Tamborine Mountain With Your Dog: Wineries, Parks, Stays and the Rules
The Tamborine Mountain basics
Tamborine Mountain is the northern Gold Coast's favourite escape: straight up the hill from Oxenford, noticeably cooler, and packed with wineries, distilleries and cafes. It's also where a lot of dog days go wrong, because the mountain's most famous walks are in Tamborine National Park, and dogs aren't allowed in Queensland national parks. The good news is that there's plenty you can do together: two fenced off-leash parks, a winery that welcomes dogs, two distilleries with dog-friendly lawns and bars, and a forest retreat with a dog-friendly bathhouse suite. Here's how to plan it so nobody gets turned around at a trailhead.
Last checked 28/10/2026. Every park rule here comes from the council or park authority's own pages, every venue from its own website or socials plus its Google listing, and each fact was checked a second time before we published.
The big one: no dogs in Tamborine National Park
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service's own page for the park says domestic animals, except horses on designated forest trails, are not permitted in Tamborine National Park. The park is spread across 14 separate sections of the mountain, so it's easy to wander into one without realising. These popular walks are all national park, so they're all off limits to dogs:
| Section | Walks (no dogs) |
|---|---|
| Joalah | Curtis Falls track, Eagle Heights Road access track, Lower creek circuit |
| Witches Falls | Witches Falls circuit, Witches Chase track |
| Cedar Creek | Cedar Creek Falls track to the lookout and rock pools |
| Palm Grove | Palm Grove circuit, Jenyns circuit |
| The Knoll | Sandy Creek circuit |
| MacDonald | MacDonald rainforest circuit |
Two other big attractions aren't options either. Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens says plainly on its own site that dogs are not allowed. Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk doesn't publish a dog policy on its website, and a 2026 visitor guide reports dogs aren't allowed, so call them on (07) 5545 2222 before you plan around it. See QPWS's Tamborine National Park safety page.
Where dogs can run: two fenced off-leash parks
Scenic Rim Regional Council provides fenced off-leash areas in two parks on the mountain. They're the places to let your dog stretch out before or after a long lunch.
Youngman Family Park, Geissmann Drive. A fenced off-leash area on the same road as the Skywalk. Visitor guides describe a water tap, seating and bins, and note there's no on-site car park, so you'll need to park nearby.
Staffsmith Park, corner Southport Avenue and Central Avenue. The mountain's second fenced off-leash area. Visitor guides describe a double-gated entry and a mostly dirt surface, so expect a dusty dog after a dry spell and a muddy one after rain.
See council's off-leash areas page. Visit Scenic Rim's advice is to keep your dog on a lead unless signs say otherwise, and it suggests Lions Park on Curtis Road for an on-lead stroll and Robert Sowter Park on Main Western Road for sunset views.
Wineries, breweries and distilleries that welcome dogs
We only list venues that say dogs are welcome in their own words, have an active Google listing and appear in a 2025 or 2026 guide. Plenty of other places may be fine with a dog on the deck; these are the ones we could confirm.
Witches Falls Winery, Main Western Road. A winery that shares its site with Boxer Brewing Co's taproom, The Kennel. The winery's own FAQ says it absolutely loves meeting four-legged guests, as long as they're friendly, well behaved and on a lead, and asks you to mention your dog when you book. The venue is mostly outdoors and bookings are essential. See Witches Falls FAQs.
Address: 79 Main Western Road, Tamborine Mountain QLD 4272
Phone: (07) 5545 2609
Hours: Monday to Thursday and Sunday 10am to 5pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to 7pm
Cauldron Distillery, Hartley Road. A gin and whisky distillery on a big estate with lawns, and in its own words (August 2026) it's family friendly and dogs are welcome on a lead. Experience Gold Coast describes families, dogs included, sprawled out on the lawns in the sunshine. See Cauldron Distillery.
Address: 89-123 Hartley Road, Tamborine Mountain QLD 4272
Phone: (07) 5545 0156
Tamborine Mountain Distillery, Macdonnell Road. A small-batch liqueur and spirits distillery that says on its own accessibility page that it allows dogs into the bar area. Visit Scenic Rim's dog-friendly guide says your dog will get plenty of attention from the staff. See Tamborine Mountain Distillery.
Address: 10 Macdonnell Road, Tamborine Mountain QLD 4272
Phone: 07 5545 3452
Hours: 10am to 5pm, seven days
Not on our list (yet). Visitor guides mention dogs at Fortitude Brewing, Tamborine Mountain Coffee Plantation and some Gallery Walk cafes, but none of them states a dog policy on its own website, so we can't confirm it. Ask before you sit down. Our dog-friendly wineries and breweries guide covers the rest of the region.
While you're here: Pets Juicy PLUS+
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Staying overnight with your dog
Tamborine Mountain Glades. A forest retreat at the corner of Tamborine Mountain Road and Cedar Creek Falls Road with a wide range of dog-friendly options. Its own FAQ lists the Vista Suites, Glamping Tents, Creek Lodges, Forest Lodges and Mill Lodge as pet friendly, and the Garden and Brumby Lodges only when both are booked together. Its terms say pets are only allowed in designated pet-friendly rooms, must be on a lead or in a carrier outside your room, and can't be left unattended at any time. Campers can bring pets of all sizes if they're well behaved. On fees, the Glades' camping page lists $22 per pet for campsites and $90 per pet for rooms, lodges and glamping, while its terms quote $20 for campers, so confirm the figure when you book. The camping page also says Pit Bull Terriers aren't permitted. Tell the Glades in advance that you're bringing a dog. See Tamborine Mountain Glades pet-friendly stays.
Phone: (07) 5545 7900
SOL Elements Bathhouse & Spa. Inside the Glades, SOL Elements has one dog-friendly secluded suite, so your dog can come along to the bathhouse. Its booking page says it includes a SOL doggy robe, with a $50 fee and a limit of one dog per booking, selected as an add-on. See SOL Elements.
For more options across the Gold Coast and hinterland, see our pet friendly accommodation guide.
Ticks: take this seriously on the mountain
Tamborine Mountain is rainforest, and rainforest means paralysis ticks. The local vet clinic says on its website that it has been seeing an unusually high number of paralysis tick cases, and that these ticks are deadly to pets. University of Queensland research found the riskiest time in south-east Queensland is spring, peaking in September and October, with cases in pets all year round. So be extra careful in spring, but check for ticks all year.
- Make sure your dog's tick prevention is current before you go up the hill
- Check your dog all over after every walk: head, neck, ears, lips, armpits and between the toes
- Know the warning signs vets list: a change in bark, wobbly back legs, vomiting or laboured breathing. Treat any of these as an emergency
Our ticks and snakes guide covers what to look for in detail.
Vet on the mountain
Tamborine Mountain Veterinary Surgery. Open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 8am to 1pm, closed Sunday. For emergencies when it's closed, the clinic directs you to Animal Emergency Service at Underwood (07 3423 1888) or Carrara (07 5559 1599). See Tamborine Mountain Veterinary Surgery.
Address: 24 Main Street, Tamborine Mountain QLD 4272
Phone: (07) 5545 2422
Getting there and what to pack
- From the northern Gold Coast: take M1 exit 57 at Oxenford and follow the Oxenford Tamborine Road up the mountain. From Nerang, take the Nerang Beaudesert Road and then Henri Robert Drive. Both roads wind, so take it easy with a car-sick dog.
- Weather: QPWS says the mountain is consistently cooler than the coast, averaging about 17 degrees in winter and 25 in summer, with most of its roughly 1500mm of annual rain falling from December to April. Pack a towel and a jacket year round.
- Water and a bowl: most venues will give you water, but bring your own for the parks.
- A lead that fits: every venue on this list asks for dogs on a lead.
Planning more hinterland days? Our dog-friendly day trips guide has the rest.
FAQs
Is Tamborine Mountain dog friendly?
Partly. Dogs aren't allowed in Tamborine National Park or the Botanic Gardens, but there are two fenced off-leash parks, and Witches Falls Winery, Cauldron Distillery and Tamborine Mountain Distillery welcome dogs.
Can I take my dog to Curtis Falls?
No. Curtis Falls is in the Joalah section of Tamborine National Park, and domestic animals aren't permitted in the park.
Where can my dog go off-leash on Tamborine Mountain?
Scenic Rim Regional Council has fenced off-leash areas at Youngman Family Park on Geissmann Drive and Staffsmith Park on the corner of Southport Avenue and Central Avenue.
Is there dog-friendly accommodation on Tamborine Mountain?
Yes. Tamborine Mountain Glades has pet-friendly suites, lodges, glamping tents and campsites, and SOL Elements bathhouse has a dog-friendly suite.
Checked 28/10/2026. We're humans working from public council, park and venue sources, and rules, hours, fees and dog policies change without notice. Always check the signs on the day and confirm with the venue, park or council before you go. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.
