[citation needed] The Tamborine Mountain road network enables access to the plateau from four points in the surrounding lowlands, providing alternatives in case of flooding, other natural disasters, or planned maintenance works.

The geological origin of the plateau is a lava flow from the Mount Warning volcanic eruption 22 million years ago.

Parts of the plateau and surrounding foothills encompassing the wet subtropical rainforest habitats below the largely cleared plateau summit, and above the surrounding eucalypt forests, have been identified as a 38 km2 (15 sq mi) Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.

The IBA supports an isolated northern population of Albert's lyrebirds, as well as pale-yellow robins, green catbirds, regent bowerbirds and Australian logrunners.

[6] Additional significant birds recorded from the site are glossy black cockatoos, sooty owls, marbled frogmouths and noisy pittas.

These roads ensure continuity of access in times of flooding or other natural disasters, and during planned maintenance activities.

[8] The spelling also appears on early records as Tchambreem, Tamboreen and even Goombireen,[8] meaning "place of yams", and refers only to a specific vicinity within the modern day settlement of Tamborine.

[13] In 1878 the first selectors settled on the mountain blocks: John O'Callaghan (deputising for William Walsh) and his nephew, E.H.

[13] On 30 January 1893, auctioneers Arthur Martin & Co offered 128 blocks of land, mostly 2-acre (0.81 ha) lots, in the St Bernard Estate, bounded by Alpine Terrace to the north and to the south by Power Parade, St Bernard Street and Siganto Street.

[15] The lots were described as suitable for gentlemen's residences with "scenery unsurpassed in Australia" and for the shooter "turkeys, pigeons, wallabies and kangaroos abound".

[16] Tambourine Mountain Provisional School opened in February 1893 in a small cottage provided by William Geissman.

[8] The Tamborine National Park is made up of 12 separate sections of land, mainly remnant rainforest, on the plateau and surrounding foothills.

[21] On 30 May 1926, a United Protestant Church was opened in Eagle Heights Road on land donated by Mrs SA Jenyns.

[29] On 25 September 1990, 11 people were killed and 38 injured when a bus overturned and rolled down a slope on Henri Robert Drive.

[21] The Tamborine Mountain Campus of Helensvale State High School opened in 1999 with approximately 150 students in Years 8 and 9.

[37] The Scenic Rim Regional Council operates a public library on the corner of Main Street and Yuulong Road.

[5] Other tourism-heavy areas include Main Street, two one-way roads with cafes, library, fuel, hardware stores, newsagent, the Zamia Theatre, various other shops, and the Tamborine Showground Markets, held every second Sunday of the month.

[50] Tamborine Mountain is well known for walking tracks winding through rainforest regions and occasionally past cliffs or waterfalls.

[citation needed] With its fertile red volcanic soil and high rainfall, the plateau produces rich crops of avocados, kiwifruit, passionfruit, rhubarb, apples and mangoes.