Jacaranda carpet on the Amore driveway

Olde Eagle Heights Walk Map out now

June 11, 2022 / Amore News

Our one easy walk map and Information guide is now available

Olde Eagle Heights Walk

You can start the Olde Eagle Heights Walk at the front door of your Tamborine Mountain accommodation here at Amore B&B.

Initially you will meander through Palm Grove Rainforest, then experience a stroll through the Olde Eagle Heights residential community with its quaint English village atmosphere and views to the ocean and finally down Gallery Walk for a browse before you return to your accommodation at Amore B&B on Tamborine Mountain.

Brilliant morning walk and you could finish it off with brunch at one of the many Gallery Walk cafes.

The map and information guide gives highlight details for this walk and we list below just some of those that you will experience on your travels. You too will be pleased that when you were looking for a place to stay on Tamborine that you choose Amore B&B.

There is something magical about this place

1 Enter Palm Grove Rainforest Walk.

Delicate ferns, towering trees and an array of wildlife abound. This walk is home to pademelons, brush turkeys, the rare Albert’s lyrebird, (check out the Video at the end of this post) land mullets and dainty yellow robins. A shady humid world exists beneath the closed canopy.

Keep a look out for the pademelons. This small to medium size marsupial inhabits Palm Grove National Park. The pademelon is closely related to the wallaby and the kangaroo. It is a solitary nocturnal animal so it spends the day time hours resting and goes foraging for food under the cooler cover of night. Its diet consists most of leaves, grasses, shoots, berries and herbs which it sources adequately in its rainforest environment. These little guys are very shy but are so so cute.

The park protects remnants of Tamborine Mountain’s plant communities and includes areas of rainforest with distinctive piccabeen palm groves, wet eucalypt forest dominated by tall flooded gums, open forest with bracken fern understorey and woodland.

These plant communities provide essential wildlife habitat in a landscape almost entirely surrounded by urban and rural development. After approximately 1.2 km, you will emerge on Palm Grove Avenue feeling invigorated and refreshed.

2 Exit the national park into Palm Grove Ave.

As you are about to leave the coolness of the rainforest, look for the distinctively buttressed yellow carabeen trees and the soaring strangler figs. Then, on Palm Grove Avenue, enjoy a wonderful photo opportunity as you take in panoramic views of the ocean and the Gold Coast and if you look left or look right you will see interesting architectural creations with some built by and for notable identities.

You are now entering the Olde Eagle Heights residential precinct with its interesting architecture, abundance of olde world charm, cottage gardens and an area steeped in history. The Olde Eagle Heights region is a striking destination, a special blend of heritage, natural beauty and creativity. Admired by countless artists and visitors over many years there is a lot to love about Olde Eagle Heights.

Along Central Avenue, wander in and admire the Jacques van der Merwe sculpture garden. A collection of bronze sculptures, which explore the human condition and the personal relationship between the species. Jacques van der Merwe creates artwork in bronze, resin, ink on paper and oil on canvas ( 9 Central Avenue).

You can then take a detour via Cliff Way to enjoy the view to the beaches of the Gold Coast.

3 Olde Eagle Heights.

Olde Eagle Heights owes its being to an English gentleman and scholar named Theodore Witherby. He arrived in 1916. In 1920 Witherby bought the Day/ Kidd farm. As a town planner he excelled as he laid out his dream English village which he named Eagle Heights. The area was subdivided with residential and business precincts, narrow lanes, and open green spaces equated to a village green.

Some interesting buildings on your walk which form part of our Heritage Trail.

The original Eagle Heights Hotel: A two-storey, Tudor design building. The hotel which burnt down in 1964 was built by Witherby. The only sections of the structure that were saved were the servant’s quarters and the garages at the front – they are still there today. With a series of extensions it is now the site of a restaurant, a residence and an antique shop. The Hotel was one of our early tourist destinations Eagle Heights Hotel (Video N0 12) and was visited by the most famous pop group of all times THE BEATLES in June of 1964. It was unfortunately ravaged by fire in November of that same year. It is now operated by renowned soprano Tania Edmunds and her gifted husband Howard as Eagles Nest. Brilliant operatic and dinner performances are scheduled at the venue throughout the year. Bookings are essential. Guests who have been to the dinner performances have given rave reviews. Witherby was also the accredited designer for a number of properties erected in the then new Eagle Heights subdivision.

Villa Margaret: Mountain legend has it that Villa Margaret was designed by famous American architect Walter Burley-Griffin; her thick stone walls tell a thousand tales. During World War II, this 1930’s art-deco mountain-side retreat was the weekend escape for General Douglas MacArthur and most notably the house was the private weekend residence of much-revered Queensland Archbishop Sir James Duhig. Decades later, Villa Margaret became the contemplative retreat for the Sisters of the Cannossan. It is now a private residence.

“The Shingles” A residence in Witherby Crescent which stands today. Built by T.C.Witherby the originator of Eagle Heights village. Various early photos of T.C. Witherby and of his residence are held at the Historical Society Museum which you will come to on this walk. It is now a private residence.

The First Church: The Mountains’ first church was opened in 1926. The Presbyterian Church was moved in 1982 to Wongawallen Road to become the Historical Society’s Museum.

“Semloh Guesthouse”: It still stands on the corner of Southport Avenue and Driscoll Lane. Built by Mr. Holmes “Semloh” (his name spelt backwards). It became the Marist Brothers School in the 1940’s and later a guesthouse and again later a monastery for an order of Polish monks. The fibro building adjacent was originally the school dining room with two classrooms beneath. Later the upper level was converted into a Chapel. It is now used as an antique auction venue, the church having moved to a brand new facility in Beacon Road. A concrete based tennis court was built alongside the Chapel and the base is still visible today.

“Eaglemont”: Located in Eagle Heights Road was owned by Mrs. Tibby Mullens who also ran the local bus company. It is a guesthouse today although much refurbished.

“The Poplars”: It was built by Miss Jessie MacDonald who owned the adjacent Rainforest which she donated to National Parks. That Park now bears her name. It had been used as a guesthouse, a convalescent home, pottery retailing and a tea house. It is now a private home.

4 MacDonald National Park:

Located off Wongawallen Road this sun-dappled 1.4 km easy walking circuit is a bird watchers’ paradise that features large strangler figs, piccabeen palm groves and tall trees bedecked with vines and ferns.

This relatively flat track is ideal for visitors seeking a quiet rainforest walk away from road noise and large numbers of people.The track starts from the car park on Wongawallen Road, off the Tamborine-Oxenford Road. A small shelter shed and picnic tables are provided at the park entrance.

This precious tract of subtropical rainforest was named after Miss Jessie MacDonald, who generously donated part of this area to become a national park in 1933.

5 Heritage Centre:

Located in Wongawallen Road this is a small historic pioneer village where you can catch a glimpse into the lives of the early settlers. Featuring buildings from the local area, the Tamborine Mountain Heritage Centre contains interesting displays which depict the history of Tamborine Mountain.

Tamborine Mountain was inhabited by Aborigines for tens of thousands of years and was the territory of the Wangerriburra family group. Until it was opened for selection in 1875 it was covered with subtropical rainforest. In that year, the first white settler, John O’Callaghan, selected a parcel of land on the Mountain. The history of both Aboriginal and White settlement is on display.

Exhibitions of pioneer clothing and equipment give you an insight into the resilience and dedication of the early settlers to the region. Visit the slab cottage, the blacksmith’s shop, the general store, dairy and barber shop to get a feel for everyday life in the early 1900s. The centre also features a scale model of an outdoor water wheel. The Mountain’s first church is here, as well as extensive displays of fashion from the early 1900s. The village is open on Sundays between 11am – 3pm. It can be viewed from the car park at any time and is a great photo opportunity.

6 Creative Arts:

53 Wongawallan Road. The Tamborine Mountain Creative Arts Studio is a community potting, painting and patch working studio utilised by creative members of the local community. The studio which has emerged as a friendly, relaxed meeting place for residents to meet and share knowledge about their different arts and craft. There is a communal kiln as many members of the studio community are keen potters.

The Tamborine Mountain Creative Arts has been in existence since 1978 in one form or another. It’s a communal space for people who wish to share their creativity for arts and crafts of diverse persuasions. There are now three buildings on site and the facility is well used by potters, painters, patch workers and also by the local bridge, toastmaster group and other creative groups. Learn about many different arts and craft s including pottery, folk art, wood carving, sewing, painting, quilting, drawing and more. Visitors are always welcome. (Enquiries 5545 3221 )

7 Gallery Walk:

Gallery Walk then: – The busiest road on Tamborine Mountain today was once but a narrow unsealed country lane with farms on either side. The Wick’s family home and packing shed was on the eastern side. Mr. Wicks was an orange grower and sent his produce to the Brisbane markets. The Wicks’ farm was later acquired by Frank Sharp who pioneered the Avocado industry on the mountain The Tamborine Winery facility now sits on this site.

The Pines on the opposite side of the road was built for Jim Wilson who collaborated with Frank Sharp to propagate the Avocado variety which we know today as the Sharwill.

The northern roundabout was known as Crawfords Corner (now known as “Fig Tree Roundabout”). You will see the memorial plaque adjacent to the house that the Crawford’s built in 1926 which they named” Ashgrove”.

The Fig tree in the centre of the roundabout was planted by Mr. Crawford and still stands today. The building was for many years an Antique shop and today is owned by Tanya and Henning Bregnsdale.

Gallery Walk today: – Is a cluster of Cafes, Restaurants, Collectable Shops, Art Galleries, Glass Works, Ceramics, Jewellery, Fudge, Chocolates, Gourmet teas/coffee beans, Cellar door outlets, Bric-a- brac, Fashion and pre-loved Vintage and Kitsch and the Enchanting Fairy Shop for fairytale fun.

Some of the old buildings remain.Other interesting buildings like the original Beenleigh Post Office was relocated to Gallery Walk and is now a Cafe and confectionary outlet. Many of the older buildings however have been replaced with newer structures as unfortunately they had passed their use by date so far as modern retailing is concerned.

As you come to the southern end of Gallery Walk you are now only three doors away from your Tamborine Mountain accommodation here at Amore B&B but you may care to venture 500 meters further up the road to also visit…..

8 Jasmin Aromatique Organic Skincare:

Factory Tour: Gordon or one of his knowledgeable and friendly staff will take you on a guided tour of the manufacturing area.

Organic Farm: Nestled deep in the heart of Mount Tamborine’s spectacular rain forests, Jasmin Organics established a home to bring their vision to life: to create the world’s purest and highest-quality certified organic skincare range.

You are welcome to stroll throughout the extensive gardens, lavender beds and fruit orchid.

9 Tamborine Mountain Nursery:

Long Road. Take a walk around the beautiful flowering plants that Greg and Tracey have lovingly cultivated into a stunning collection. Be sure to visit the orchid house that is chockablock with variety. Oh yes, and don’t forget to check out their exquisite Japanese maples and their seasonal displays!

Spring – bursting into life is the breathtaking Cherry trees, superb Roses, perennial Cottage flowers, Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Prunus and the oh so glorious Wisterias.
Summer – cheerful, warm and bright with the blooms of Hydrangeas, Agapanthus, Clivias, Daylillies.
Autumn – showers you in gold and amber with the Maples and Liquidambers.
Winter – warms you with magnificent Magnolias, Camellias, and Viburnums.

The Map and information guide is available in your room at Amore B&B your Mt. Tamborine accommodation.

See the footer on this page for posts detailing an updated list of our current self-drive and local walking maps.

Ask for a map and information guide for any of the following or click on the links below

Just want to relax and rewind — we even have directions for that as we

Day trips from Amore B&B – see our self-drive tours and walking trail maps on our Day trips and Itinerary Page.

If it’s outstanding scenery, antiques and old wares, food glorious food, and welcoming country hospitality that you are after then you are in the right place — all in generous proportions.