TOURS ATTRACTIONS WONGLEPONG

Adventure joins nature at Thunderbird Park on Tamborine Mountain less than an hour from Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Come for the day or stay and play. Choose from a range of exciting adventures and on-site accommodation on this 112-hectare rainforest playground. It’s fun for all the family and there is something to suit all age groups.

Hunt for gemstone filled thundereggs formed when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Take the Adventure Parc challenge, its Australia’s highest and longest adventure ropes course; do battle with Laser Skirmish, a fun experience in a jungle setting. Relax in the rainforest, go bushwalking, horse trail riding or swim in the rock pools.
Thunderbird Park is a wildlife and geological oasis. Find treasure in the world's largest thunderegg mine. Thundereggs range from a few grams to over 600 kilograms. Most are filled with agate and other quartz varieties. The mine is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 8.30 to 3.30pm, every day during Queensland Public School Holidays and all public holidays except Christmas Day and Good Friday. The admission price includes a mining permit, a pick, shovel, and a bucket to hold the treasure.

The ropes course offers a range of challenges from relatively easy to very strenuous. Choose your challenge and enjoy hours of high adventure. Hang on to the ropes and take a flying fox ride through towering eucalyptus trees, crawl through tunnels, play action movie jungle games and tumble through the air. Choose from a range of adventure games. The course is open to adults and children (height requirements apply). Jump suits and harnesses are supplied, covered footwear must be worn. The ropes course is open from 9.30am to 3.30pm every day except Christmas Day and Boxing Day, phone 5545 1468 for bookings.

Laser Skirmish is a fun outdoor activity for all ages. It’s like paintball but without the paint (or the pain). Zap your mates with a laser beam in this tactical combat game. Kit up in camouflage gear and face paint. Laser Skirmish games are challenging but safe. Join in a public session or book a private party. It’s great for birthday parties, end of year school break-ups, corporate events, and field trips. Open sessions at Thunderbird Park every Saturday afternoon, bookings essential. Visit www.laserskirmish.com.au or phone 1300 666 559.
Go horse trail riding through mountain rainforest and bushland. Gentle horses take riders on a fun filled adventure; rides are suitable for beginners and experienced riders. Friendly guides escort groups of up to 12 riders. Bookings essential, phone 5545 1468.
Self-catering lodges suit couples, families, and larger groups. Get back to nature, pitch a tent on a large, shady site, or book a landscaped caravan site. Prices suit all budgets. Enjoy the rainforest greenery and the trickle of the rock pools. Meet the friendly wildlife and colourful birds. Breakfast with the birds; enjoy a cold drink and a pizza from the wood-fired oven on The Terrace, its open every day of the week. The onsite Rainforest Restaurant and Bar is open for dinner Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights.

In a setting of 30 private acres of magnificent rainforest alongside a kilometre of tumbling creek and rockpools -
DISCOVER: THE TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN ECO CENTRE AND RAINFOREST SKYWALK at Tamborine Mountain, Queensland, Australia.
A new eco-adventure exploring the beautiful rainforest canopies and habitat in a different and thrilling way.

Visitors depart from the Rainforest Eco Gallery and begin the adventure on a spectacular elevated walkway through the beautiful middle and upper canopies of the rainforest. The walkway is a stable, high-tech steel structure enabling visitors to explore these canopies in a safe and secure way. It descends gradually to the lower canopy and follows points of interest including rockpools and waterfalls, a butterfly lookout, local history enclosure and sheltered rest areas along the way until reaching the amazing Skywalk. This is a 40 metre long cantilever soaring 30 metres above the valley, with spectacular views over the creek and the rainforest canopies below. Finally the walk returns along the rainforest floor to the Centre.
The tour takes approximately 45 minutes and is suitable for all ages.

Mount Tamborine Vineyard & Winery was the first winery and vineyard to establish in the Gold Coast Hinterland Wine Country and we are located at 128 Long Road Gallery Walk Tamborine Mountain. We are very proud that we are one of Mt Tamborine\'s boutique wineries that grow and produce all their own red, white and fortified wines at our Ballandean property Severn Hills Vineyard and Winery. Our winery was originally established by founder and visionary Roger Hart in 1990 and after his passing in November 2003, Roger\'s vision for establishing a prominent place for exceptional food and wine within South-East Queensland\'s Gold Coast Hinterland region has been continued by his wife Ann and daughter Danielle Hart.

Experience a day of total relaxation where you and your friend/s will be pampered from top to toe in your own private day spa on tranquil Tamborine Mountain.

Begin your day together lounging in the hydrotherapy spa, mineral bath and melting your tensions away in the steam room. It\\'s a great opportunity to kick back with a few of your friends and enjoy a glass of champagne.

Then it\\'s time to be pampered by the therapists at Getaway Day Spa. The staff are all fully qualified beauty and massage therapists, ensuring your treatments are of the highest standard. With a variety of packages to choose from, you may decide to have only one treatment or indulge yourself with one of the deluxe packages.

Set amongst the tropical Rainforest of Tamborine Mountain lies the Witches Chase Cheese Co. Happy Jersey cows produce our regions finest milk, from which we handcraft a specialty range of award winning premium cheeses including fresh, soft, blue and hard varieties.  We use traditional methods without preservatives and with vegetarian rennet.

Witches Chase Cheese Company began in 2004 when Meredith and Andrei Morris bought the (now old) factory in Beacon Rd. They had a deep desire to produce handmade cheeses to go along with their passion for drinking good wines!

With a modification to the cheese factory and Andre’s cheese training and certification from Gilbert Chandler University in Melbourne, the little factory started to produce cheese in October 2004.  With help from our instructor Neil Willman, we opened our doors in November.

Our distinct tree logo and swing came from a line of Liquid Amber trees that adorned the driveway of Beacon Rd with a swing we put up for our daughter Sienna.  We chose Witches Chase Cheese Company as our name as the Witches Falls National Park was the first National Park in Queensland and the road that leads into it is called Witches Chase, which until December 2008 we were situated near.

In late 2008 the new factory at the southern end of Gallery walk opened (a five minute drive from the old location). The relocation and expansion enabled Andre and Meredith to add a few more of their favourite indulgences under the one roof. This time the Cheese Shop and Factory have been paired up with the brand new MT Brewery and a five star Bistro & Grill called Liquid Amber.

With a brand new location and the same award winning cheese the future looks bright for Witches Chase Cheese Co. and we look forward to writing the next paragraph.

Lush rainforests, ancient trees, spectacular views, extensive walking tracks, exceptional ecological importance and natural beauty make this World Heritage-listed park an outstanding place to visit.

On entering the rainforest in Tamborine National Park, take the right-hand fork and head down to Curtis Falls. A viewing platform in the forest is a good place to stop and listen to the birds or rest on your way back. See strangler figs and giant stinging trees. From the large rock pool at the base of the falls see the huge basalt columns, a legacy of the regions volcanic history. Look for basking turtles on fallen logs and see fish and eels in the rock pool. If you're lucky you might see the local platypus. At night, look for glow-worms in the surrounding cliffs.

Lamington National Park boasts extensive walking tracks along the McPherson Range, which allow visitors to explore the area's forests, creeks and waterfalls. Dramatic lookouts afford views over the Gold Coast, south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales. Lamington is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, which includes the most extensive areas of subtropical rainforest in the world. As the Border Track to Mount Bithongabel climbs 240 metres, observe the change from subtropical to temperate forest. Good examples of Antarctic Beech, a cool temperate species, are growing in the area around Mount Bithongabel. The view from Bithongabel Lookout allows one to trace Bernard O'Reilly's journey when searching for the lost Stinson in 1937, along the McPherson Range to the West as far as Mount Throakban. Continue past some large tree ferns on the left to Toolona Lookout where a view can be obtained of Mount Warning and Murwillumbah.

Green Mountains, in the hinterland of the Gold Coast and part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, features lush rainforests, ancient trees and spectacular views. This section of Lamington National Park is located on the western side of the Lamington Plateau. Densely-forested ranges and valleys conceal the area's ancient volcanic origins and dramatic lookouts afford views over the southern edge of the Scenic Rim, a chain of mountains stretching from the Gold Coast hinterland to Mount Mistake. Get away and be at one with nature as you camp at the park's Green Mountain camping area. Choose from the many half-day or full-day walks that explore the park's best attractions. In the picnic area, take photos of crimson rosellas. On the Python Rock track, listen for the masked mountain frog's popping call. Enjoy excellent views of Morans Falls and Morans Creek gorge on the Morans falls track. Spot leaf-tailed geckos on the West Canungra Creek track. Set out on a full day walk along the Border track or Mount Merino track for outstanding views. Look for the regent bowerbird, rufous scrub-bird and Antarctic beech tree, ancient species that have survived since prehistoric times.

Tamborine Mountain Glow Worm Caves are located at Cedar Creek Estate. Come underground on a journey through the spectacular purpose built cave! The cave consist of two large chambers interlinked by tunnels. The first chamber is the 'presentation cave', where you will be shown an audiovisual display on glow-worms and the construction of the cave. This chamber is complete with very realistic formations (speleothems), such as stalagmites and stalactites, water features and flow stone. From this stunning cave, you will be guided through the magical 'glow-worm cave', filled with thousands of glowing glow-worms! The experience is one you have to see to believe! The Glow Worm Caves are open daily from 10.00 a.m. until 4.00 p.m. and bookings are recommended for group tours.

Ripple Mt Tamborine Massage, Day Spa and Beauty - the day spa that comes to you. They service Mount Tamborine, Springbrook, all Gold Coast Hinterland and all Gold Coast. It's perfect for couples massages, hens party, girls pamper day, corporate massage, parents wanting some time out or busy professionals looking to relax and unwind. There is an indulgent massage or spa package designed just for you. Try one of their rare massage styles, unique to Ripple here in Australia. You're welcome to choose from the deeply relaxing hot stone, the Russian deep tissue massage, seashell or the luscious chocolate massage. Or perhaps their pregnancy massage, Blokes men massage, deep tissue, remedial or corporate massage. Full health fund rebates with all their massages. A full beauty service with manicures or pedicures, and a facial for every skin type is available. Ripple has a range of services with something for every budget. Have the luxury of their friendly, fully qualified massage therapist come to you, just relax, unwind and let them do the rest.

Towering 560 metres high, this park is a green oasis, offering glimpses of the Pacific Ocean and Gold Coast skyline to the east and national parks of the Scenic Rim to the west. The park includes Witches Falls (which in 1908 became Queensland's first national park) and Cedar Grove, The Knoll and Palm Grove sections. The mountain features basalt columns, cliffs, rocky outcrops, numerous waterfalls and lush rainforest. It is also home to the rare Albert's lyrebird and shining burrawang. Explore some of the park's nine walking tracks that lead to scenic views, beautiful waterfalls, forests of large red cedars and groves of tall piccabeen palms. At Curtis Falls, sit quietly in the early morning or late afternoon for a chance to spot a platypus. Enjoy a picnic at The Knoll or Witches Falls. Catch a glimpse of the near threatened Albert's lyrebird or hear it mimicking calls of other birds, particularly during the winter months.

This track in the Green Mountains section of World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park passes through a closed rainforest community into an open eucalypt forest to the lookout over Morans Falls, Castle Crag, Mount Throakban and the Lost World. The booyongs and figs near the West Cliff turn-off and the large New England Blackbutt are impressive.

O'Reilly's Tree Top Walk allows you to walk through a canopy of flowering and fruiting trees covered by vines whilst you explore the epiphytic orchids and ferns surrounded by the many birds and animals that inhabit the tree tops. The Tree Top Walk, was the first of its kind in Australia, is 180 metres in length and is made up of nine suspension bridges, with much of the walkway being 15 metres above the ground. Profiles depicting the rainforest flora close by have been placed along the walkway to assist visitors in identifying the plants in the immediate vicinity. Two observation decks have been constructed in a Strangler Fig above the walk way, the highest one being 30 metres (approximately 110 feet) above the ground. The Tree Top Walk is a unique and innovative structure that gives visitors what can only be described as an exhilarating experience - a chance to observe life in the rainforest canopy at close range for the first time in their lives. Free of charge and there is no age or height restrictions for this activity. However, parental guidance of young children during the climbing aspect of the activity is recommended.

The Tooloona Creek circuit combines the very best that Lamington National Park has to offer - scenic waterfalls, boulder-strewn creeks, tall rainforests, gnarled Antarctic beech trees and views over Byron Bay and the World-Heritage listed rainforests of Queensland and New South Wales. The track branches from the Box Forest circuit near Elabana Falls. From here, walk up beside Toolona Creek to a gorge and past its headwaters to emerge on the Border Track near Wanungara Lookout. See Chalahn and Tooloona Falls and a myriad of cascades along the way. Enjoy cameo views through the trees over the coast and border ranges before returning along the Border Track to Green Mountains.

Lamington National Park boasts extensive walking tracks along the McPherson Range, which allow visitors to explore the area's forests, creeks and waterfalls. Dramatic lookouts afford views over the Gold Coast, south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales. Lamington is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, which includes the most extensive areas of subtropical rainforest in the world. The West Canungra Creek Circuit track descends to "Yerralahla" (blue pool), passing by some large rainforest trees including red cedar, (Toona ciliata), and then follows the creek for most of its length, crossing it several times. The track exits via the Box Forest circuit. Fossilised ancestors of this species from over 20 million years ago have been found in the World Heritage listed Australian Fossil Mammal Sites in Riversleigh.

Situated on the banks of the Canungra Creek in the Gold Coast Hinterland, O'Reilly's Canungra Valley Vineyards is a boutique vineyard dedicated to the enjoyment of fine food and wine. Enjoy a glass of award-winning wine, a delicious meal or High Tea on the verandah of the historic Queenslander homestead or picnic by the creek under the shade of the Silky Oaks. Owned and operated by the O'Reilly family, the property features a grand ballroom, intimate dining rooms, sweeping verandahs and a cedar cellar door bar. O'Reilly's Canungra Valley Vineyards produce three wine ranges: Picnic, Platypus Play and O'Reilly's Generations Reserve Series. They have named their premium range after members of the O'Reilly family, which as pioneers of O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat in nearby Lamington National Park, are an icon in the area. Open seven days a week, guests are free to explore the property and creek, which is home to a family of platypus. The vineyard provides the perfect venue for casual picnic basket, social group outing, off-site function venue or a unique wedding venue.

The adventure of being part of a simulated battle now can be experienced at 'Laser Skirmish' at Thunderbird on the Gold Coast, Australia. Gold Coast's Thunderbird Park is home to a unique combat entertainment attraction. It is actually inspired by the famous Kokoda Track. The outdoor field offers an area of 12,000 square meters (3 acres). The entire area is planned to be thrilling, like a live video-game. The weapon props available to the combatants offer a wide variety of gaming guns. The gaming guns also have patented real-time hit-feedback, so you know when you've got your opponent. The experience kicks off with a mission briefing. The gamers are divided into two teams - Team Bravo battle Team Delta - and gamers play out a series of mock missions for fun. The battlefield is quite authentic being set in the tropical jungle. Gamers can then debrief amongst themselves at the Rainforest Kiosk while enjoying a wood-fired pizza and a drink from the bar. Gamers can make it a real holiday with on-site accommodation from camping to rainforest chalets.

Sarabah Estate Vineyard is a beautiful family-run winery nestled at the base of the famous Lamington National Park. Just 10 minutes from the township of Canungra it is an ideal location for weddings, corporate functions and social gatherings.

Picturesque and private, the Estate is the perfect setting for a country vineyard wedding, letting brides' imaginations run free with exceptional ceremony and reception locations. Offering a superb quality of service, the staff at Sarabah pride themselves in their flexibility and ability to cater specifically for the needs of those hosting an event on their grounds.

The Vineyard also welcomes visitors to join them on weekends for wine tastings, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea, all within the gorgeous setting of the Scenic Rim.

Tastings of the Estate wines can be accompanied by a choice of cheeses specifically selected for the perfect wine and cheese pairing. Alongside this the Bistro kitchen offers homemade light bites and tasty meals using fresh ingredients direct from their very own market garden. These can be enjoyed either inside the Chalet or outside in the Secret Garden, weather permitting.

From the moment you enter the driveway you will appreciate that Cedar Creek Estate Vineyard and Winery is one of the Gold Coast Hinterlands most charming wineries. Bring your camera and take in the wonderful scenery, as well as enjoying the taste of some of Queensland's finest wines.

The vineyard consists of two varieties including Chambourcin and Verdelho, and even though the vines are relatively young, their Chambourcin in particular, is producing a fabulous Rose. Their other varieties of wines and grapes are sourced from some of Queensland's top vineyards, which provides the winemaker with a wonderful resource when developing their wines.

The winery also has a restaurant which adjoins the Gazebo and Deck overlooking Wild Duck Lake. The Lake is a 15 mega-litre sanctuary for the native wildlife in the area. The reaches of Cedar Creek, which flows through the property, are also home to a number of platypus. The property is quickly developing into a popular tourist attraction with the addition of the Prime Ministers Way, which is a short stroll through rainforest which leads to the Glow-worm Caves. The caves consist of two main cave structures linked by a tunnel with one cave dubbed the Cathedral Cave.