Gem Mining and Crystal Mining at Thunderbird Park, Tamborine Mountain
Thunderbird Park on Tamborine Mountain has something for everyone.
They even have crystal egg mining, which I didn’t realize was something that anyone could do.
If you are looking for something fun and different to do with kids (or even without as we saw quite a few adults gem fossicking at Thunderbird Park), keep reading to see if you should plan a trip to Tamborine Mountain.
Gem Fossicking Near Brisbane
A week or so ago, my daughter started talking about a different kind of gem mining. One where you take a pick and go into a cave and mine for gems in the walls.
I told her that did not exist, at least for children.
It was surprising to find Thunderegg fossicking as a choice at Thunderbird Park. I wasn’t entirely sure what it was, but I signed us up.
Who Should Go Gem Fossicking?
Adults can participate or observe.
Either way, participating and observing is paid, but observing is cheaper. We decided only one parent needed to attend, and that parent would just observe. I figured if the parent wanted to participate, they could borrow the supplies from the kids.
When we showed up, they said that we could upgrade and the advantage is a larger pick which would make it easier to get larger rocks.
I chose to stick to observing, and I am thankful that I did.
Each child gets a bucket and a pick to carry. They held onto their buckets, but I carried the picks, which were heavy for little ones.
Rock Fossicking is Harder Than We Thought!
I assumed a “mine” was in a cave, but that was not true.
We were told to wear close-toed shoes and that it was uphill on a rocky surface. I did not quite understand just how far the walk would be or how steep it was.
Mark was able to join us for the first bit, but then sat down and waited for us to return.
There are 2 levels. We started at level one, which is flatter, but quickly left for level 2.
Z fell at the beginning. As I said, it is steep and rocky.
There were a few other groups when we were there, mainly adults. They were all helpful and some gave my kids rocks that they believed would be pretty when cut open.
We chose not to fill the buckets up completely. The main reason for that was they would be too heavy for us to carry back.
You are allowed to bring back as much as you want but need to pay more for anything that does not fit in your bucket. You can choose to have anything in your bucket cut open but for an additional price.
We told the kids that they could only have 1 or 2 things opened depending on the price, so there was no reason to fill the buckets up completely.
At this point, I had sent Mark a text telling him that next time, he goes. I am not as steady on hills as he is. Thankfully, he came up to get us. He helped carry back our items and helped the kids down.
The Rock Shop at Thunderbird Park
Once you get back to the Rock Shop, someone is there to go through your rocks and determine which would be the best ones to cut open.
The larger ones were too fragile and we were told they may break.
The kids had 4 “eggs” that someone had given them and we decided to have them cut open for $3 each. The kids were very happy with the results.
We did see people get much larger rocks cut open, but obviously, they were more expensive.
You are able to keep everything in your bucket, even if you do not choose to cut it open.
Gem Mining at Thunderbird Park
After the kids received their mining certificates, we purchased a bag of dirt and gems and headed to the gem mining.
It was the type that we know; a running stream where you put in a colander and find the gems.
The kids enjoyed this as well and were able to find a small bag of gems to take home. The gems are tiny though, much smaller than the ones we got in North Carolina.
Usually, you can take the gems and have them made into jewelry, but these are all way too small for that.
I found this bag of dirt and gems which is something I would have done if we were staying home or even just as a fun gift for children like mine who love mining for gems.
Accommodations on Tamborine Mountain
Cedar Creek Lodges
Located at Thunderbird Park, Cedar Creek Lodges offer family-friendly accommodations nearby rock fossicking and many other kid-friendly activities.
The lodges are self-contained, modernly decorated, and include an outdoor area perfect for relaxing and enjoying the view.
Songbirds Rainforest Retreat
A 5-star hotel down the road from Thunderbird Park, Songbirds Rainforest Retreat is made up of beautiful villas in the rainforest.
Some of the villas at Songbirds have kitchens and laundry facilities.
More Fun on Tamborine Mountain, Before or After Gem Mining
Rainforest Skywalk and Glow Worm Cave
28 Things to Do on Tamborine Mountain with Kids
Pin Gem Fossicking on Tamborine Mountain for Later
