You could be forgiven for thinking Christmas has missed Tamborine Mountain.
While other communities in the Scenic Rim celebrate the festive season with community events, Tamborine Mountain seems to have sadly forgotten its Christmas spirit.
Canungra’s DJ Smith Park will be lit up with lights, crafts, food and gifts at its evening Christmas Markets organised by the Chamber of Commerce.
Beaudesert held its annual Christmas Spirit which featured a Chamber of Commerce Christmas lights competition for businesses and a Light Up Beaudesert ceremony at the town’s Christmas tree with a choir.
They also hold a Christmas carols event on December 5 in Jubilee Park, again organised by a sub-committee of the Beaudesert Chamber of Commerce.
In Tamborine Village, the Lions put on Christmas in the Village with carols, twilight markets and of course Santa.
However, on Tamborine Mountain this year the Christmas tree went up without any fanfare.
It just appeared one day, erected by the Scenic Rim Regional Council.
A sense of belonging
I remember years ago when my daughter was young enjoying gathering with locals to watch children’s faces come alive as the lights came on the tree, carols rang out and there was a sense of belonging that comes from a community event like this.
Former president of the Tamborine Mountain Chamber of Commerce Alison Rip said she fought with the council several years ago to put up a tree on the mountain after they erected one in Beaudesert and later Canungra.
She said she’d wanted to put it at the beginning of Main Street where it would be seen.
“Half the people don’t know it’s there and the trees have grown so now you can’t see it,” she said.
Old traditions
For two years the Chamber of Commerce was involved in the Lantern Festival on Main Street, a wonderful celebration that brought families together to mark the festive season and created an opportunity for the local businesses.
“We need to work on what we can do moving forward,” Alison said.
Christmas Market
This year St George’s Anglican Church maintained its tradition of putting on its annual Christmas Market as well as a new Christmas Tree Festival with judging of the best tree by councillor Amanda Hay.
Keith Slater, convenor of the annual Christmas Market at St George’s said this year the markets were opened up to stallholders from the wider community.
“We see the market and tree festival as an opportunity to draw the community together and release some of the Christmas spirit,” Keith said.
“Where you have an event like this you can have a vibrancy of people coming together and appreciating being a part of a warm welcoming community.”
A sign of the times?
Long-term resident Linda Galbraith said her children and grandchildren looked forward to the annual lighting of the Christmas tree on Main Street as well as the community carol singing and sausage sizzle at the Mount Tamborine Conference Centre.
“It’s a sign of the times that the community Christmas events of the past are not happening this year. People are recovering from the big weather events of Christmas night 2023 and ex tropical cyclone Alfred in March, so maybe resources and energy are depleted,” she said.
“Businesses, local organisations such as Tamborine Mountain Lions Club and volunteers such as the Chainsaw Warriors and individuals have given so much towards recovery.
“It would be encouraging for the community to come together to celebrate the Christmas season this year.”
Linda said she was looking forward to the Showgrounds market on December 14, which would have a visit from Santa in a buggy and a photo opportunity for children.
2026 Christmas on the mountain
Are you interested in helping to organise a community Christmas event in 2026?
Email news@tmnews.com.au – interest from community organisations and individuals welcomed.
