Current view: Text account
Site description (2008 baseline):
Site location and context
The Mount Tamborine IBA contains the forest of the Tamborine Plateau, an isolated massif inland of Brisbane. The boundary of the IBA is defined as the rainforest below the cleared, largely residential summit and above the eucalypt forests, which includes the southern fragments of Tamborine National Park. The key bird species, the Albert's Lyrebird, also occurs in residential areas but its dependency on these areas is unknown and these are excluded from the IBA. The plateau is an isolated spur of the Great Dividing Range located approximately 62 km south of Brisbane and approximately 30 km from the ocean, running 10 km north to south and 6 km east to west at its widest point. The mean average rainfall is 1565 mm falling mainly in summer; the mean average temperatures are 16 to 25 Celsius in summer and 9 to 18 Celsius in winter. The extent of subtropical rainforest would expand into the adjacent wet eucalypt forest if fires were suppressed. These fires are mostly controlled burns rather than the wildfires of the past.
Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Sooty Owl, Marbled Frogmouth, Noisy Pitta.
Non-bird biodiversity: Other species include Platypus, Short-beaked Echindna and Richmond Birdwing.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Increase restoration of habitat on private and public land. Limit urban development to preserve existing habitat. Investigate control measures for cats, dogs and foxes.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
Biennial Albert's Lyrebird surveys by Tamborine Mountain Natural History Association. Revegetation of degraded sites and linking corridor projects by Tamborine Mountain Landcare, Regeneration Projects in National Parks by Tamborine Mountain Bush Volunteers.
IBA overlaps the Tamborine National Park.
Queensland State government, with management by QPWS, and private ownership.
The nomination was first written by the late Harry Biggs, with help from the Tamborine Mountain Natural History Association.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Tamborine Mountain (Australia). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/tamborine-mountain-iba-australia on 23/11/2024.
