Just 30 minutes from the Gold Coast, this lush hinterland region offers panoramic vistas, rainforested national parks and chic new hotel offerings. Here are the best things to do in Tamborine Mountain.
An hour south-west of Brisbane/Meanjin and a mere 30 minutes from the hot and heaving Gold Coast, Tamborine Mountain is a very literal breath of fresh air. A volcanic by-product of erosion following the formation of Wollumbin (Mount Warning) in the Tweed some 20 million years ago, this rainforested region is hemmed by Lamington National Park and Tamborine National Park. Within the latter you’ll find Queensland’s first designated national park, Witches Falls, gazetted back in 1908.
These days, the many walking trails and hikes, some featuring falls or glow worms, continue to draw day-trippers and mini breakers alike. Off-track, you may notice a schism in the suburbs here. At the Eagle Heights end, the tourist-trapping Gallery Walk is a strip of cafes with jolly chef statues advertising all-day pancakes, folksy craft stores, fudge shops and, confoundingly, the German Cuckoo Clock Nest shop that has somehow remained solvent for more than 30 years.
But elsewhere in Tamborine Mountain, a new style of tourism is taking root, complete with chic eateries, architectural stays and deliberate style anchored by real substance. Keep reading to discover the best things to do in Tamborine Mountain.
Where to stay in Tamborine Mountain
The Tamborine comes with a heated mineral pool.
The pad is clad in
earthy tones.
And replete with mountainous views.
A gleaming white beacon, The Tamborine boutique hotel is an extraordinarily well-executed reimagining of its former ’70s-era self. Its restoration beautifully honours the original hacienda style of the building, while coaxing it into a more modern fit-out. But the real jaw-drop comes from the astonishing ridgeline view that can be absorbed from each of the 23 rooms. The soothing, minimal spaces keep the spotlight outside, but are perfectly elegant places to unwind when you’re not out and about or dipping into the heated mineral pool.
The best things to do in Tamborine Mountain
1. SOL Elements
SOL Elements offers a soothing respite. (Credit: Timothy Birch)
Seemingly submerged in a reed-fringed pond, it’s impossible not to connect to your serene self at this soul soothing bathhouse. A circular design of treatment rooms, flotation caves and private bathing suites leads out to SOL Elements’ pond-adjacent bathhouse with mineral pools and an ‘earth lab’, where you can lather up with infused salt rubs. A sunken firepit has you eye-level with the water as ducks glide by and you exhale with a cup of herbal tea post-massage.
2. Loborn
Head to the tasting bar on Main Street for a tipple.
A fan of negronis and the artful backstory of the classic Italian amaro, a robotics engineer decided to distil his own components of the cocktail using Australian botanicals. The result is Loborn’s range of amaro, vermouth and gin, each inspired by Tamborine Mountain and carefully crafted to be assembled in unison or sipped solo. Head to the tasting bar on Main Street on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to try these well-made tipples and chat about how amaro went from monks’ tonic to modern aperitivo.
3. Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk
Soak high above lush rainforest canopy. (Credit: Tourism and Events Queensland/Jesse Lindemann)
The region is famed for its lush verdant greenery, so naturally a visit to the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk is one of the top things to do in Tamborine Mountain. The 1.5-kilometre experience blends forest floor, high-tech steel bridges and a 40-metre cantilever bridge allowing guests to stroll high among the tree canopy. A stop-in at the onsite eco gallery and cafe round out the experience.
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4. Potta Studio
Potta Studio is part of the sustainable North Stores precinct. (Credit: Sabine Bannard)
If you found yourself admiring the ceramics at The Tamborine, head to Potta Studio in the North Stores precinct on Main Street. Potter Andrew Moir shapes covetable organic forms you’ll find hard to leave in store. You can also join a workshop to create your own masterpiece.
5. Main St. Provedore Eatery & Espresso
Indulge in plated elegance. (Credit: Sabine Bannard)
Led by fine-dining chef Brenden Schutz, Main St. Provedore Eatery & Espresso is a quiet but applaudably high achiever. By day, pastries, good coffee and properly enjoyable sandwiches are on rotation at this petite diner, but come Friday and Saturday nights, 16 guests are treated to a five-course degustation of plated elegance. The menu is seasonal and may run in the vein of blackberries with stracciatella, squid ink risotto and black licorice ice cream with charcoal cake. It’s $125 very well spent.
6. Peddly Picnics
Let Peddly Picnics supply both the wheels and the meals.
Take to the mountain on an e-bike, but let Peddly Picnics supply both the wheels and the meals. Picking up your ride from Main Street, head to the Knoll Section in Tamborine National Park with a picnic of delicious gourmet accoutrements. You can even hire a carrier to take your doggo along – just make sure they’re allowed in the park.
7. Witches Falls Winery & Boxer Brewing Co
Witches Falls Winery is one of Queensland’s largest wine producers.
Sample wines at the barn-style cellar door. (Credit: @hausfrau)
Unwind in the beer garden at Boxer Brewing Co.
Tamborine Mountain has a collection of wineries and distilleries to tempt oenophiles, adding yet another layer to this mini break must-do. Among them is the pretty Witches Falls Winery, which happens to be one of Queensland’s largest wine producers. All wines are made onsite using minimal-intervention techniques and you can visit the barn-style cellar door to sample the output every day from 10am. If you’re more into hops than grapes, head next door to The Kennel, where you’ll find Boxer Brewing Co.
8. Curtis Falls Rainforest Walk
Cool off at Curtis Falls. (Credit: Tourism and Events Queensland)
This family-friendly eucalypt trail figures among the best things to do in Tamborine Mountain for very good reason. Expect to feel transported to an Avatar-esque realm as you meander beneath looming flooded gums and staghorn ferns, listen out for birdlife and spot basking turtles or glow-worms. The one-kilometre, Grade 3 walk leads to the namesake waterfall that may be a thunderous torrent or smooth flowing curtain, depending on recent rainfall.
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9. Saint Marthe Brasserie
Swing by Saint Marthe Brasserie to indulge in confit duck.
Perhaps you don’t expect a cosy French brasserie to be tucked into the Gold Coast hinterland, but here you will find a very excellent one. Wining and dining come apéritif hour, Saint Marthe rolls out the Gallic hits. Swing by after a hike for a fortifying cocktail and grazing plate or book for dinner to indulge in confit duck, steak frites and soufflé. The hospitality is welcoming, the setting effortless and without pretension, and letting the afternoon slip away as you sit outside is a worthy allocation of time.
10. Tamborine Cheese
Some of the best things to do in Tamborine Mountain involve kicking back and scoping out the impressively fresh produce, and Tamborine Cheese is no exception. Pop in to this Italian-owned deli for warm customer service and dairy delights spanning truffle burrata and authentic Italian ricotta to smoked scamorza.
11. Tamborine Mountain Gelato Co
Find comfort in familiar flavours of gelato.
While there are plenty of ice creameries along Gallery Walk, you’d do better to head to Main Street for your sweet uptick. At Tamborine Mountain Gelato Co the bright hues of the confections are secreted under stainless-steel pozzetti lids, but you don’t need to see them to know these flavours are next-level. Concocted by pastry chef Bec Leitner, expect flavours such as rosella and lime, salted caramel pretzel and caramel slice. All additions to the gelato, such as cookies and cakes, are made in-house.
12. Thunderbird Park
Saddle up at Thunderbird Park. (Credit: Tourism and Events Queensland)
Welcome to Thunderbird Park, a choose-your-own-adventure destination packed with thrilling activities that make a visit among the best things to do in Tamborine Mountain for families. Perhaps you’d like to zoom above the forest canopy on a zipline; take on the TreeTop Challenge; meet adorable animals; or pan for crystals or fossick for Thundereggs.
13. Gallery Walk
Shop for a range of collectables along Tamborine Mountain’s famed Gallery Walk. (Credit: Tourism and Events Queensland/Jesse Lindemann)
More than 60 art, craft and nick-knack shops are found along Tamborine Mountain’s famed Gallery Walk, where tourists love to wander with little purpose but to be charmed and amused by the range of collectables and curiosities. Don’t miss Mumma Duck’s Sweets & Treats for chewy fudge or Charlie & Me for boutique gifts.
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Working for many of Australia’s top publications, Lara Picone has had the distinct pleasure of writing, editing and curating content about the finer things in life for more than 15 years. Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, her editorial foundation began at Qantas: The Australian Way magazine, before moving on to learn the fast-paced ropes of a weekly magazine at Sunday Magazine and picking up the art of brand curation at donna hay magazine. Pivoting a near-problematic travel lust into a career move by combining it with storytelling and a curious appetite, her next role was as Deputy Editor of SBS Feast magazine and later Online Editor of SBS Food online. She then stepped into her dream job as Editor of Australian Traveller before becoming Online Editor for both International Traveller and Australian Traveller. Now as a freelancer, Lara always has her passport at-the-ready to take flight on assignment for the Australian Traveller team, as well as for publications such as Qantas Magazine, Escape and The Weekend Australian. As ever, her appetite is the first thing she packs.
When the winter chill settles in, an escape to Hamilton Island’s year-round tropical shores is the only acceptable coping mechanism.
As a heliophile with the cold tolerance of a Mediterranean house cat, the arrival of winter tends to spark a particular panic. How will I survive? Must I really start layering? What do you mean, Aperol season is over? But there are far better ways to spend the cooler months than sulking in the depths of your doona.
Enter, Hamilton Island. With its year-round sunshine and permanent on-holiday atmosphere, this Whitsundays favourite promises a veritable slice of summer in winter.
Think salt-stiff hair and the smug pleasure of devouring seafood beside the water while friends back home are defogging their windscreens. Here’s why Hamilton Island should figure into your winter plans.
1. Year-round summer weather
Hike under sunny winter skies on Hamilton Island. (Image: Andrew Caitens)
In the crisper months, Hamilton Island offers perfectly mild, sunny weather (17-24°C) that lends itself to morning swims and afternoon spritzes. Better still, you can enjoy the island’s outdoor adventures – from hiking to mountain biking – without the humidity or rain you’ll often find in summertime. With direct flights from most major Australian cities offering ease of access, Hamilton Island is the ideal place to flee the cold.
2. Getting active without the humidity
Zip around Hamilton Island by buggy. (Image: Hamilton Island)
Whether you’re hiking up to Passage Peak or exploring the island by buggy, tropical Queensland humidity is nobody’s friend. The one way to guarantee you will avoid the inevitable stickiness and fluffy hair? Visit during winter. There’s plenty to be enjoyed, from sunrise yoga at The Sundays (exclusive to guests of The Sundays) to playing golf on Dent Island.
3. Hamilton Island Race Week
Feel the thrill of Hamilton Island Race Week. (Image: Salty Dingo)
Taking place in August, Hamilton Island Race Week is a destination in its own right that attracts spectators and racers from around the globe. Boating enthusiasts and thrill-seeking holidaymakers flock to the island, which is palpably energetic as the first yachts set off for Dent Passage from Hamilton Island Yacht Club. The annual action-packed week, taking place from 15 to 22 August in 2026, offers an exciting calendar of on- and off-water events – spanning everything from celebrity chef dinners to golfing comps and wine tastings.
4. Best time for snorkelling
Explore Hamilton Island’s winter waters. (Image: Andrew Caitens)
While the crowds on Hamilton Island may disperse with the cooler weather, the marine life certainly doesn’t. Winter is widely considered one of thebest times to snorkel and dive in the Whitsundays.
It’s down to a number of reasons: excellent water visibility, higher chances of seeing whales as they migrate north and – best of all – no nasty stingers. This means no need to wear those notoriously unflattering full-body wetsuits visitors have to wear in warmer months. On top of all this, you’ll find calm seas ideal for sailing and Great Barrier Reef tours.
5. Fewer crowds
Experience a quieter Hamilton Island on a kayaking adventure. (Image: Hamilton Island)
Winter is often the quietest time to visit Hamilton Island, with the peak season crowds thinned to a relaxed trickle. You can snorkel or dive straight off the reef-laced waters of Catseye Beach, then swap fins for a buggy and zip between One Tree Hill, the marina and sunset cocktails without the usual summer queues. Active days stretch from kayaking, sailing and jet skiing to hopping over to famous Whitehaven Beach to witness those breathtaking white swirls of silica sand. You won’t have to elbow your way to the front of the crowd to get a good snap.
6. Delicious dining
Treat yourself to Bommie Restaurant’s fine dining featuring fresh, seasonal Aussie produce. (Image: Nikki To)
The food on Hamilton Island tastes just as good any time of year, and winter is still perfect weather for sundowners. Start with an iced tea Negroni at harbourside Bommie Deck, before transitioning to Bommie Restaurant for a fine-dining feast centering on seasonal Aussie ingredients. Or perhaps enjoy a more casual poolside evening at Sails Restaurant, where plates of chermoula chicken skewers, baked cauliflower steak and crispy sumac squid come served with ocean views. From family-friendly pub meals to elevated wine tastings, there’s something for everyone.
5. Clear skies for idyllic views
End your day with golden Hamilton Island sunsets over the water. (Image: Hamilton Island)
Never let a cloud rain on the parade of Hamilton Island’s spectacular scenery. Winter brings clearer skies and more stable weather to the Whitsundays, meaning your picture-perfect sunset at One Tree Hill is likely to remain that way. And after putting in the legwork to hike to a scenic lookout, the last thing you want is a vista hidden behind low cloud and haze.
