2 Days of Meeting the Makers
Duration
2 days
Region
Scenic Rim
Transport
Self-drive
This is a weekend for people who appreciate a good drink, great food, and the kind of experiences you’ll still be talking about weeks later. Bring your partner, your mates, or the friend who always orders something interesting off the menu. Whoever you’d happily spend a long lunch and a few cocktails with.
Saturday starts behind the still at Tamborine Mountain Distillery, where you’ll bottle your own spirit before settling in for lunch, cocktails with the team at Loborn, and an open-air concert at Cauldron as the sun drops over the mountain. The day wraps with a one-night-only dinner designed exclusively for the weekend. Intimate, seasonal, and absolutely worth showing up for.
Sunday slows things down a little, starting with a scenic e-bike ride along the mountain picnic trail, stopping in with local makers along the way to pick up produce for your picnic baskets. There is time for a wander to Curtis Falls, before finishing the weekend with a long afternoon at Loborn creating botanical cocktails and edible floral bouquets.
Event highlights
Ride, Gather & Graze Picnic Trail
Craft Spirit Distilling Workshop
Modern Apéritifs Cocktail Class
Spirit of the Mountain
Franquette x Joy: One Night Only
A unique collaboration bringing Sarah Baldwin of Joy Restaurant to the mountain, pairing her refined, produce-driven cooking with Franquette's artisanal French baking and pâtisserie. Savour a thoughtful menu of seasonal, locally inspired dishes in an intimate mountaintop setting.
Cupcake Bouquets & Cocktails
DAY 1 — Sat 30 May
Morning – Sat 30 May
Saturday starts with sleeves rolled up at Tamborine Mountain Distillery. The Craft Spirit Distilling Workshop with head distiller Gordon Chalmers takes you behind-the-scenes into the art of spirit-making, from botanicals and distillation to flavour creation. You’ll also walk away with a personalised 500ml bottle, made by you.
Drink it now, save it for later, or wrap it up as a thoughtful Christmas gift. A distillery tour and shared grazing board round out the morning. Because nothing tastes better than a charcuterie board you’ve earned your way to.
Noon
From distillery floor to tasting bar, the mood shifts entirely. At The Loborn Tasting Bar, head distiller Tom Drewett leads a guided exploration of Modern Apéritifs Cocktail Class, exploring how native botanicals bring bitterness, balance, and depth to these distinctly Australian spirits.
You’ll sample the full amaro range before stepping behind the bar to shake and craft your own apéritif-style cocktail.
Then
As the afternoon settles on Tamborine Mountain, Cauldron Distillery transforms into an open-air stage for Spirit of the Mountain. A Welcome to Country opens the afternoon, followed by live music from Tim Freedman’s Moonlit Deck and talented local musicians, The Inadequates. Signature cocktails and seasonal dishes can be enjoyed as the sun drops over the mountains. No itinerary needed, just good spirits all round.
Night
As the light softens and the valley begins to glow, make your way back to Verandah House Country Estate for the Twilight Feast and Luxury Mountain Escape. Chef Gareth Creswell has crafted a multi-course menu cooked over open flames, drawing out the very best of the Scenic Rim’s seasonal produce. Sweeping views across mountain ranges and coastline stretch all the way to the horizon. Settle in, savour every course, and let the evening unfold at its own unhurried pace. There is nowhere else you need to be.
DAY 2 — Sun 31 May
Morning – Sun 31 May
Sunday begins on two wheels. Ride, Gather and Graze Picnic Trail by Peddly Picnics puts you on a self-guided e-bike trail through Tamborine Mountain’s winding roads and scenic lookouts, map in hand, local makers waiting at every stop. Collect handpicked treats from distillers, producers and artisans as you go, find your perfect spot, and spread out a picnic that is entirely, deliciously yours.
Walk off the weekend and work up an appetite. Before the afternoon unfolds, take the short walk to Curtis Falls, where the rainforest tightens around a tucked-away waterfall and the mountain air sharpens everything.
Noon
The weekend closes in full colour at The Loborn Tasting Bar, where they’ve teamed up with The Cupcake Floristry for Cupcake Bouquets & Cocktails an afternoon as beautiful as it is delicious. Craft and sip a signature amaro cocktail, then turn your attention to an edible floral bouquet, rosella jam filling, expert piping techniques, and a finished creation almost too lovely to eat. Almost. You’ll leave with new skills, artisan spirits, and something that looks like it belongs in a florist window.
