Thunderbird Park, Queensland: Can I go zipwiring over Cedar Creek Canyon?
Thunderbird Park near Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast hinterland offers a range of activities, including mini golf and crystal panning. But the Canyon Flyer zipline over Cedar Creek Canyon at the Tree Top Challenge is the highlight.
What is Thunderbird Park?
Thunderbird Park is an adventure park near Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast hinterland, Queensland. Activities include mini golf, crystal panning and the Canyon Flyer zipline across Cedar Creek Canyon.
Tamborine Mountain adventure playground
Thunderbird Park in the Gold Coast hinterland in Queensland bills itself as Australia’s largest adventure playground. On a property stretching over 112 hectares near Tamborine Mountain, Thunderbird Park offers an often bewildering range of activities and accommodation.
Let’s start with the small fry. Activities available include an adventure mini golf course and small funfair with paddle boats and 4WD buggy rides. You can also go fossicking and panning for crystals at the Thunderegg Crystal Mine, then take part in the bird-feeding session at 2pm. This is when the rainbow lorikeets fly down from the trees to grab some lunch.
Best day trips from the Gold Coast – 7 ways to improve your stay
The Gold Coast is a destination in its own right, but there are several excellent day trips you can do while using it as a base.
- Deluxe Tamborine Mountain winery tour – with gourmet lunch.
- Full day Springbrook National Park tour – with waterfalls and bush tucker tasting.
- Snorkelling with turtles at Cook Island.
- Evening glowworm-viewing experience – with guided stargazing.
- Lady Elliot Island day trip – with glass bottom boat & guided Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tour.
- Hopping between microbreweries – with lunch included.
- Northern Rivers fruit & distillery tour – with Tropical Fruit World and Husk Distillers.
Thunderbird Park Treetop Challenge at Tamborine Mountain
The main attraction at Thunderbird Park, however, is the Treetop Challenge. This is a combination of a high ropes course and the Canyon Flyer, which is billed as Australia’s largest, highest and fastest zipline tour.
The Canyon Flyer crosses the Cedar Creek Canyon several times, with seven separate ziplines. Take off is from heights of up to 60 metres, and you reach speeds of up to 70km per hour. A full day’s experience including the Canyon Flyer zipline course and the Treetop Challenge Adventure Park costs $149. It must be booked in advance via the Thunderbird Park website.
Thunderbird Park accommodation: Camping and lodges
There is also a range of accommodation at Thunderbird Park. This starts with basic unpowered camping sites for tents at $32 per night. The Thunderbird Park camping sites are next to the rock pools on Cedar Creek, and the camp kitchen offers barbecues, a kettle and a toaster.
Powered sites are also available, while Thunderbird Park also offers a glamping experience and lodges. The two bedroom bush lodges are surrounded by Scenic Rim forest, and cost from $279 per night.
Exploring Tamborine National Park from Thunderbird Park
The other highlight of Thunderbird Park is the proximity to the Tamborine National Park. It’s only a ten minute bush walk to Cedar Creek Falls, where the rock pools below the falls are perfect for swimming on a hot day. Other things to do in Tamborine Mountain include wine tasting at the Witches Falls Winery and walking to Curtis Falls.
Thunderbird Park, near Beaudesert in the Scenic Rim, is 70km from Coolangatta on the Gold Coast, and 68km from Brisbane CBD.
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