, Cedar Creek, The Knoll, MacDonald Park, Niche's Corner, Palm Grove and Witches Falls. All have picnic facilities and walking tracks. All but Cedar Creek have information centres; most have toilets and some have barbecues.

Witches Falls

The Witches Falls section, on the eastern side of Tamborine Mountain village, became Queensland's first national park in 1908. The main walk here is the Witches Falls Circuit (3 km) which snakes down a steep slope through closed in forest into rainforest with cycad groves, seasonal lagoons, enormous strangler figs and palm groves, en route to the falls. An alternative way of seeing the falls is via the Beacon Road Track (4 km one way). Access is off Main Western Road (also known as Tamborine Mountain Road and Geissmann Drive).

Palm Grove

On the eastern side of Tamborine Mountain village is the Palm Grove section of the park. The Curtis Road Track (1.2 km one way) links Curtis Road and Palm Grove Avenue. The Palm Grove Circuit (1.4 km) passes through rainforest, fig and palm groves. Curtis Road runs off Tambourine Mountain Road (in Tamborine Mountain) and Palm Grove Avenue runs off Central Avenue in Eagle Heights.

Joalah

In between, and to the north of Witches Falls and Palm Grove, is the Joalah section of the park which features the 1.5 km Curtis Falls Walk (return). It descends to a rock pool at the base of the falls, offering fine views of the basalt rock face. Brush-turkeys can be seen along the Joalah Circuit (4 km), which links up with the Curtis Falls Walk. Access is off Eagle Heights Road.

MacDonald Park

Also in Eagle Heights, adjacent to the Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens, is the MacDonald Park section. It has a rainforest circuit (2.6 km) wherein the plants are named. Access is off Wangawallan Road.

The Knoll

The Knoll section of the park is located in the north-west of North Tamborine. It contains the Cameron Falls Circuit (3 km) which offers fine views, rainforest environs, open forest and the occasional black skink sunbathing on the rocks. Knoll Road runs off Main Street. The Tamborine Mountains Natural History Association Information Centre is also located in the village of North Tamborine and it is open from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. daily.

Cedar Creek

Heading north from North Tamborine, via Tamborine Mountain Road, there is a turnoff into Cedar Creek Falls Road. One of the most delightful walks in the whole Tamborine area is the Cedar Creek Circuit (3.2 km) which explores the creek's various cascades, rock pools and plant communities, such as open and dry rainforest and hoop pines. The falls tumble (gently rather than spectacularly) down into a gully. The 1.5-km Rock Scree Walk intersects with the circuit walk, for a potential detour.

Niche's Corner

Located approximately 20km north of the Knoll and main section of Tamborine Mountain, Niche's corner sits looking towards the Gold Coast and delivers the most stunning views that the park has to offer. One of the most delightful walks in the whole Tamborine area is the Niche's Lookout Circuit (3.2 km) which explores the Niche's Corners various cascades, rock pools and plant communities, such as open and dry rainforest and hoop pines.

ee also

* Protected areas of Queensland (Australia)
* [http://wikitravel.org/en/Tamborine_Mountain More information about tourism on Tamborine Mountain]
* More information about the villages on Tamborine Mountain