Tamborine is famous for its National Parks (seven within 10 kms of each other), and their beautiful rainforest bushwalks. All tracks are under 3 kms, well beaten and easy to negotiate.

Click here for a contour map showing the locations of all bushwalks, and read on to learn more about each in greater detail.

Click here for photo gallery showing Tamborine Mountain's National Parks.

Cedar Creek

This section of the park is situated 800 m off Tamborine Mountain Road. Picnic facilities are located in two large open grassy areas surrounded by tall eucalyptus forest. There is one small shelter shed 200 m from the carpark at the far end of the picnic area.

Walking tracks

Cedar Creek circuit 3.2 km

This track provides access to Cedar Creek and some of its spectacular cascades, waterfalls and rock pool. Walkers pass creek-side plant communities, open forest and dry rainforest with emergency hoop pines. The walk includes an easy rock hop across the creek.

Rock Scree walk 1.5 k

Extensive jumbled rock scree slopes feature on this walk through open forest. The track joins the Cedar Creek circuit where it passes through dry rainforest to the lower falls and returns past cascades, rock pools and waterfalls.

Joalah

Located beside the Eagle Heights - Tamborine-Beenleigh Road junction, access to this section is via Dapsang Drive carpark. Picnic facilities are not provided at Joalah.

Walking tracks

A walking track is being built to provide access from the carpark through the national park to Curtis Falls. In the interim, walking tracks are reached by a short walk to the cafe area on Eagle Heights Road, where a boardwalk provides access into the park.

Carpark to shops 400 m return

A short walk through rainforest to several cafes. Prominent plants along this walk have been named.

Curtis Falls 1.5 km return

Walkers pass through rainforest and descend steep stairs to a large pool at the base of Curtis Falls. There is an impressive view of the falls and the surrounding columnar basalt rock face.

Joalah circuit 4.2 km

This track continues downstream from Curtis Falls along the piccabeen palm-fringed creek, past cascades, to a small pool. Rainforest trees laden with staghorns, elkhorns, hare's foot and birds nest ferns and transition forest with tall white-trunked flooded gums can be seen on this walk. Joalah is an Aboriginal word meaning 'haunt of the Iyrebird' and the loud calls of the male Albert's Iyrebird can still be heard during winter. Traffic noise penetrates through Joalah"s forest because of its small size and proximity to a major road.

The Knoll

Access to The Knoll is via Main Street, North Tamborine, and The Knoll Road. The parking area is very small and unsuitable for large buses. The grassy picnic area is situated in tall open forest. Near the entrance there is a large shelter shed with a long table. When picnicking on a blanket on the ground, choose your site carefully to avoid disturbing ant nests - ants bite. A lookout platform on the northern edge of the picnic area provides views to Flinders Peak and Brisbane.

Walking tracks

Cameron Falls circuit 3 km

Cameron Falls, scenic views, rainforest with large emergent trees, piccabeen groves, transition forest with large flooded gums and open forest feature on this walk Look out for land mullets (large black skink lizards) sunning themselves on this track.

MacDonald Park

The carpark is situated on Wongawallen Road; off the Tamborine Oxenford Road. This area of land was donated by the late Miss Jessie MacDonald. Picnic facilities including a small shelter shed, picnic tables and a barbecue are provided beside the walking track on the edge of the rainforest.

Walking track

Rainforest circuit 1.4 km

This track passes through rainforest with large strangler figs, piccabeen palm groves and tall trees festooned with vines and ferns. Ideal for bird watchers and visitors seeking a quiet rainforest walk away from road noise and large numbers of people. Plants along this walking track are named.

Palm Grove

There are two access points for this section»Palm Grove Avenue (unsuitable for buses) and Curtis Road. Picnic facilities are located at the Palm Grove Avenue entrance in two lush grassed areas on the edge of the rainforest. A scenic view of the Gold Coast is available from some picnic tables.

Walking tracks

Palm Grove circuit 2.6 km

Piccabeen palm groves and rainforest with emergent strangler figs and distinctively buttressed yellow Carabeens feature on this walk.

Jenyn's Falls circuit 5.4 km

The circuit branches off the Palm Grove circuit and passes through rainforest, transition forest dominated by brush box and occasional hoop pine and open eucalypt forest where grey gum, grey Iron bark and drooping Sheoak are common. The plant communities change according to rock and soil type, fire history and drainage. A short branch track leads to a lookout seat where visitors can rest and look at views of the Gold Coast.

Curtis Road track 1.2 km one-way

This short walk through rainforest links Palm Grove's two access roads.

Witches Falls

This section, located on the Tamborine Mountain Road, extends down the western side of the plateau. Picnic facilities are provided beside the Main Western Road in a narrow grassed area with tall eucalypts. On extremely windy days, branches dropping from the trees may be dangerous. A small shelter shed commemorates the dedications in 1908 of Queensland"s first national park.At sunset spectacular views can be seen of the Scenic Rim along the McPherson Range and Main Range.

Walking Tracks

Witches Falls circuit 3 km

This walk zig-zags down the steep mountain side through open forest with Banksia trees and into rainforest with huge strangler figs. Walkers pass seasonal lagoons surrounded by piccabeen palm groves, large dead eucalypt trees in the rainforest and cycad groves before reaching Witches Falls. The walk returns through rainforest.

Beacon Road track 4 km one-way

This walk descends through rainforest to Witches Falls and continues along the cliff through rainforest with large red cedar trees and eucalypt forest to Beacon Road. From here, the Witches Falls carpark is 3 km via the Beacon and Tamborine Mountain Road.

Lepidozamia Grove

This park on the plateau edge preserves a grove of cycads (Lepidozamia Peroffskyana). Cycad plants can be seen growing on the edge of a small grassy area at the park entrance. The cycad plant form is very ancient and fossil records indicate that it existed almost 300 million years ago. This area of land was donated by Edwin Franklin and Frank Salisbury.

Undeveloped Sections

Seven other parcels of land are included in Tamborine National Park. Two areas of open forest and woodland near Cedar Creek were donated by Edward Corbould. Many small sections protect rainforest. Facilities are not provided in these areas. At Panorama Point a rough gravel road provides access into an area of tall open forest where grey gum, brush box and bloodwoods are common. There are no facilities.