View a selection of the videos that showcase the Scenic Rim Region.
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Winemakers and Wineries
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Winemakers and Wineries
THE Scenic Rim is fast making a name for itself as a first class boutique wine destination. The region is home to a number of wineries, many of which feature cellar door and restaurant facilities. The soil, the climate and the reliable pure water supply encourage grape growing, and the stunning mountain views make for an amazing setting to taste local wines and enjoy fresh food.
Many of the Scenic Rim’s wineries are well equipped to handle functions, events and weddings.
Wineries of the Scenic Rim are located in
Canungra, Tamborine Mountain, Tamborine, Mt Barney, Boonah and Harrisville.
Canungra
O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyard
Lamington National Park Road
Canungra Valley
www.canungravineyards.com.au
5543 4011
AS with most ventures the O’Reilly family is involved in, their Canungra Valley Vineyard is a little bit different.
Manager Catherine O’Reilly says the vineyard and restaurant began 10 years ago and is very family-friendly.
The Cellar Door and restaurant operate out of a 150-year-old homestead, Killowen, which was moved to the site from Warwick about 20 years ago.
The 11-acre property is nestled on the banks of the Canungra Creek and guests are offered the opportunity to purchase a picnic basket to enjoy while sitting on the creek bank.
“We’re a little bit unique in that regard,” she says.
“I guess that goes back to the original members of the O’Reilly family but we like to encourage families to come here and enjoy what we have.
“We often see platypus in the creek and have even named a range of our wines, the Platypus Play, after them.”
About eight acres are under grape, with the most commonly-grown variety being the Chambourcin. Other varieties which are used to make O’Reilly’s award-winning wines include Semillon, Verdehlo and Shiraz.
O’Reilly wines are made at Sirromet and on the Granite Belt.
The Vineyard will celebrate its tenth birthday in October 2009 and all of the 400 local people who attended the opening have been invited back to celebrate.
O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyard is open seven days at week between 10am and 4.30pm, with the exception of Christmas, Good Friday and Anzac Day.
Sarabah Estate
46 Rymera Road, Sarabah
Canungra
www.sarabahwines.com.au
5543 4746
THE career leap from professional wrestler to winemaker was a big one but Cam Dearsly’s body is happy he made it.
Cam and his wife Kandy planted their first vines in 2004 on a property they had owned for 10 years.
Each year they continued to plant another variety of grape until 2007 when they launched their first wine.
In April 2008 he couple and their two sons opened the doors of Sarabah Estate to the public.
They now have 15 acres under vines on a Canungra property which they originally purchased for weekend escapes.
Kandy who is well into a wine science degree at Charles Sturt University oversees the winemaking which is conducted at Mt Tamborine.
Cam and his sons care for the vines which produce a rose, a table wine, a cabernet sauvignon, a port, and a recently-released sparkling merlot.
“We have the capacity at full production to produce about 35,000 bottles a year,” says Cam, who is also the president of the Queensland Wine Industry Association.
“We always had a passion for wine and we did a lot of travelling through Europe for many years. We had this property for about 10 years and after much research decided to plant our first vines.
“My original occupation was as a professional wrestler in New Zealand, Australia and in the US then we moved into construction.
“We brought this property as a weekender.”
The property eatures a large dam which is full of fish which are hand fed daily. There is a bocce court and on the last Sunday of each month Cam and Kandy host a themed buffet and live music, which is popular with many of the winery’s members.
Sarabah Estate is also equipped to host functions and weddings.
Cam says the fully licensed restaurant offers meals to suit all tastes and budgets, from pizzas to steaks.
Sarabah Estate is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4.30pm.
Tamborine Mountain
Aussie Vineyards
32 Hartley Road
North Tamborine
www.aussievineyards.com.au
5545 1711
AUSSIE Vineyards was established by businessman Craig Gore in 2005 with the intention of promoting Australian wines internationally.
The production of Aussie Vineyards wines, instantly identified by the bold, gold AU label, is a collaboration of a strong team.
Mt Tamborine based winemaker, Jon Heslop, oversees the winemaking which draws on grapes from Aussie Vineyards’ Henty Estate in Ballandean on the Granite Belt.
Aussie Vineyards cellar door is located on Mt Tamborine at a site which was previously part of Tamborine Estate.
The wine is bottled at Sirromet and the range features three South Australian varieties.
Visitors to Aussie Vineyards can take lunch and enjoy the outdoor entertaining area. Barbecue lunches and live music are provided on the second Sunday of each month.
Since it began Aussie Vineyards has become Queensland’s largest exporter of wines to the US. It has secured its own import license and operates in Oakland and California.
Aussie Vineyards is open seven days a week from 10am to 4pm.
Heritage Wines
Cnr The Shelf Rd and Bartle Road
Tamborine Mountain
www.heritagewines.com.au
5545 3144
HERITAGE Wines has been a labour of love for Bryce and Paddy Kassulke.
Together they lovingly restored the Infant Saviour Catholic Church which they moved from Burleigh Heads to its new site on Tamborine Mountain overlooking the Gold Coast hinterland and the Pacific Ocean.
It is now home to their Heritage Wines, a boutique winery, restaurant and function centre.
The building is steeped in history and is a favourite reception venue for brides and grooms.
The classic features saved by the Kassulkes include a cedar staircase which was rescued from the stately home Marion Hall on the Gold Coast, high set cathedral ceilings with magnificent iron arches formerly rescued from the old Treasury Building in Brisbane, a stone open fireplace.
Heritage Wines was first established in 1992 at Cottonvale on the Granite Belt. The Cottonvale vineyard is the home and heart of this family-owned and operated winery and allows the Kassulke’s to do all of their own growing and production. Wines from the Heritage range are sold exclusively at the Cottonvale and Tamborine Mountain cellar doors. The Mount Tamborine Cellar Door is open seven days a week from 10am to 4pm.
Mt Tamborine Vineyards and Winery
128 Long Road, Gallery Walk,
Eagle Heights
Tamborine Mountain
www.mttamborinewinery.com
5545 3066
Located in the heart of ‘Gallery Walk’ the tourist hub on Tamborine Mountain, Mt Tamborine Vineyards, and Winery has the perfect location to taste wonderful Queensland Wines and Fortifieds and dine on local foods all produced in their own busy kitchen. From their award winning Gourmet steak pies to their huge homestead burgers and fresh salads, steak and seafood dishes, everything is made freshly on site and is the perfect place to indulge all your senses in a wine tasting and a fabulous foodie feast.
In 1990 Founder and winemaker Roger Hart successfully launched a new and popular tourism industry on the mountain, wine tourism in developing Mt Tamborine Vineyards and Winery, and many have followed in his footsteps, making the mountain a wine destination previously unheard of in the region.
The Hart family had a successful Cellar Door in Hartley Road but it was Roger’s dream to combine a wine and food experience for all local visitors.
“The family had just bought the Gallery Walk property to fulfil this dream when sadly dad passed away,” says daughter Danielle Hart.
“I stepped into the role and never looked back. This location was always part of Dad’s plan and we have worked hard and made it successful. We have the most amazing team in our kitchen and restaurant and our food and wine experience just gets better and better.”
Danielle and mother Ann now oversee a seven-day-a-week operation which include the cellar door and a very busy restaurant. The Gallery Walk location is the only place the Mount Tamborine Wines can be purchased and tasted. They ensure their prices are realistic and are enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
The grapes are all grown, produced and estate bottled at Ballandean on their 100 acre property Severn Hills Vineyard and Winery and are produced in consultation with Danielle and winemaker Jim Barnes.
“We grow Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay,” says Danielle.
“We just make what we grow, and blends of that. We have won medals for all our wine varieties including our Black Shiraz and our latest Gold is the 2008 Shiraz Cabernet, and all are available to taste in our Cellar Door.”
“Our vision for our business was to combine really good local produce with great Queensland wines.
The winery is equally famous for their Chocolate Port and Rapport Rum Port and Muscat – and the Bush Turkey Port has become a world famous drop.
The cellar door is open seven days a week from 10am to 4pm and the restaurant from 8.30am to 4pm.
Tatra Winery
Tatra Winery
160 Main Western Rd, North Tamborine, Queensland 4272
www.tatrawinery.com.au
07 55450 989
POLISH-born Andre Jaworski and his Russian wife Svetlana have created a home away from home at their Tatra Winery at North Tamborine.
Andre is an engineer by trade and when he tired of city life in Sydney he and Svetlana decided to pursue a new direction on Tamborine Mountain.
The mountain reminded them of their eastern European homeland and they set about recreating that magic on their new property, a former avocado farm.
They opened the doors of their Tatra Winery in 2003 and since then their food and their wine has won awards. In July 2009 Tatra’s restaurant was named as Queensland’s best restaurant in a winery at the Restaurant & Caterer’s Awards.
A small vineyard is housed on site but the bulk of the Tatra grapes are grown in Texas. The wines are also bottled at Texas before being shipped to the mountain for sale through the cellar door. The Tatra Texas Gold dessert wine and the verdehlo are two of the winery’s most popular sellers.
The Tatra restaurant serves fresh, tasty Slavic cuisine, which Andre says is prepared with heart.
The winery and restaurant buildings also use traditional Slavic styles, predominantly using timber for construction.
The winery is named after the Tatra mountain range which separates Poland and Slovakia.
Andre says Tamborine Mountain, with its rolling green hills and sweeping views, reminded he and Svetlana of their European homeland.
The Slavic feel continues inside the buildings, where heavy stands of timber have been carved into tables and chairs.
As well as the cellar door and fully-licensed restaurant, Tatra also features and art gallery and souvenir shop.
Tatra is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm.
The Cedar Creek Estate Vineyard and Winery
104 – 144 Hartley Road
Tamborine Mountain
www.cedarcreekestate.com.au
5545 1666
CEDAR Creek Estate Vineyard and Winery pairs award-winning wines with stunning views, a combination which makes it a favourite for visitors to Tamborine Mountain.
The vineyard and winery is the vision of former television executive John Pengliss.
He bought the first part of the property, a disused rhubarb farm, in 1986 and built the very popular Wild Duck Lake in 1987.
“I built it as my penance for shooting wild ducks when I was younger when I lived in Ipswich,” he says.
“As a consequence of that, a couple of years ago I was given an official pardon by the Mayor of Ipswich from the Ipswich Council for my initiative.”
John continued to expand his property, buying a neighbouring avocado farm and two other properties, taking his total holding to 20 acres.
Like so many people who move to the Scenic Rim, John’s original idea was that he would retire to the property and continue to keep some of the stud cattle he bred at his Poll Hereford cattle stud in Brookfield.
But life had other ideas. John moved to Cedar Creek Estate in 2000 and the winery was already under construction.
Friends had suggested that if he was to build a winery they would come and help run it.
“That was over nine years ago and I am still waiting for them to turn up,” he says.
Much of the timber work inside Cedar Creek Estate features the recycled timber John took from his Brookfield cattle stud.
The vineyard and winery has been a huge success and John has expanded the attractions to include an enlarged Wild Duck Lake, which is now a 15 megalitre sanctuary for the native wildlife in the area, and also Glow Worm Caves, which took two years to construct. The Caves are now a popular ‘wedding venue’ for young lovers.
Cedar Creek’s wines are created by winemaker Peter Scudamore-Smith, who is one of just two Masters of Wine recipients.
He creates a full variety of wines, but Cedar Creek’s two most popular wines are the Revelation Red, the biggest selling wine, and Splash of Pink, a muscat.
John says the Cedar Crème is also popular and is similar to Bailey’s Irish Crème.
“In addition to the vineyard we have here at Cedar Creek Estate, we lease part of Clovely Estate Vineyard at Murgon. The grapes that are harvested up there are pressed and processed at Clovely under Peter’s direction.
“In addition I produce and blend our muscat here at Cedar Creek and bottle it.
“We also bottle our vintage port here, as well as Gluhwein, a German mulled wine.”
In the future John hopes to produce half of the Cedar Creek wines on site in a new winery building which is under construction.
Cedar Creek is open seven days a week from 10am to 4pm.
Witches Falls Winery
79 Main Western Road
North Tamborine
www.witchesfalls.com.au
5545 2609
IN the five years Witches Fall Winery has been open it has quickly established itself as a leading Queensland and Australian wine producer.
Kim and Jon Heslop opened the doors in 2004 and since then their winery has won many fans and their wines many awards.
Prior to entering the wine business Kim was with the Australian Federal Police and Jon had studied to be a chiropractor, and had worked as a sales representative for a pharmaceutical company.
However Jon quickly realised neither jobs were for him and set his mind on the wine industry, securing a job as a sales representative for Orlando Wines. He stayed for three years but still he wasn’t satisfied.
Then on a Sunday night Kim sat her husband down and said: ‘Jon, you really need to decide what will make you happy, because your job will never kill you but I will if you do not get positive and make up your mind.’
Ultimatum delivered, Jon made his decision, he would follow his heart and become a winemaker.
He travelled to the Barossa Valley to work for Richmond Grove, initially as a cellar hand. While there he learned all aspects of the business and also found time to study a Bachelor of Applied Science in Oenology at Charles Sturt University part-time.
He moved to the Hunter Valley, where as winemaker at Tambulaine Wines he was influenced by Rod Kemp of Lakes Folly, PJ Chateris of Brokenwood and Andrew Thomas of Thomas Wines.
In 2008, John’s quest to produce the best wines took him to Burgundy where he completed a vintage with Francois Chaverit at Domaine Chantel Lescure in Nuits St George.
Since being on the mountain Jon and Kim have made a mark on the local wine scene.
While the winemaking is conducted on site, most of the grapes, with the exception of the durif variety, are grown on the Granite Belt in close consultation with Jon.
Quality is the key priority for Jon who will reject a crop and choose not to make a variety of wine if the grape quality is not to his standard.
“Jon has a very close association with the growers,” says Witches Falls’ Helen McAteer.
“He is very particular about the quality of our wines, he visits the growers regularly, checks the quality and gets an idea of what is looking good, he’s very hands on.”
Witches Fall Winery produces two ranges, the Granite Belt wines and the Premium Prophecy wines.
The winery offers a range of wines, including a moscato, sauvignon blanc, verdelho, chardonnay, marsanne, riesling, saignee, pinot noir, Grenache, syrah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and a trio of dessert wines.
The Witches Fall Cellar Door is open seven days a week from 10am to 4pm, with the exception of Good Friday, Christmas Day and Anzac Day morning.
Jon is often on hand to answer questions and tours of the winemaking operation are available.
Tamborine
Albert River Wines
1 – 117 Mundoolun Connection Road
Tamborine
www.albertriverwines.com.au
5543 6622
ALBERT River Wines is owned and operated by David and Janette Bladin, who set out to create a ‘uniquely Queensland’ winery experience.
With a background in the airline industry, the couple was well equipped in the art of offering great service. When the historic Tamborine House was put up for sale the Bladins knew they had found the location of their new venture.
They opened the verandah and the gardens to groups for corporate events and weddings, and moved their vineyard chapel to the property from Kingaroy.
Retirement took a backseat for the couple as business grew.
They turned their 135-acre property to wine in 1998 when the first vines were planted.
Along the way they secured Brisbane’s historic Auchenflower House and moved it onto the site, where it is now the heart of their business, housing cellar door sales, a ballroom and verandah restaurant. The house had been home to three Queensland Premiers, as well as a monastery for the Carmelite nuns.
All of the Albert River Wines are handcrafted by Peter Scudamore-Smith, one of the state’s two Masters of Wine.
The Winery was named Best Tourism Winery at the Queensland Tourism Awards for 2003, 2004 and 2005. It was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
Over the years the couple has successfully set out to demystify wine, and to provide a warm environment where guests can learn more about food and wine matching in beautiful surrounds.
Mt Barney
Barney Creek Vineyard Cottages
198 Seidenspinner Road
Mt Barney
www.barneycreekcottages.com
5544 3285
BARNEY Creek Vineyard Cottages are a real family affair.
Husband and wife team Barry Marshall and Jennifer Seale turned to winemaking in 2002 after the drought took a heavy toll on their landscape design and plant nursery business.
Not to be beaten, the pair focused on the tourism industry and set about establishing a boutique haven for guests to retreat.
Jennifer, a landscape architect, selected grape varieties which would thrive in the local conditions.
Barry and their two sons, Rohan and Alex, tend to the vineyard which now produces about 2000 bottles a year.>
“Our main grape variety is the Petit Verdot which produces a dry red,” says Barry.
“It’s very suited to this area because it has a thick skin and grows in small bunches so it is not affected by rainfall or humidity. It goes wonderfully with red meats and Middle Eastern fare.
“The rest of our vineyard is planted with Shiraz and Mourvedre grapes which go into Rose and dry reds.”
The couple plans to plant another vineyard soon and since the mid 1990s have also designed and built three cottages for guests.
The cottages all enjoy spectacular views of the property and surrounding mountains, which envelope the farm.
Jennifer prepares hearty, home cooked meals for guests, drawing on produce from their vegetable garden, eggs from their own chooks and other local ingredients.
Fully-catered weekend accommodation packages are available, including a massage and wine tasting evening.
Wine is vailable for sale to guests, although there is no cellar door at Barney Creek Vineyard Cottages.
Boonah
Bunjurgen Estate Vineyard
121 Brent Road
Boonah
www.bunjurgenestatevineyard.com.au
5463 0270
BUNJURGEN Estate Vineyard owner-operator David McMaugh has had a full and interesting past.
He’s been a soldier, is an adjunct university professor, has overseen multi-million dollar development projects, but his passion lies in winemaking.
David released his first bottle of wine in 2005 and since then his rose-shiraz and his ports have developed a keen following.
He refers to his best-sellers as ‘cult wines’.
“I do a variety of wines, a very very light rose-shiraz which sells out every year,” he says.
“I do 1200 bottles of that and they sell out, it’s a cult wine.
“I know what people want to drink that’s the secret of my success. I know what females aged 25 to 35 want, they love the rose-shiraz, they buy it by the caseload. We get a lot of people come through who are staying at Moogerah, they like a more complex red, and our ports are also popular. They can drink them by the fire.”
David decided to venture into winemaking after an extended driving holiday. He’d just overseen the $800million redevelopment of the Royal Brisbane Hospital on budget and on time and decided to take a six week driving holiday as reward.
During his break he visited many vineyards and liked what he saw. He already had a close relationship with the Lloyd family of Cariole in the McLaren Valley and when he returned home to Queensland took the plunge.
He bought his Boonah property and in 2003 planted his first vines. He grows two varieties of grapes, chambourcin and shiraz.
His wines are made at Marburg under close supervision from David.
“I’m overthere, I taste everything and tell the winemaker what I would like,” he says.
“He who pays the piper calls the tune. I take advice but I also know what sells and I like to cater very much to proven sales profiles.”
David also draws on secrets passed on by his father, who was a sugar chemist.
He incorporates these industry secrets into his ports.
David’s vines are fully covered by nets to protect them from birds. The vineyard and cellar door is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. If visitors call ahead David will also prepare a complementary cheese platter. Picnic facilities are also available.
Kooroomba Vineyards & Lavender Farm
168 F.M. Bells Road
Mt Alford via Boonah
www.kooroomba.com
5463 0022
BOB and Marlene Carroll lived on the property which now houses their Kooroomba Vineyards and Lavender Farm for 22 years.
Marlene had long had a dream to build a winery and finally 10 years ago they turned their front paddock into a winery and lavender farm.
They were both wine lovers and had a wide knowledge of good wine but apart from that had no background in winemaking.
So they consulted Angelo Puglisi from Ballendean Wines and with his input chose a selection of white and red grapes to plant.
Their vineyard now features Chardonnay, Verdehlo, Marsanne, Vermintino, Viognier, Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot.
“Marlene is the visionary,” says Bob.
“We didn’t have any knowledge except we love good wine.”
But that hasn’t held them back.
Their wines, particularly their verdehlo marsanne, have won many fans.
A few years ago the verdehlo marsanne was served at a Paris function hosted by the Australian ambassador to France.
“The Ambassador wrote back to us and said the French guests thought it was an excellent wine,” says Bob.
“We don’t really go chasing awards, I am more interested in what the people drinking the wine think.”
Bob says it’s no surprise that the soil around Kooroomba has grown some good grapes. He says the first grapes were planted on his property back in 1877 at a time when there were grape vines could be found growing on many properties between Mt Alford and Ipswich.
As well as free wine tastings, visitors to Kooroomba can enjoy a meal in the a la carte restaurant. Head chef Mark Naoum, formerly of Michaels Riverside Brisbane, offers a modern Australian cuisine with a French touch.
Mid week the restaurant caters to groups and will create a menu to match most budgets.
A variety of lavender is planted onsite and can be found flowering most times of the year.
“Our building has won architectural awards and overlooks the Scenic Rim mountains,” says Bob.
“Our restaurant has also won awards and we have a very good name for our food.”
Kooroomba Vineyards and Lavender Farm is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Wine tasting is free and lunch is served from 11.30am.
Harrisville
Normanby Wines
178 Dunns Ave
Harrisville
www.normanbywines.com.au
5467 1214
JENNY and Mick Hall had been farming their 164-acre property for 27 years when drought struck.
Without water it became impossible to grow the soya bean, carrot, chick pea and potato crops they had relied on for nearly 30 years.
But it was going to take more than a drought to stop this dynamic pair and soon plans were underway to plant grapes on their fertile farm.
A small bore on the property produced enough water to satisfy five acres of grapes and the couple’s herd of beef cattle.
Their first grapes were planted in 1999, the result of a family production line.
“It really was a family affair,” says Jenny.
“First the posts had to go in which is a big job, then we started planting, 50 rows, 78 plants in each row.
“My husband dug each hole, my son shoveled chook manure and soil into the bottom, a friend put the grafted plants in and my daughter and I put the vine guard around it.”
Mick’s years of farming experienced paid dividends, with all but a couple of the grafted grape vines surviving.
Later they planted another 2.5 acres of vines and now produce a range of varieties, including Verdehlo, Shiraz, Chambourcin, Grenache and Merlot.
The couple use winemaker Ray Costanzo of Golden Grove estate at Ballendean and have won 42 medals since they began winemaking.
Their cellar door is open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm and visitors are welcome to use barbecues and an outdoor courtyard to enjoy picnic lunches.
Jazz days are sometimes held at Normanby Wines and the venue has also hosted a number of weddings.
Jenny says Mick loves to chat, something he didn’t get much opportunity to do in his farming days.
That’s why running a vineyard and cellar door suits him so well.
“My husband has always loved meeting people and talking to people and now he gets to do that all the time,” she says.
“Sometimes you might find it hard to get away.
“There’s only so many things you can do with pumpkins and potatoes, it’s far more enjoyable making and having wine.”
Paradine Estate Wines
38 North Street
Harrisville
5467 1120
SOME people would say Jo-Anne Longland has the right idea when it comes to choosing good businesses.
She is the proud owner of a vineyard and a chocolate factory, what a combination.
“I thought they went well together,” she says.
Buying a vineyard is something which happened almost by chance.
Jo-Anne was sitting outside in the sunshine, sipping wine at Pardine Estate Wines about four years ago when she decided that owning a winery would be quite nice.
So she decided to buy the vineyard.
She isn’t trained in viticulture but does have the growing knowledge of her peanut farmer father Graham Hoskins on her side.
He and his wife Colleen are based on site at Paradine and are in charge of growing the vines, which were planted about 14 years ago.
When Jo-Anne and her partner Nick Webber bought the property the vines were in a poor condition so it has taken a few years to restore them to production.
They have just produced their third vintage of wine.
The wines are made at Symphony Hill in Stanthorpe and draw on the cab-sav, durif and merverde grapes which are grown on the Harrisville property.
Jo-Anne also owns a chocolate factory, which specialises in producing moulded chocolates. The factory moulds about 1 tonne of chocolate each day.
Jo-Anne says Paradine’s wines are still in their infancy but the crops are improving each year.
“We’re still very young, our wines are still very young,” she says.
“Our durif still needs another 12 months.”
Scenic Rim Wine Trails
On the western and northern edges of the Scenic Rim and beneath the back drop of the Scenic Rim, new wineries are making a special contribution to the magic of this region. The warm welcome is as important as the wine and the great regional food that is served with it.
Click here for a Scenic Rim Wine trail Map
A8 Gold Coast Hinterland Food and Wine Trail
On the eastern edge of the Scenic Rim, let your taste buds lead you on an exploration of the Gold Coast Hinterland Food & Wine Trail. The trail follows a scenic inland route that delivers gourmet delicacies and boutique wines.
Click here for more info on the A8 Gold Coast Hinterland Food & Wine Trail.
Click here to view the A8 Gold Coast Hinterland Food & Wine Trail map.
Breweries and Distillery
There are two breweries and one distillery located on Tamborine Mountain in the Scenic Rim.
Breweries
Eagle Heights Brewery
10 Macdonnell Rd,
Eagle Heights
5545 4635
MT Brewery
165-185 Long Road,
North Tamborine
07 5545 2032
THE MT Brewery is one of Australia’s newest craft breweries. It is owned and operated by Mount Tamborine locals Meredith and Andre Morris, who also head up the boutique Witches Chase Cheese Company on the same site.
Brewer Ian Watson creates beer with real flavour via minimal intervention, using no artificial additives, traditional brewing methods and proper maturation times.
The beer line-up features between six and 12 beers at any time and none of them are ever filtrated or pasteurized.
Meredith and Andre first opened their cheese company in 2004 when they bought an existing factory with a desire to produce handmade cheeses.
Andre’s cheese training and certification enabled them to turn out award-winning cheeses in no time.
In December 2008 Meredith and Andre opened the doors to their new contemporary facility which encompasses the cheese factory, the Mt Tamborine Brewery and their Liquid Amber Bistro and Grill.
Visitors to MT Brewery can see how real beer is made and enjoy a tasting tray in the open-air beer garden.
MT Brewery is open seven days a week from 10am until closing.
Distillery
Tamborine Mountain Distillery
87 – 91 Beacon Road
North Tamborine
www.tamborinemountaindistillery.com
5545 3452
BEFORE he owned a distillery Michael Ward reckons he barely drank a drop.
Now he enjoys ending the day with a refreshing mix of his own wild citrus vodka, lime juice, soda and plenty of ice.
This former Tasmanian property developer found himself the proud owner of a distillery in order to satisfy a desire of his wife Alla.
Alla’s family hails from Russia where the relationship with liqueur is akin to Australia’s love of beer.
The couple arrived at Mt Tamborine from the chilly shores of Tasmania in 1992 and bought their property.
They hadn’t been at their new home long when Alla announced she ‘wouldn’t mind making some schnapps’.
“It’s just a childhood thing for Alla, she was brought up with it in her genes, I think most ‘new Australian’ families had a still bubbling away in the corner,” says Michael.
“We got our licences and our first distillery was in our laundry.
“Soon I said ‘We’d better build a bigger building’ so we sourced recycled timber from Brett’s Wharf and built a new distillery, it’s a Tudor design.”
Michael quickly realised the key to success would be to appeal to a niche market. So he aimed for the top end, creating boutique mixes which feature indigenous Australian ingredients.
His range of 70 liqueurs are sold in bottles which have been hand painted by local artists.
He opened the doors of his ‘hobby’ to the public on July 1, 1998 and has been regaling visitors with his very animated stories ever since.
“We also stock produce from local farmers and make all sorts of different concoctions,” he says.
“I really like to use indigenous things to Australia, flowers, fruits, seeds.
“I make a great Eucalypt greenleaf vodka, there’s also a lemon myrtle vodka and a waffle toffee liqueur.”
The Tamborine Mountain Distillery is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 3pm. Tastings cost $5 which can be redeemed on purchases over $30.
Michael and Alla’s products are also available from the Eagle Heights Mountain Resort.