Take A Tour in the Scenic Rim

The local faces of the Scenic Rim are here to help you make the most of your time here. Listen to their stories and see our packages or call us if you have your own local itinerary in mind. 

Take a walk with someone who lives eats breathes the Gondwana Rainforests of Lamington National Park, 

Lisa Groom took over the International Park Tours company reins in 2001, having grown up watching Tony & Connie pack suitcases, and having worked as an IPT guide herself since 1991. Now with two kids of her own, Lisa is based in Beechmont most of the year managing the IPT office. In 2009 she will lead regular departures of the Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk.

"Each year we look forward to stepping out of daily life and travelling this world with new and old friends. Before and during a tour, connections are made, plans become reality and experiences are shared. Out of a tour come inspiration, reunions, celebrations and friendships, many of them life-long.

We enjoy developing relationships with you over time and aim to treat you as an individual, listen to your comments and honour your preferences. The wonderful feedback we get about our tours and their design shows that our office staff and tour leaders are fulfilling your wishes."

Take a guided walk in Lamington National Park with International Park Tours

...or a meet a Husband and Wife team who will Drive You To Drink

Judi and Peter Jaques established the CorknFork Winery Tours in January 2001, with the idea of providing visitors, staying at the B & B's of Tamborine Mountain, with the experience of participating in boutique winery and distillery tours. Both Judi and Peter have had many experiences with the wine industry over the years, Judi attended wine school in the hunter Valley in 2003 to enhance her knowledge of Wine Appreciation and Peter has attended Master Wine classes both in this area and in Sydney. Both Judi and Peter have travelled and visited many different wineries throughout mainland Australia and Tasmania.

The realisation of the opportunity to pass on to the many visitors of Tamborine Mountain, the pleasures they have experienced by commencing tours of our wine region became evident and Judi left her nursing career of nearly 30 years to start this business from scratch. There are now 12 wineries/cellar doors and vineyards in the area, where patrons can partake of wine & liqueur tastings, they are also provided with a sumptuous meal at one of the wineries and then delivered back to their place of accommodation in seat belted and air-conditioned safety and comfort. Just give the friendly husband and wife team, Judi and Peter a call at Cork ‘n Fork winery tours and they can answer all your questions. They have 2001, 2002 and 2003 Regional Tourism Awards and 2008 finalist in the Queensland State Tourism awards.To add to the already proud statement that they are the first locally based, and family owned and operated Winery Tour Operators of Tamborine. Come and enjoy one of Cork' n Fork's intimate winery tours, it will be a day you will talk about for a long time!!

...Or someone who has studied birds for over 25 years.

There is a beautiful Regent Bowerbird sitting in the Crow's Ash tree outside my office window as I write my story and a Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove has just been and gone. It is raining again but that's what happens when you live on the edge of a rainforest. ‘My' rainforest is Lamington National Park , a world renowned bird watching and bush walking area and part of the World Heritage listed Gondwana Reserves of Australia. I came here about 25 years ago to work as a Guide at Binna Burra Mountain Lodge, a beautiful old lodge located at one of the entrances to the tracks of Lamington NP. For many years I had the privilege of sharing the park with guests from around the world. The forests and wildlife are rich in stories and I have come to know them intimately.

My passion for the area remains and I still lead groups into the park, mostly bird watchers and American university students these days but I will guide anyone who is interested in enjoying the park. The walking track system is one of the best of any national park in the world and is about to be improved further with the opening of the Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk.

Birds are my special interest and South-east Queensland is a hot-spot for birds especially in Lamington NP. I had the pleasure recently of tracking down a Rufous Scrub Bird, very elusive species that creeps around on the forest floor. It circled around in and out of my view, but only a few metres away, for about 5 minutes. It seemed to be a case of the watched, watching the watcher

Lamington NP

Lamington National Park is Australia 's prime location for sub-tropical rainforest birds and our backyard. Join us for a full day rainforest birding at either Binna Burra or O'Reilly's and in the surrounding open forests. We will pick you up from the Gold Coast. We also provide interpretive guided bushwalking tours in Lamington and adjacent national parks.

Birding highlights: Albert's Lyrebird, Satin and Regent Bowerbirds, Noisy Pitta, Green Catbird, Paradise Riflebird, Wompoo Pigeon, King Parrot, Rose Robin, 3 spp of Scrub-wren, Logrunner and many more.

Gold Coast and Hinterland - 'Habitats Tour.'

The Gold Coast and Hinterland area is rich in species because of its diverse habitats. From Mountains to Mangroves and Wetlands to Mudflats, it's all possible in a day. 120 spp. have been seen on this tour. This tour includes Lamington National Park. For Birders staying in Brisbane there is an excellent train service to the Gold Coast.

*Some expected species: Pale-headed Rosella, King Parrot, Regent Bowerbird, Mangrove Gerygone, Double-barred Finch, Logrunner, Eastern Whipbird, Large-billed Scrub-wren, Wandering Whistling Duck, 3 spp of Fairy-Wren and Speckled Warbler.