Unlocking Amazing Tamborine Mountain Secrets

Tamborine Mountain never ceases to amaze as an ideal destination for a day trip.  It is one of my favourite places to go. Situated in the Gold Coast Hinterland – Summer, Winter, Spring or Autumn the diversified nature of this region will never leave you disappointed.

Travel by car from the Gold Coast or Brisbane, the drive up the Mountain is truly a magnificent experience offering the sights and sounds of the dense rainforest as you carve your way along windy mountain roads or stop and take in some of the best vistas of the Mountains and Scenic Rim.

Tamborine Mountain is also graced with a surprising and unique shopping strip, Long Road – Tamborine Mountain is the location. Positioned on the East and West side of Long Road, Gallery Walk is one of the most amazing precincts presenting a unique experience with outlets offering Original Artworks, Sculptures, Pottery, Clocks, Antiques and Clothing.

Wander amongst the many and various range of shops, restaurants and cafes while tasting a piece of delicious fudge, sampling a drop or two from the local vineyards or as we did arrive early and kick off with a hearty mountain breakfast.

Parking is a breeze if you arrive early enough, we also had the advantage of being able to go mid-week so not as many people around but to our surprise mostly everything was still open for business. Our first mission for the day was to seek out a quirky place for our early morning coffee and to avail ourselves of some of the tempting local cuisine we had so much about. I am an “Eggs Benedict” AKA “Eggs Benny” devotee, so our search began.

We were looking for something a little different, there are so many cafes to choose from, we literally just put the blindfold on and stuck a pin in our map to see where it would land – we headed to the Gallery Café. This out of the ordinary charming cottage was exactly what we had been longing for, extensive menu with gluten free options, brilliant breakfast with outstanding service and the most delicious hot coffee – Yes, I did get my “Eggs Benny”. The café is complimented with plenty of seating indoors or the option of outdoor dining amongst the tropical palms, plants, and flowers.

Delay your departure for a few minutes and get an early shopping fix next door at Bygone Days a virtual treasure trove of reproduction and antique gifts, collectibles and much much more.

Gallery Walk is full of surprises with stores that you don’t expect see in a busy retail locale. With over 70 speciality shops we spent hours investigating all manner of quirky little places of interest. Wine Tasting, Exquisite Fudge, Chocolates and other sweet treats, art galleries, jewellery and clothing and as we like to do find something different and then let you in on some local secrets.

In amongst all this temptation we uncovered the German Cuckoo Clock Nest. This famous local tourist icon a well renowned clock emporium with all manner of time pieces housed in an imposing Bavarian Chalet. Featured is a huge display of Cuckoo Clocks, Grandfather Clocks, Contemporary Clocks and Watches. Put a little time away to fully explore this place, if you need any extra info we found the staff more than happy to fill you in with all the details.

Situated close by to the Gallery Walk, Curtis Falls near the top of Tamborine Mountain is a compact but beautiful waterfall. The falls are not known to run dry but depending on recent rain activity it can go from a steady flow to a raging torrent and is most spectacular after heavy downpours so time your visit if you want to see the later. The water runs from higher up in the mountain cascading over a rocky outcrop gathering into a small pool surrounded by rainforest, ferns, and profuse greenery.

When you arrive, there is plenty of Free Parking in front of the Café, Toilets and a clearly marked signpost at the start of your Curtis Falls Circuit adventure. From here, the trail of just 1.5km return passing through imposing eucalypt forests, glorious rainforests, you can feel the temperature drop as you meander along the winding path and your prize at the end, the stunning Curtis Falls. The track ends at a viewing platform overlooking a large rock pool with exceptional views of the falls and surrounding greenery. The first view of the falls will leave you breathless. Follow the same track back to the car park or join some of the other circuits if you want to further explore more of this impressive National Park.

Today on our Road Trip, Tamborine Mountain has revealed more of it’s spectacular secrets. With scenic drives, many bushwalks, lookouts, cafes, wine tasting, fudge and chocolate shops, shopping, tree top walks and accommodation (if you want to stay for a while longer and I recommend that you do), a trip to the “Mountain” will not leave you or the family disappointed with just so many things to do.

Links – Click on the link Tamborine Mountain – The Green Behind The Gold for information on one of my earlier Blogs for more exciting day trip options.