A step back in time!
Tamborine Mountain has a compelling unique character that arises out of the rich and diverse heritage of the region. The Tamborine Mountain Heritage Centre is run by the Mountain’s Historical Society and features a small historic village, offering a snapshot of the life of early settlers.
Visitors can see the first church to be erected on the mountain. Called the Pioneer Hall it has been relocated within the centre’s grounds. It
contains various dioramas of the mountain’s history as well as extensive displays of fashions from the early 1900s.
SLAB COTTAGE
Built in 1986 following modern-day building regulations, to a reproduction of an early mountain house – without a floor being trodden earth or laid slabs. The cottage gives a feeling of the times and of being “lived in”.
Visitors can view many items used by the early settlers. Check out a traditional “outhouse” complete with a resident red back spider at the rear of the building. This style of outhouse was still in use in Brisbane in the late 1960’s.
BLACKSMITH
The blacksmith makes things mostly from iron, this involves using charcoal or coke.
The soot blackened all, including the smith. “Black” smithing was essential to the mountain pioneers, but it was a hot and tiring job. Red hot metal was bent and twisted into all sorts of shapes. A model Smithy can be seen at work over a realistic model of a forge.
THE GENERAL STORE
Constructed out of material from a local farmhouse owned by Bernie and Mrs. Wilson, believed to be built in the 1930’s.
Volunteers pulled the house apart and re-erected it in its present form. During demolition a 1946 newspaper was found under the lino. The phone number on the facade is the original number of the first general store opened at North Tamborine in 1923.
The store comes complete with a barber’s chair and a haberdashery section. It was a trading centre and a meeting place. The hand operated Caltex petrol bowser is a recent addition.
WATER WHEEL
The Water Wheel was built out of forest timber in 1888 by the Curtis brothers who were early settlers. It had a 24 foot diameter wheel and was located on Cedar Creek upstream from the Curtis Falls.
The creek was dammed each night, and released in the morning to power the wheel which developed about ten horse power. The sawmill closed down in the mid 1890’s due to poor prices for timber. When the sawmill had served its purpose it was dismantled and some of the wood used to make violins played at local dances.
There is a working scale model on display, which was built by our volunteers.
OPENING HOURS
Saturday and Sunday 10.00am to 3.00pm
Car parking available on site.
All exhibits are wheel chair accessible.
Open for Tours by appointment.
ADMISSION FEES:
Adults: $5 Children: $1 (school age) Families: $10
Tamborine Mountain Heritage Centre contact details and location map below…
Tamborine Mountain Heritage Centre
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