After Binna Burra, we headed down the hill and up to the other one, Tamborine mountain.
It was not a long drive just 57km away from Lamington National Park, also only 70km from Brisbane.
On the way we stopped in a nice little town, Canungra . We went to town had a look around and visited Visitors Center for some information about various National Parks. Also we asked which way is the best way up to Tamborine Mountain. Lucky we went to visitors center, they said one of the road was closed due too much rain and landslide which was the way we were planing to go, so now we got the right directions and off we go. But this road was so steep gave the car a good workout, definitely not a road for a caravan. On the way we got nice views and beautiful houses that looked over the valley and Scenic Rim.
We wanted to camp in Mt. Tamborine but there were not many options. There was one camping ground which was very commercial with very rude staff and overpriced $65 for no power side— NO DEAL mate!! So we looked further and the weather wasn`t great for next few days, so we visited Tamborine Mountain visitors center asking for some advice. We thought if we can`t camp maybe a cabin but we didn’t realize how popular this place was and how limited the accommodation was and how expensive to stay here “one night”!! Its very close to Gold coast and Brisbane so people are like to come up here for the weekend. So to stay in our budget we looked around we found Southern Sky Glamping. They have big canvas tents with kitchen and shower toilet inside was very beautiful place with heated pool and also not too far from town center and National Parks. We negotiated a good deal because it was during the week and off season , so we booked in for 4 nights just only $360. how lucky were we!! beautiful views and quiet really relaxing place.
Tamborine National Park has 6 sections with lots of Walking tracks. After we settled down, we went to town center and checked out Gallery Walk, also MacDonald section.
Gallery Walk ,The most attraction place you must visit in Mt. Tamborine.
It is a shopping street where you got all these little interesting shops to visit. On this street every house has its own character , there`s one German clock store, every single clock was make by hand. some of clocks were really beautiful and interesting. Others were jewellery, arts , antiques, hand crafts, gift shop,candy store and a lots of local produce such as tea, coffee and wine.
We can see why Gallery walk is so popular. We see multicultural and locals are working together to made this street such special .
After happy shopping, we went to MacDonald Section, MacDonald rain forest circuit walk. its a short walk only 1.4km return, was an easy walk with massive strangler fig tree and tall piccabeen palms.
Next day, woke up in the early morning. We visited Cedar Creek Section , Sky Walk and Joalah Section.
Cedar creek walking trail was another easy walk. First we through eucalyptus forest walk to Cedar Creek Falls lookout with views of over the gorge , was a great morning gift.
Continue following the trail, we walked down to rock pool, just other 750m but this part was a bit steep down, through dry forests and you come to this amazing waterfall with swimming pool, very popular with the locals. We didn`t get into water because it was too cold for us (sorry…we are spoil FNQ)
Up to next, Rain forest Sky walk.
Inside the park, they made a Long bridges canopy level with the tree tops high up from the ground, it`s about 1.5km walking trail. Lilia is afraid of height but she did good ,trying to focus on photography and the views, but at the end of the walk it comes a cantilever bridge. This one got her bad, she did not want to continue but I told her : just for one photo…….!! and she did, great job Lilia !!
From there we went to Joalah section, we did Lower creek circuit and Curtis Falls track, it total around 4km loop. Hike along the creek you met giant strangler fig and tall palms, was a beautiful walking track.
The track was getting steep down ,crossed Cedar Creek it becomes a bit challenging with rock hopping.
We went for a dip, it was quite hot on that day quickly cool down our boddy . Hopped back to the track and continue to Curtis Falls trail. Two tracks are just few meters away from each other but the vegetation was totally different. Soon you walked into Curtis falls track , you felt the temperature droped down straight away . Wet eucalyptus forest ,stag-horn ferns and tower gums , it was amazing!!
Nice easy walk with plenty of wild life ,followed cedar creek to the end of the track that you met famous Curtis Falls.
Day 3, It`s a day of hiking . we visited Witches Falls Section ,The Knoll Section and Palm Grove Section.
Witches Falls is Queensland’s first National Park. It has 2 walks, this track started with zigzag trail steeply down a mountain, through tall palms forest into rainforest with giant strangler figs.
This track passed a few of lagoons and met Witches Falls platform, the fall itself is under platform , at the time was not much water, it only flows when wet season but view from the lookout was beautiful.
Passed lookout we continue the trail to Witches Chase Track. Through giant boulders with red cedar trees, was an easy walk and so interesting to see that giant rock living with strangler fig tree.
Half way through the track we decided to make turn, because it end up at the other side of the road which is far away from our car park, so back to Witches Falls circuit trail we followed loop trail zigzag up a car park.
Sandy Creek circuit. This track descends from the car park to the creek, easy walk in a beautiful rainforest , large flooded gums and Piccabeen groves was amazing.
Crossed sandy creek bridge, the track follows the creek and keeps descending down to Cameron Falls lookout. Beautiful view, shame was you can`t see the falls because it was over grown but waterfall can be heard in the distance. Continued along the cliff , you met a bridge crossing Sandy Creek , this creek drops away created Cameron Falls, quite amazing view when you sitting down at the edge of waterfalls.
After this track ,we went to a famous restaurant,The Polish Place. In 2016 the main building was destroyed by fire. Lucky they reopened the door for everybody. The restaurant is building right on the edge with fantastic inland views. Stuffs were all dressed in traditional Polish clothing, Ruben tried the Polish coffee, which was a bit weird!! it was very bitter and felt like you drinking coffee grind not sure if we drank it correctly. Over all was a very interesting place to visited.
Had little rest after we continued our journey, next is Palm Grove Section.
This section has two walks join together, Palm Grove circuit and Jenyns circuit . Total about 6.5km return, YES! again, we did more walks. It was not a hard trail just a bit long, some of the parts were quite steep plus rock hopping , creek crossing and walked on the cliff edges. This track didn`t have any lookout or open view but the vegetation was amazing, from piccabeen palm groves into rainforest with giant strangler figs then came out eucalyptus forest, pines and gums.
Our last day at Mount Tamborine, here has the other famous attractions Glow Worm Cave you can`t missed it. This is a man made cave, where you can see them close. Glow worms are larvae of a small fly that lives on the wall and has a silk thread to catch other insect. But they also glow in the dark bit like a fire fly. We booked a early tour was very lucky only 4 of us ,almost private tour!! A girl led us through a cave, there were a lot of glow worms in a small cave quit amazing. because only few people so we can get so close to see them and stay inside the cave longer . The guiding girl told us that glow worms are also on the Atherton tablelands where we used to lived, which we didn’t know about it. The other info she gave us that actually have wild glow worms at Curtis Falls and you can go to this track at night. of course we have to go to see them ,that`s why we are here!!
Finished the tour, we visited Botanic Garden, a very organize and special garden with a tranquil Japanese garden, a tropical rainforest walk and many other delights.
It`s free of charge to visit here.The entry has a beautiful garden with a lake. In the garden, they did some fun stuff for people something like pipe work, which you could hit with a hammer and OZ thongs to make music, a hobby house , bee hotels, wooden water mill and they also made a little painting stone leave everywhere inside the garden. We saw a snake and some wild life. Was quite of fun spend sometime here.
Headed to Eagle height for lunch. Eagle height hotel is another one you definitely have to visit. Absolutely beautiful views of the gold coast. And you really could see the eagles gliding around the valley.
In the afternoon weather was getting worse, Lots of rain and lighting lucky we stayed at glamping . We thought may missed the opportunity to go out check glow worms, but around 11pm at night the weather give us little break, still not so good to go out to visit waterfall at night but we really want to see the glow worms!! So we both say okay and we went. When we arrived at the trial head, straight away walked down to the track. At the half way the magic light start to showed up, this was just wonderful !! you could see little lights were everywhere from the glow worms that was really something special. And we also found another luminescent ,the glowing fungus WOO-WHOO… what a lucky night !!
The glow worms night adventure was very successful, this was the main thing we want to see on this trip, so this bucket list can be ticked ✅
Finished Scenic Rim, we were heading back to Cooya Beach ( where is home). on the way back we spend sometime somewhere and visited friends , so coming up……. Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
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