The Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens are a free, volunteer-run garden at 25 Forsythia Drive on Tamborine Mountain, with short walks through rainforest, palm groves and themed gardens. They are open every day from dawn to dusk, so you can fit them in around the markets, galleries and lookouts that fill most Tamborine days.
The gardens were started in 1983 by the Tamborine Mountain Garden Club on an 11 hectare block that used to be a weed-covered swamp. Volunteers still do most of the work, and donation boxes are placed around the grounds.
Walks at Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens
The walkways here are short and signposted. Signs at the junctions point to the Lakeside Walk, the Rainforest Walk, the Rose Garden and the Orchid House.
The named walkways include the Sooty Owl Walk, Lakeside, Seasons, the White Flower Walk, the Rainforest Walk, the rhododendron gardens, and a boardwalk through a grove of piccabeen palms.
The piccabeen palm grove
A path from the pavilion leads to a boardwalk through a grove of piccabeen palms. It is an easy stretch to add to a short visit.
The Rainforest Walk
The Rainforest Walk is about 150 metres long and is the one more demanding walkway in the gardens, so take it slowly if you have a pram or a wheelchair.
The lake
The gardens have a lake, and the Lakeside Walk follows it. There is a covered pavilion with tables and chairs for a rest.
Gardens to look for
The collection mixes tropical and temperate plants, which suits the cool, wet climate on the mountain. Themed gardens include a Japanese Garden, an Orchid House, a Rose Garden, a Bromeliad Garden, a Camellia Garden, a Perennial Garden and a Magnolia Garden.
Pair the gardens with a lunch stop in the village or a walk at one of the tracks nearby.
Free app, plant sales and volunteers
The gardens have a free app with an interactive map, a birdwatching activity and an “I Spy” game for children and adults. It is a handy way to keep younger visitors busy on the short walks.
The volunteers run plant sales from time to time, including a springtime sale and one around National Botanic Gardens Day, held in the gardens pavilion below the upper car park. The springtime sale falls on the last weekend of September, alongside the Springtime on the Mountain open days. Check the gardens’ news page for later dates. Volunteers also meet on Thursday mornings for pruning, planting and mulching, so you may see them at work.
Planning your visit
- How long: The walks are short, so it suits a relaxed visit with a picnic.
- Best time: Mornings suit the walks. The plant sales run from 8 am.
- Cost: Free. Donations are welcome and help the volunteers.
- Opening hours: Every day of the year, dawn to dusk. There is no closure listed at the moment. Check the gardens’ website before you go.
- Facilities: Toilets, including an accessible toilet, a covered pavilion with tables and chairs, and picnic seats in the open areas. There are no barbecue facilities and no cafe on the gardens’ visitor page, so bring your own food.
- Dogs: Not allowed.
- Accessibility: There is an accessible toilet. The walkways are short, but the Rainforest Walk is steeper than the rest.
Getting there and parking
The gardens are about 70 minutes by car from Brisbane CBD, on Forsythia Drive off Long Road.
There is a council-owned car park for all visitors; spaces cannot be reserved. A marked small-bus space is inside the gardens on the left near the sign, and coaches can use the space beside the entrance on Forsythia Drive.
Nearby
- Mount Tamborine – lookouts, waterfalls and the village guide.
- Gallery Walk Tamborine – the village’s galleries and shops.
- Tamborine Mountain Rainforest Skywalk – a canopy walk above the rainforest.
- Cedar Creek Falls – a waterfall walk and swimming spot.
- Sandy Creek Circuit – rainforest and Cameron Falls.
- Tamborine Mountain Markets – the last-Sunday market.
- More public gardens and more of Tamborine Mountain.
You might also like
- Regional Botanic Gardens (Benowa)
- Sherwood Arboretum (Brisbane)
- City Botanic Gardens (Brisbane City)
Quick answers
Is there an entry fee for Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens?
No. Entry is free, and donations are welcome to support the volunteers who look after the gardens.
What are the opening hours?
The gardens are open every day of the year from dawn until dusk.
Are dogs allowed at the Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens?
No, dogs are not allowed in the gardens.
Are there toilets and picnic tables?
Yes. There are toilets, including an accessible toilet, plus a covered pavilion with tables and chairs and picnic seats in the open areas. There are no barbecues.
How long should I allow?
The walks are short, so there is no need to set aside a whole day. Combine them with a picnic and the Orchid House.
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