glow-worms-cave-tamborine-mountain

Why You Must Visit The Glow Worm Caves In Tamborine Mountain, Gold Coast

Wondering whether the glow worm caves in Tamborine Mountain in South East Queensland are worth visiting? As one of the main Mt Tamborine attractions, we were really surprised after our visit, so we felt like we needed to share why you must visit it.

If you’re not familiar with Tamborine Mountain, it’s known as being one of the best day trips from Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

There are so many things to do in Tamborine Mountain that you won’t be stuck for a fantastic day trip or weekend from Brisbane. Known for being home to wineries, loads of walks, waterfalls, wild swimming spots and a crazy over the top touristy street known as The Gallery Walk, it’s no wonder what a popular place it is to visit. Plus, did you know it’s home to the oldest national park in Queensland called Tamborine National Park?!

While the glow worm caves in Tamborine offer a day time experience, if you’re interested in seeing them in their natural habitat at night time, check out this popular Gold Coast Glow Worm Tour.


Where are the glow worm caves in Tamborine Mountain?

glow-worm-caves-mount-tamborine-map

The Glow Worm Caves in Tamborine Mountain are located down the road from the famous Witches Falls walking track on Hartley Road.

Getting to the Glow Worm Caves takes 40 minutes from Gold Coast and a 1hr drive from Brisbane. With easy access to get away from daily life, you’ll feel a world away up on Mount Tamborine.


Why are the glow worm caves at a winery?

cedar-creek-estate-winery-tamborine

I know what you’re thinking… why are the Tamborine glow worm caves at a winery? It sounds a bit random, right? We were kind of confused as to what the caves would be like. Although the Cedar Creek Estate Vineyard and Winery is located on the same grounds as the glow worms cave, it’s a different experience.

It’s good to know that this is a conservation initiative, home to the only experience in Queensland to see glow worms in the day time. The glow worms are protected in the caves to ensure the survival of the rare species only found in Australia and New Zealand.

We popped our heads into the winery, and it didn’t look too bad. There’s also a restaurant on site which looked lovely as it overlooks the countryside.


Are the glow worm caves authentic?

glow-worm-caves-mount-tamborine

One of the things I was wondering is whether the caves are authentic. I was a little confused with them being at a winery, and I wondered if it just so happened that there was an authentic cave there or whether it’s an artificial one.

Now, it is an artificial cave, but don’t let it put you off, because I know I would probably give it a miss if I was reading this. But, it is really one of the rare touristy things to do in Tamborine Mountain that we really loved and walked away both saying how good it was.


How much does the glow worms caves cost?

glow-worm-caves-tamborine-mountain

When we arrived, we were told that we needed to pre-book tickets so we actually came back later in the day for another tour. At the time of writing, tickets cost $15 for adults and $8 for kids aged 4-12.

I assumed it would be free because I thought it would be a natural cave known for having glow worms in it.


Can you walk straight into the cave or do you need to do a tour?

glow-worm-caves-tamborine-mountain

We also didn’t realise that you need to do a tour to see the glow worm cave. I was wondering if we had set ourselves up for 45 minutes of boredom but the glow-worm tours are far from that. Honestly, you’ll be surprised how cool it actually is!


What’s the glow worm cave tour really like?

When we drove back to the Cedar Creek Estate to do the tour, we were greeted by a really friendly biologist tour guide. I love doing tours like this when the guide is really passionate and good at their job. He was really entertaining, openly told us that he would come out with dad jokes the entire time (which he did endearingly) and kept everyone laughing throughout.

When the tour started, we walked up through a boardwalk and before we knew it, we were entering into a man-made cave that has doors to keep the light out to protect the glow worms. I realised in that moment that yes, it’s not a natural cave, but I wasn’t prepared for what was yet to come.

We were taken into a seating area and shown a short video about the glow worms before entering into the darkness to see the glow worms themselves.

Inside the glow worm cave

As soon as we shut the door behind us, the entire cave lit up with thousands of glow worms. Everyone gasped, and I wondered if I had seen this many before in other caves. At first, I almost asked if the blue lights were in fact lights and not glow worms, but so it was.

We spent a while in this cave and even though I do get claustrophobic, I’ve just realised that it didn’t even cross my mind because the tour was so fascinating. We learnt a lot about glow worms and asked loads of questions during the tour as we slowly walked through the cave. The guide has an infrared light and the path is on flat ground, so you don’t need to worry about losing your step or not being able to see where you’re going.

When we finished the tour, we walked out of the exit, the famous door covered in a tree, which almost looks like something taken out of a fairy tale.

Steve and I looked at each other and we both agreed how good the tour really is.

Please note that no photos are allowed inside because the light could damage the glow worms.

If you’re looking for things to do in Mount Tamborine, look no further! The glow-worm tours are totally filled with glowing glow worms and a must-visit for everyone!


Looking to find more glow worms in Gold Coast?

If you head down to Curtis Falls in Mount Tamborine at night time, you’ll find glow worms there too! The walk isn’t long and took us about 12 minutes to reach the falls. If going at night time, be very careful and take a torch, but do not shine the torch on the glow worm habitat.

Other places to find them are at the famous and wonderful Natural Bridge in Springbrook National Park which has a well maintained path to the bridge.

W

Our guide said that glow worms are usually located in rainforests near water so if you’re into hiking, I’m sure there’s plenty at many hikes you’ve already done. You just need to go night hiking to see them. Just be very careful if you consider night hiking as there will be plenty more wildlife about, you’ll need a good torch (and a back up) and you’ll need to inform others about where you’re going.

If you’d feel more comfortable going in a group, check out this popular night time Gold Coast Glow Worm Tour.

Read our Tamborine Mountain guides

tamborine-rainforest-skywalk
Tamborine Skywalk

Looking for more things to do in Tamborine Mountain? Check out our Curtis Falls guide and everything you need to know before you do it.

You might like to check out our guide on the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk, one of the area’s main attractions. There’s an entrance fee so we decided to write all about the experience and whether it’s worth paying to get into.


Where To Stay In Tamborine Mountain

  1. Witches Falls Cottages – right in the heart of the action with excellent breakfast hampers and cosy fire places
  2. Curtis Falls Cottage – perfect escape for a couple!

The Glow Worm Caves, Tamborine Mountain

SAVE FOR LATER AND PIN BELOW