Thunderbird Park sits on the largest deposit of thundereggs in the world. The mineral rich seam that runs through Mount Tamborine was discovered at Thunderbird Park in 1967. Today, the ground at 300m by 50m open-cut mine has an endless supply of thundereggs.

OPENING HOURS - 7 days a week from 9:00am to 3:00pm (last entry to mine 3:00pm)  The mine is not open on Good Friday or Christmas Day.

THE THUNDERBIRD PARK MINE IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO FOSSICK FOR THEIR VERY OWN THUNDEREGGS.

There's no time like the present to explore the treasures of the past!

ADMISSION PRICES:
ADULTS.......................................$23.00 per person
CHILDREN 12 and under...........$12.00 per child (to 12 years of age*)

*  A child must be accompanied by a paying adult.

The admission price includes a detailed explanation of how and where to find your thundereggs, a mine safety induction, hire of all the tools needed to find your treasures and a souvenir miner's permit to take home.  ENLCOSED FOOTWEAR MUST BE WORN  to the mine as this requirement is a condition under our mining licence with the Department of Mines.

BIRTHDAY PARTIES::  $28.90 per child - includes meal, souvenir miner's permit and a FREE 1/2 thunderegg - see below for more details.

PLEASE NOTE - A SURCHARGE OF 15% APPLIES ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES.

PLEASE NOTE - THE MINE IS CLOSED DURING WET WEATHER.

The birthday party $28.90 package includes:
-  Entry to the thunderegg mine
-  1/2 cut thunderegg
-  Choice of food from our kids' menu which is:
    1. Crumbed Whiting s/w Chips & Tomato Sauce
    2. Chicken Nuggets s/w Chips & Tomato Sauce
    3. Mini Meat & Vegetable House-made Pastie s/w Chips & Tomato Sauce
    4. Grilled Cheese Fingers on Thick Toast s/w Chips & Tomato Sauce
-  Choice of post-mix flavours of soft drink
(Bookings are essential)     with your enquiry.

The name of 'thunderegg' originated in the United States, and refers to spherulite, a geological phenomenon greatly prized by collectors and amateur lapidaries.

for detailed descriptions on our thundereggs, wholesalers information, and other fantastic offers!

The formation of thundereggs is much of a mystery, but it is thought that during volcanic upheavals in far-off times bubbles formed in silica-rich material such as rhyuolite. As cooling took place hot gases and steam expanded nodules in which they were trapped, and in these cavities some mineral structures joined together. Shrinkage of the material on cooling produced the star-shaped cavity which is characteristic of many thundereggs.
Silica minerals entered the cavity, and solidified into chalcedony. Crystals were deposited on the walls, and the repetition of these processes produced the interesting patterns and colours which give thundereggs their universal appeal.

As the lava cooled crystallization of feldspar fibres occurred in a radical fashion around bubbles, and cristobalite (a silica material ) filled the interstices in the radial network. Steam and gases which accumulated in the nodules interior caused expansion of the spherulite, and in some cases a large central cavity was formed by the internal gas pressure forcing the spherulite apart. Sometimes part of the whole of the cavity was subsequently filled with banded agate, chalcedony and quartz.

A beautiful display of these silica minerals and a wide variety of interesting structures make spherulites of special interest to gemologists and lapidaries.
In Australia some well known collecting grounds for thundereggs are at Agate Creek, Mount Hay and TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN IN QUEENSLAND and in Victoria along the lower reaches of the Snowy River. The most impressive and largest collection of thundereggs in the world is probably at Cedar Creek, Tamborine Mountain in Queensland.

The thunderegg deposit here is on private property spread over 320 acres of lush rainforest. The thundereggs are found in all sizes, from a few grams in weight to over 600 kilograms, and they nearly all contain interesting fillings of agate and other varieties of quartz.
WHERE IS THE CEDAR CREEK THUNDEREGG DEPOSIT? 
The Cedar Creek Thunderegg deposit is situated approximately 50 km south of Brisbane at the "Thunderbird Park" tourist complex.

Access from Brisbane is via the Pacific Highway for 38 km to Beenleigh, from which the Beenleigh-Beaudesert Road is taken as far as Tamborine Village, a distance of 24km. The Tamborine Mountain Road to the east is then followed for 8 km to the Thunderbird Park Tourist complex, situated on Cedar Creek at the the foothills of Tamborine Plateau. The road is bitumen-sealed for the total distance of some 70 km.