Tambourine Mountain
Encyclopedia
Tamborine Mountain is a 28 square kilometres (10.8 sq mi) 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
.
.
Until it was opened for selection in 1878 it was covered with a diverse range of forest types. In that year the first white settler, John O'Callaghan selected a parcel of land on the mountain. 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.
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
.
s, 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.
habitat
s below the largely cleared plateau summit, and above the surrounding eucalypt
forests, have been identified as a 38 square kilometres (14.7 sq mi) Important Bird Area
(IBA) by BirdLife International
. It includes the southern fragments of the Tamborine National Park
. The IBA supports an isolated northern population of Albert's Lyrebird
s, as well as Pale-yellow Robin
s, Green Catbird
s, Regent Bowerbird
s and Australian Logrunner
s. Additional significant birds recorded from the site are Glossy Black Cockatoos, Sooty Owls, Marbled Frogmouth
s and Noisy Pitta
s. Other animals present in the IBA include Platypus
es, Short-beaked Echidna
s and Richmond Birdwing
s.
communities: North Tamborine
, Eagle Heights
and Mount Tamborine, with a total population of about 5,100. 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 rain
water, bores
and septic systems
. Many residents commute
to work on the Gold Coast
or in Brisbane
.
The Glow-Worm Caves are a man-made attraction which opened to visitors in March 2006.
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
(8 km long by 4 km wide) in the Scenic Rim, Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
Hinterland
Hinterland
The hinterland is the land or district behind a coast or the shoreline of a river. Specifically, by the doctrine of the hinterland, the word is applied to the inland region lying behind a port, claimed by the state that owns the coast. The area from which products are delivered to a port for...
, south-east Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The name is of Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
origin and has nothing to do with the musical instrument
Tambourine
The tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
.
History
Tamborine Mountain was inhabited by Aborigines for tens of thousands of years and, at the time of early European settlement, lay in the territory of the Wangerriburras. The origin of the name Tamborine, which means 'wild lime' and refers to the finger lime trees growing on the mountain, is in the Yugambeh languageYugambeh language
Yugambeh is an Australian aboriginal language spoken by the Yugambeh Bundjalung people living on the South-East Queensland coast between the Logan River and the Tweed River ....
.
Until it was opened for selection in 1878 it was covered with a diverse range of forest types. In that year the first white settler, John O'Callaghan selected a parcel of land on the mountain. 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
Tamborine National Park
Tamborine is a national park in the Gold Coast hinterland of South East Queensland, Australia, 45 km south of Brisbane.It covers 11.60 km² on the plateau of Tamborine Mountain and around its foothills. The plateau is 8 km long, 5 km wide and rises to an altitude of 525 meters...
) 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.
Geology
The geologicalGeology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
origin of the plateau is a lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
flow from the Mount Warning
Mount Warning
Mount Warning is a mountain west-south-west of Murwillumbah, near the border with Queensland in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia...
volcanic eruption
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
22 million years ago. Tamborine Mountain rises at the start of the north-east section of the Scenic Rim
Scenic Rim
The Scenic Rim is a group of forested mountain ranges of the Great Dividing Range straddling the border between south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, Australia.-Description:...
, the name given to a group of mountains in South East Queensland
South East Queensland
South East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
.
Climate
The climate is subtropical, with the annual rainfall of about 1,550 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 avocadoAvocado
The avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
s, kiwifruit
Kiwifruit
The kiwifruit, often shortened to kiwi in many parts of the world, is the edible berry of a cultivar group of the woody vine Actinidia deliciosa and hybrids between this and other species in the genus Actinidia....
, passionfruit, rhubarb
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a group of plants that belong to the genus Rheum in the family Polygonaceae. They are herbaceous perennial plants growing from short, thick rhizomes. They have large leaves that are somewhat triangular-shaped with long fleshy petioles...
, 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.
Important Bird Area
Parts of the plateau and surrounding foothills encompassing the wet subtropical rainforestRainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s below the largely cleared plateau summit, and above the surrounding eucalypt
Eucalypt
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora.In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the...
forests, have been identified as a 38 square kilometres (14.7 sq mi) Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
(IBA) by BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
. It includes the southern fragments of the Tamborine National Park
Tamborine National Park
Tamborine is a national park in the Gold Coast hinterland of South East Queensland, Australia, 45 km south of Brisbane.It covers 11.60 km² on the plateau of Tamborine Mountain and around its foothills. The plateau is 8 km long, 5 km wide and rises to an altitude of 525 meters...
. The IBA supports an isolated northern population of Albert's Lyrebird
Albert's Lyrebird
The Albert's Lyrebird is a pheasant-sized songbird, approximately 90cm long, with brown upper body plumage and rich chestnut below. It is very similar with the Superb Lyrebird in its habits. This bird also mimics other species sounds....
s, as well as Pale-yellow Robin
Pale-yellow Robin
The Pale-yellow Robin is a species of passerine bird in the Petroicidae family. It is endemic to eastern Australia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is a non-descript bird with grey head and olive upperparts, white throat and yellow underparts. The sexes are...
s, Green Catbird
Green Catbird
The Green Catbird, Ailuroedus crassirostris is a species of bowerbird found on subtropical forests along the east coast of Australia, from southeastern Queensland to southern New South Wales. Its colouring is emerald green, with faint black markings on the face and white streaks on the neck.Green...
s, Regent Bowerbird
Regent Bowerbird
The Regent Bowerbird, Sericulus chrysocephalus is a medium-sized, up to 25 cm long, sexually dimorphic bowerbird. The male bird is black with a golden orange-yellow crown, mantle and black-tipped wing feathers. It has yellow bill, black feet and yellow iris...
s and Australian Logrunner
Australian Logrunner
The Australian Logrunner is a species of bird in the Orthonychidae family. It is endemic to eastern Australia...
s. Additional significant birds recorded from the site are Glossy Black Cockatoos, Sooty Owls, Marbled Frogmouth
Marbled Frogmouth
The Marbled Frogmouth is a species of bird in the Podargidae family.It is found in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands....
s and Noisy Pitta
Noisy Pitta
The Noisy Pitta, Pitta versicolor, is a species of bird in the Pittidae family. It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.It eats earthworms, insects and snails....
s. Other animals present in the IBA include Platypus
Platypus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young...
es, Short-beaked Echidna
Short-beaked Echidna
The short-beaked echidna , also known as the spiny anteater because of its diet of ants and termites, is one of four living species of echidna and the only member of the genus Tachyglossus...
s and Richmond Birdwing
Ornithoptera richmondia
The Richmond Birdwing is a species of birdwing butterfly that is endemic to Australia. It is the second smallest of the birdwing species, the smallest being Ornithoptera meridionalis.-Distribution:...
s.
Settlement
Human settlement on the plateau is centred on three villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
communities: North Tamborine
North Tamborine, Queensland
North Tamborine is a suburb on Tamborine Mountain in South East Queensland.Many early settlers grew maize and grazed dairy cattle. The first guesthouse on the mountain was open in 1889....
, Eagle Heights
Eagle Heights, Queensland
Eagle Heights is a suburb on Tamborine Mountain in South East Queensland.The suburb is home to the Gold Coast hinterland's oldest remaining church. The St Andrew's Wesleyan Church on Long Road was built in 1880. At the 2006 census, Eagle Heights had a population of 2,702.-External links:*...
and Mount Tamborine, with a total population of about 5,100. The plateau is classified as a rural area, with zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
restrictions that prohibit property from being subdivided
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
. There is no reticulated
Water pipe
Water pipes are pipes or tubes, frequently made of polyvinyl chloride , ductile iron, steel, cast iron, polypropylene, polyethylene, or copper, that carry pressurized and treated fresh water to buildings , as well as inside the building.-History:For many centuries, lead was the favoured material...
water supply
Water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavours or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes...
or sewerage
Sanitary sewer
A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
system, and residents are dependent on rain
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
water, bores
Borehole
A borehole is the generalized term for any narrow shaft bored in the ground, either vertically or horizontally. A borehole may be constructed for many different purposes, including the extraction of water or other liquid or gases , as part of a geotechnical investigation, environmental site...
and septic systems
Septic tank
A septic tank is a key component of the septic system, a small-scale sewage treatment system common in areas with no connection to main sewage pipes provided by local governments or private corporations...
. Many residents commute
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
to work on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
or in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
Tourism
Tamborine Mountain attracts a large number of tourists to "Gallery Walk" along Long Road, a street devoted to art galleries, 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.The Glow-Worm Caves are a man-made attraction which opened to visitors in March 2006.
Walking tracks
Tamborine is well known for walking tracks 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 SchoolTamborine Mountain State High SchoolTamborine Mountain State High School is a co-educational, state secondary school located on Tamborine Mountain, Queensland, Australia. The 2009 enrollment is approximately 640...
(secondary - year 8 - 12) - Tamborine Mountain College (secondary - year 8 - 12)
- Tamborine Mountain State School (primary - year 1 - 7)
- St Bernards State School (primary - year 1 - 7)