Every thunderegg looks like a plain grey rock. Then it's cut in half and the crystals appear. So grab a pickaxe, fill your bucket and find out what's hiding inside yours.
Kids from $20 · Family pass $98 · Open every day
Swing the pickaxe, search the old volcanic earth and fill your bucket. Then the Rock Shop team cuts your thundereggs in half, and everyone leans and waits for the reveal.
Inside cyou could have agate, quartz or a hollow full of glittering crystal. Formed in ancient lava around 200 million years ago and waiting for you to discover it.
Pickaxe in hand, search the open air mine. Thundereggs make up most of the ground beneath you.
Your borrowed 5kg bucket might fill with lots of little eggs or one big beauty. All of it comes home with you.
Take your finds to the Rock Shop and watch them sliced in half. pricing depends on size.
Families of five save with the $98 family pass. Add your crew and see the total.
Add your crew.
Cutting your finds open is paid at the Rock Shop. pricing is based on the size of your thunderegg
The mine is open every day of the year except three.
Closed Anzac Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Weekends and school holidays are busiest. Booking ahead is the safest way to get in. Walk ins are welcome when there's room.
See live availabilityGive yourself at least an hour to enjoy it properly.
Fully enclosed, walkable shoes are a must, as sharp pieces can be underfoot. Crocs aren't suitable. Loan shoes may be available.
A hat, sunscreen, water and a reusable bag for your treasures. Gloves and a kneeling mat make a long session comfier.
The mine runs in all but severe weather and the mud only adds to the fun. Pack a plastic bag for muddy shoes and a spare pair for the drive home.
Outside picnics aren't allowed. Grab something from the Terrace Cafe or Rainforest Restaurant and bring it up to the mine.
Your ticket covers one entry, so plan breaks before you head in. Last entry is 2pm and the mine closes at 4pm.
Under 16s fossick with a paying adult. Under 5s are free but don't get equipment, so they share with you.
★★★★★"Thunder egg digging was a lot of fun."Esther See · Google
★★★★★"Full weekend of fun with putt putt, rope courses, real backhoes (mini diggers), a real minesite and a beautiful creek to dip into."Kenneth Izzard · Google
★★★★★"We went Thunderegg Fossicking and were not disappointed. It was a rainy day, and the mud, weirdly, made it more fun! I had a few thundereggs cut at the end and used them to create a terrarium for my air plants!"Cath Hoge · Google
Swirl volcanic sand through your pan and watch amethyst, quartz and agate appear. No age limits, and everything you find goes home with you.
$20 a bag · Every day 8.30am to 4pm
Last panning 3.30pm.
Thunderbird Park doesn't slow down midweek. All four of these are open seven days a week.
Premium Elite Room
Tamborine Mountain Glades is home to Thunderbird Park, so your bed is a short walk from the mine.
The Lodges
Room for the whole family to unwind, with self-contained lodges, private decks and nature right on your doorstep.
Children under 5 stay free
Creek Lodges from $433 midweek
Your stay and fossicking are booked separately. Rooms fill much faster than the mine, so check your stay first, then book fossicking for the same date.
Drive a real 1.7 tonne excavator across four challenge zones. Perfect for every age, from little diggers to grandparents.
Discover DIG IT
Climb, balance and zip through the rainforest canopy. TreeTop Challenge is the big draw for kids 8 and up.
Discover TreeTop ChallengeThe SOL Elements Float Caves are a short walk from your room. Lie back, let the water hold you and let a day on your knees at the mine drift away.
Staying guests save 15% on Float Caves and bathhouse sessions Monday to Friday (excludes massages and treatments), with your code included in your booking confirmation.
TreeTop JuniorsRopes and flying foxes built for ages 4 to 8
TreeTop ChallengeHigh ropes in the canopy for bigger kids and adults
Canyon FlyerEight ziplines over the canyon, up to 70km/h
Adventure Mini GolfNine holes for an easy afternoon
Rock PoolsCool off along Cedar Creek
Bird FeedingFeed the wild birds by hand
PickleballHire a court for $25, all equipment included
Terrace CafeCoffee, light lunches and sweet treatsPick your day and when you'd like to start fossicking, then add what else your crew is into. We'll fit it around real opening times.
Each activity and your stay are booked separately. Rooms fill much faster than the mine, so check your stay first, then book fossicking for the same date.
A party table by the creek after fossicking.
Plan a partyA fossicking voucher for birthdays and rock lovers.
Buy a voucherThundereggs make up most of the mine, so it's very rare to leave without one.
Yes. You can take home up to 5kg of finds, measured in the bucket we lend you. Anything over that is $3 per kg.
Yes, cutting is paid at the Rock Shop. It's about $4 for a golf ball size egg and $7 for a tennis ball size, with bigger eggs priced by size.
Allow at least an hour to enjoy it properly. Your ticket covers one entry. Last entry is 2pm and the mine closes at 4pm.
Booking is recommended, especially on weekends and school holidays. Walk ins are welcome when there's room.
No, it's an open air mine. It's also a registered mine with strict safety rules.
Only tools issued by the mine team can be used.
Kids 15 and under need a paying adult with them. Adults who only supervise pay $15. Under 5s are free and don't get their own equipment.
Questions? Call the mine directly on (07) 5545 7999. Full terms and conditions
Staying the night? Rooms book out well before the mine does, so check your stay first, then book fossicking.
Tamborine Mountain Glades × Thunderbird Park
Soar through the treetops, then unwind with a rainforest stay.
From $493 for two adults · Sunday–Thursday
Explore the packageFamilies welcome. Price shown is based on two adults.