Located approximately 60 kilometres south of Queensland’s capital city of Brisbane, Tamborine Mountain is a volcanic plateau set within Australia’s Gold Coast hinterland.

An outpouring of lava from nearby Mount Warning - many millenia ago - created Tamborine Mountain’s lush, forested plateau which is approximately 8 km long by 5 km wide and now sits 600 metres above sea level.

The many attractions of Mount Tamborine and its charming villages include craft and antique shops, cafes and restaurants and numerous galleries which attract thousands of tourists every season.

This area is also known for its award-winning wineries with several offering tours, free tastings and affordable meals in beautiful surroundings. If you enjoy walking, nine National Parks within the Tamborine Mountain region await you. Shady walking tracks lead through stunning subtropical rainforest and past breathtaking waterfalls, natural swimming holes and rock pools. Sun dappled picnic and BBQ areas pepper the way and spectacular lookouts offer stunning views towards the ocean as well as to the West over the hinterland.

Cycling, climbing and skydiving are also popular in the area and many local clubs meet regularly to engage in these activities. Visitors to the area also enjoy walking, rambling and birdwatching and the local Tourist Information Centre can offer much information.

The Rainforest Discovery Skywalk is the latest Tamborine Mountain attraction and was completed in early 2009. Set on 30 acres of magnificent rainforest and alongside a tumbling creek, the Skywalk consists of an eco walking trail that leads to a 40m-long platform set 30m above the rainforest canopy. A short drive away, another popular attraction are the Glow-worm Caves that offer guided underground sightseeing tours through two spectacular man made caves filled with thousands of glow worms.

The rich volcanic soil of the area supports a diversity of horticulture which can be enjoyed on nature walks as well as by visiting the local Botanic Gardens. The bounty of many residents’ gardens is also on display at several roadside stalls that abound with kiwi fruit, rhubarb, avocados and macadamia nuts quaintly displayed around an ‘Honesty Box’.

This small plateau is also rich in animal and bird life. Platypus, green tree frogs, scrub turkeys, wallabies and of course koalas form part of the Mountain’s varied range of wildlife and in the morning, the calls of lorikeets, kookaburras and lyrebirds can be heard.

The state of Queensland is known as Australia’s Sunshine State and on Tamborine Mountain, you can enjoy abundant sunshine year-round but without the heat and humidity that the more northerly parts of Queensland often endure.

The beaches, shopping malls, theme parks and many other Gold Coast attractions are a comfortable 40-minute drive from Mount Tamborine while Brisbane is one hour away, making the Mountain the ideal ‘base-camp’ location from which to explore south-east Queensland.

The nearest international airport is Brisbane’s, however national travellers often opt for Coolangatta (Gold Coast) airport, a mere 45-minute drive from Tamborine Mountain.

Whether you are parents-to-be seeking a tranquil Babymoon destination, a newly engaged couple looking for that perfect Honeymoon location or if you are simply looking for the best B&B Tamborine you will delight in the serene privacy of Mount Tamborine’s Witches Falls Cottages.

Witches Falls Cottages offer an idyllic retreat to nature and consist of private cottages tucked away along rainforest pathways in one of Tamborine Mountain’s and perhaps even Australia’s most secluded and peaceful locations.

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I was astounded the first day I went birdwatching.Oh no. Seagulls directly overhead. That means trouble . While at the beach, my brother teased the gulls with his frisbee.

I was wearing my Dad’s binoculars on a strap around my neck. Thank goodness I did not know how valuable they were or I would have been a nervous wreck. When we lived in New Jersey in the city, we went to the “shore” once a year for Dad’s vacation. 

Most of the birds at the beach were terns, seagulls and sandpipers. Dad let me use his binoculars even though they were his special prized possession, Leupold binoculars. Dad enjoyed watching the boats in the ocean. My brother enjoyed watching the girls from a distance without them knowing about it. (He was young too!The birds at the beach were so cool because they were different from the ones I saw in the city.

At home we had house sparrows, robins, starlings, pigeons, crows and once in a while a cardinal in our yard. Because all of these birds were accustomed to people we did not use binoculars at home. Once in a while I noticed bluejays. Grandma scolded the bluejays for chasing away the little birds.

When we were driving every Sunday afternoon in the country, Dad pointed out some hawks and buzzards in the sky but I did not yet know how to tell them apart. Dad pointed out the difference. Buzzards eat dead animals, even humans if they die in the desert. Hawks eat rabbits and catch them to kill them for a meal. Ah, but i still did not know how to identify them. It was Grandma who told me I needed to save my allowance to buy a book to identify birds like bird guides.

Dad did not often take the Leupold binoculars out for a regular drive. Only when we went to a lake or beach. We saw swallows over the water near the cliffs on one trip. Mom saw a meadowlark but I was on the wrong side of the car and missed it. Funny. Not until years later as an adult did I see my first meadowlark. By then I understood the value and importance of both birding guides and those incredible Leupold binoculars.

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Every time I go camping, people are on my case. They want to know what is so great about sleeping on the ground inside a tiny nylon shell?

I figure if they have to ask, they will never know. I never see camping like that. Well, once I did. My gore-tex tent was parked right on a bear path not far from the water source. That tent felt flimsy that night.

Ah, but you see, camping is more than the tent. It is the total experience. Being outdoors is truly BEING. Breathe fresh air. Listen to the lack of noise. Listen to the waterfalls and rapids in the river. Watch the birds. It is birdwatching from inside the home of the bird.

No I do not think of camping as a miserable way to sleep. Camping in my tent costs a LOT less than a hotel and is sometimes safer. And if you are adequately prepared, as I usually am, you will be quite comfortable and warm.

Every season I yearn to lie on the ground and watch the stars. If I miss it, I feel cheated. Yes, I like to lie outside ON the Ground in almost the same place in each season. You would be surprised how the stars look from the same place at different times of the year. (Same place, give or take a few feet.)

When I learned how to call owls by mimicking their sounds my camping adventures took a new turn. Now I look and listen for the birds of the night as much as I do the birds in daylight.

Sometimes in bad weather, friends worry about me. I would rather be out there. Perhaps I am. I love being outdoors with nature. So call me crazy if you want. Okay, maybe that sounds odd but it is true for me.

A weekend in the wilderness with my camping gear and birding binoculars can recharge my spirit like nothing else can. I am in touch with all creation.

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