Meet

Gordon Chalmers.

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Tamborine Mountain Distillery general manager and head distiller Gordon Chalmers is passionate about the area’s natural appeal and bohemian feel.

A Tamborine Mountain resident since 2005, English-born Gordon entertains day trippers and visitors with welcoming hospitality and enjoys seeing them visibly relax and enjoy mountain time.

Tamborine Mountain is Queensland’s first National Park and this lush, green protected rainforest is situated right on the doorstep of Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Known as the ‘green island in the sky’, it is located around 550m above sea level with lovely cool weather – even when it is sultry down in the cities.

People are looking for real experiences and Tamborine Mountain has plenty on offer. Visitors can get away from the city and experience a range of drink and food options, a popular wedding and events scene, spectacular natural wonders, 360-degree views and plenty of activities from boutique shopping to bushwalking in the National Park.

Even the drive up here is adventurous. There are four different roads up Tamborine Mountain, which range from winding roads through the rainforest like a James Bond movie to a rollercoaster ride straight down the mountain. The spectacular roads take you up through the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area with its massive ancient trees, which has an immediate relaxing effect.

Top 5.

A few personal favourites from Gordon.

GC Hang-Gliders-Lookout

Hang-Gliders Lookout

GC Curtis-Falls

Curtis Falls

Tamborine Mountain Coffee Plantation

St Bernards Hotel

GC Thunderbird-Park

Thunderbird Park

Catch a sunset at Hang-Gliders Lookout, which is breathtaking in any weather. It attracts hundreds of people to watch the sunset from a chair or blanket with a sandwich or glass of wine in hand or play with the kids.

Take the easy 10-minute Curtis Falls Track through the rainforest in Tamborine National Park to see the spectacular waterfall over huge basalt columns to the pool below.

There is nothing better than drinking a cup of coffee that was ground from fresh beans that morning.

A historic pub, St Bernards Hotel has classic views across the coast with two resident St Bernards dogs. In winter, you can also sit around the log fire for that traditional European pub experience.

A must for families, Thunderbird Park has more than 20 activities on offer from thunderbird egg mining to zip-lining.

“Tamborine Mountain is a special spot full of genuine old-world charm nestled atop a beautiful mountain and set against a backdrop of lush subtropical rainforest.”

Tamborine Mountain is the epitome of community. The area is home to many different artists and an eclectic mix of interesting people with incredible stories.

The rural setting is steeped in nostalgia where locals grow their own produce and tourists can potter around and buy knickknacks at the monthly markets.

There is so much to see and do in Tamborine Mountain you can easily stay a few nights just to explore the National Park. Up here, you are immersed in the rainforest views everywhere you go – it is on every corner and all around you.

However, if you only have one day, people mainly come to Tamborine Mountain to chill out, relax and enjoy the scenery.

Food and drink is the main activity and there are many tours available that allow you to sample the many wineries, breweries and distilleries against the stunning backdrop of the Scenic Rim. Tamborine Mountain also has a huge variety of restaurants and eateries from little coffee shops through to international cuisine and everything in-between.

Tamborine Mountain is a small area but people are surprised by how much there is to do. Come for the views and stay for the ambience.

A local secret:

Tamborine Mountain has two commercial streets:

Gallery Walk at Eagle Heights is the famous shopping destination with more than 80 different boutiques in one block but there is also the lesser-known Main Street. Popular with locals, Main Street in North Tamborine is full of charm and has lots of interesting cafes and eateries as well as all the essentials.

A resident of Tamborine Mountain since 2005, Gordon Chalmers has been an integral and long-time member of the community as a business owner and representative of the local tourism sector. Gordon and his partner Shumei, purchased Tamborine Mountain Distillery in 2017. As the general manager and head distiller, he is passionate about promoting the region and local hospitality and tourism industry with local, interstate and overseas visitors.

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