Tamborine Mountain

Tamborine Mountain
Tamborine Mountain
	Tamborine Mountain landscape
Highest point
Elevation	525 m (1,722 ft)
Geography
Location	Queensland, Australia
Parent range	Great Dividing Range
Geology
Mountain type	Shield volcano

Tamborine Mountain is a 28 km² plateau (8 km long by 4 km wide) in the Scenic Rim, Gold Coast Hinterland, south-east Queensland, Australia. The name is of Aboriginal origin and has nothing to do with the musical instrument.

Human settlement on the plateau is centred on three village communities: North Tamborine, Eagle Heights and Mount Tamborine, with a total population of about 6,500. The plateau is classified as a rural area, with zoning restrictions that prohibit property from being subdivided. There is no reticulated water supply or sewerage system, and residents are dependent on rainwater, bores and septic systems. Many residents commute to work on the Gold Coast or in Brisbane.

Geological origin

The geological origin of the plateau is a lava flow from the Mount Warning volcanic eruption 22 million years ago. Tamborine Mountain rises at the start of the north-east section of the Scenic Rim, the name given to a group of mountains in South East Queensland.

History

Tamborine Mountain was inhabited by Aborigines for tens of thousands of years and was the territory of the Wangerriburras. Until it was opened for selection in 1875 it was covered with subtropical rainforest. In that year the first white settler, John O'Callaghan selected a parcel of land on the mountain.^[1] Much clearing for agriculture took place, though efforts were made to protect the natural values of the area, with Witches Falls National Park (now part of the Tamborine National Park) being declared in 1908, the first in Queensland. The Tamborine National Park is made up of 12 separate sections of land, mainly remnant rainforest, on the plateau and surrounding foothills. A tourist road to the mountain was opened in 1924.^[1]

Climate

The climate is subtropical, with the annual rainfall of about 1600 mm falling mainly between December and March. Temperatures vary between maxima of 18 °C in winter and 32 °C in summer, averaging some four or five degrees cooler than the surrounding lowlands. With its fertile red volcanic soil and high rainfall, the plateau produces rich crops of avocados, kiwifruit, passionfruit, rhubarb, apples and mangoes. With its cool climate and spectacular scenery, as well as its proximity to Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise, it is a major tourist destination.

Tourism

Tamborine Mountain attracts a large number of tourists to Gallery Walk, a street devoted to cafes and souvenir shops. The street is not particularly noteworthy, but remains a tourist centre due to it being directly on the way from the Gold Coast. Other tourism-heavy areas include Main Street, two one-way roads with cafes, a supermarket, hardware stores, a newsagent and various other shops, and the Tamborine Showground Markets, held every second Sunday of the month.

Walking Trails

Tamborine is well-known for walking trails winding through rainforest regions and occasionally past cliffs or waterfalls. The most well-known ones are the Curtis Falls rainforest track, and the Knoll, though there are others. The tracks are mainly used by tourists, although locals who have lived on the mountain for a while may visit them occasionally, or as part of an exercise regime.

Schools

Tamborine Mountain State High School (secondary - yr 8 - 12)
Tamborine Mountain College (secondary - yr 8 - 12)
Tamborine Mountain State School (primary - yr 1 - 7)
St Bernards State School (primary - yr 1 - 7)

References

^ ^a ^b Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland) (2000). Heritage Trails of the Great South East. State of Queensland. p. 14. ISBN 0-7345-1008-X.

External links

27°55′39″S 153°11′39″E / 27.927513°S 153.194305°E / -27.927513; 153.194305

[heritage-1] Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland) (2000). Heritage Trails of the Great South East. State of Queensland. p. 14. ISBN 0-7345-1008-X.

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