 Nestled within 320 acres of rainforest and virgin bushland, the tiny lodges dotted along Cedar Creek and seemingly straight from the pages of a vogue magazine, is one family destination surrounded by a heap of fun.
Without a doubt the most popular choice in activities is to dig up a Thunderegg. What’s a thunderegg? Good question. During the Mount Warning eruption some 200 million years ago, bubbles boiled ferociously within molten magma. As the lava slowly hardened, bubbles trapped beneath the surface eventually solidified. Fossickers can now release these Thundereggs, trapped within time from the ancient lava flow. At the old tin shed you can have your egg sliced down the middle, where surprisingly you’ll find a magnificent display of chalcedony, quartz, jasper and bands of agate. No two eggs are identical and each makes for a wonderful souvenir.
The kids want to be cowboys? Tamborine Mountain Trail Rides is situated on the grounds of this five star resort and offers a diverse range in both rides and trails, from a relaxing half-hour meander for beginners, through to the outright adventurous. Or perhaps the kids would like to get up close and personal with a variety of Australian animals hiding within the Mount Tamborine Wildlife Sanctuary.
A morning of horseriding and fossicking leaves the afternoon for bushwalking, mini golf or even Skirmish - laser tag. But, when it’s time to cool down, the options are worth considering. A leisurely swim in the pool, a dip in the creek or let the brisk waterfall tumble therapeutically upon your shoulders. With massage in mind and the end of the day closing in, the local massage therapist will help you unwind. Lay back and listen to the creek run its course and the logs crackling in the fireplace as your aches and pains dissolve with the colours of the day.
Mealtimes offer even more options, perhaps a barbeque on your private balcony or dine by the roaring fireplace in the property’s restaurant, Rainforest. Here Capesh-shell lanterns hang from the trees, a display of Thundereggs sparkle under fairy lights and the background music is courtesy of the nocturnal wildlife waking for the night. Breakfast can be via a cane basket delivery to your door, or the not-to-be-missed, Sunday morning Breakfast With The Birds. Enjoy a hot buffet breakfast in the tropical courtyard whilst exotic mountain birds, including a friendly peacock, keep you entertained.
The neighbouring township of Mount Tamborine is an absolute haven for the senses. This surreal fantasyland, complete with storybook cottages and views to the ocean, is crammed full of galleries, craftshops, antiques, coffee houses and artistic wonder. If you’re a lover of art in all shapes and forms, then the stretch of road known as Gallery Walk is just waiting to be explored. But why walk when you can ride? On weekends, a trolley bus circulates every hour offering a hop-on-hop-off style of tour.
 But wait, it gets better yet. Picking up directly from the front door of Cedar Creek Lodge, the old-world Tamborine Trolley will act as your personal chauffeur, as they escort you door to door for a day of taste testing the best Mount Tamborine has to offer. And with all this wine tasting, it’s a good thing your trolley driver knows exactly where he’s heading, as he darts from estate to distillery, offering a variety of local wines through to Schnapps and even Vodka.
But don’t think it’s all alcohol, for this tour is a treat for lovers of both food and wine. Gaze across rolling green paddocks to the far off Gold Coast, whilst enjoying a gourmet lunch served within the ambiance of the local heritage. The afternoon will guarantee your taste buds will be begging to stay on the mountain, as you sample hand-made chocolates, fudge, take in a coffee from the organic plantation, chomp upon a macadamia nut or take home a bag of avocados for dinner, with most of what’s being sampled having been born and bred upon the mountain itself.
Every second Sunday of the month, Mount Tamborine Showground hosts the country markets. Wander through this arty marketplace, or set out on a winetasting tour of your own through the mountain’s four estates. If it’s walking you're after, then remember to pack your bikini with your hiking boots for Mount Tamborine’s 7 National Parks offer spectacular walking trails, meandering through the Hinterland and, more often than not, to a secluded natural rock pool.
Mount Tamborine is a 1 hour drive from Brisbane, and a 45 minute drive from the Gold Coast. |
