Thunderegg Fossicking and Crystal Panning at Thunderbird Park – Fantastic Family Activity!
Thunderegg fossicking and crystal panning at Thunderbird Park in the Gold Coast Hinterlands in a fun and unique activity for the whole family. The best part? Even beginners can find them!
Let’s start with the Thundereggs …. you’re probably wondering what Thundereggs are, right?
Well, they have nothing to do with both thunder and eggs and are basically, rough, roundish rocks that when cut open, look a little something like this but with many different colour variations …
What are Thundereggs and How Did They Form?
Thundereggs are a 200 million-year-old mystery! The theory is that millions of years ago during a volcanic upheaval, bubbles formed in the silica-rich rock. As it cooled off, shrinkage of the material produced a star-shaped cavity which was eventually filled with minerals such as jasper, quartz, agate and more.
Thunderbird Park is home to the world’s largest Thunderegg mine! As a result, the Thundereggs found at Thunderbird Park range in weight from a few grams to over 600kg.
Common colours and minerals found inside the Thundereggs include:
- Purple (Amethyst)
- Cream (Rhyolite or Jasper)
- Grey/Blue with lines (Lace Agate)
- Honey (Honey or Common Agate)
- Greys/Blues (Agates)
- Pink (Rose Quartz)
- Orange (Carnelian)
- Light Green (Rhyolite)
- White (Quartz)
- Emerald Green (Chlorite Jasper)
- Browns/Reds (Common and Pigeon Blood Jasper)
Watch our short YouTube clip of our afternoon spent Thunderegg Fossicking and Crystal Panning at Thunderbird Park…
Much like gem fossicking, once you find your first ”precious”, Thunderegg fossicking is incredibly addictive. It’s exciting for both kids and adults when your “egg” is cut open to reveal the hidden treasures within!
Admission price, booking details and more information can be found at Thunderbird Park’s website. The admission price includes a bucket for collecting Thundereggs and the use of a pick, as well as kiddy sized picks.
More importantly, great instructions are given on how to find a thunderegg. For instance, you will be shown specifically what to look for and what to listen for when the pick hits the Thunderegg.
Families get to keep what they find (providing it fits in the buckets), and afterwards, the kids are given a souvenir mining certificate. Both the certificate and Thundereggs make a great show-and-tell at school the next week!
The Thunderegg Mine at Thunderbird Park is open 7 days from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Bookings are essential!
Panning for Crystal Treasures
Panning for crystal treasures at Thunderbird Park is a great introduction to fossicking for gems and crystals for families. Purchase a bag of sand (containing hidden crystals) from the Thunderegg Crystal Mine shop and try your hand at panning in the running water with a special panning tray.
You get a lot of crystals in just one bag and full instructions are given! Make sure to watch the YouTube video a little further back to see just how much you could get.
The Crystal Panning at Thunderbird Park is open 7 days from 8:30 am to 4 pm. The admission price includes 1 x bag of sand (containing crystals) and use of a panning tray and the flowing water system.
Admission price, booking details and more information can be found at Thunderbird Park’s website.
Accommodation at Thunderbird Park
Great news! Families can bring their caravan, tent or camper and camp in either a powered or unpowered sites at Thunderbird Park. Nestled along the boundary of Tamborine National Park, the camping sites are a natural oasis featuring rock pools along Cedar Creek, which flows through the property.
Comfortable amenity blocks and a communal camp kitchen are also available and a rock-boarded circular fire pit is available at every van and camp site.
If camping is not your style, Thunderbird Park also offers bush cabins, rooms and lodges. Check out the Thunderbird Park website for more information on available accommodation and how to book.
What Else is There to do at Thunderbird Park?
Challenge the kids with the Junior Tree Challenge, which is amazing for kids aged 3 – 7 years. (I’ll be writing about this soon). Try your hand at mini-golf, a zipline, treetop course for older kids and adults, laser skirmish, hiking, bird feeding and rock pools.
Visit the Thunderbird Park website for more information on activities.
How to Get to Thunderbird Park
Located at Tamborine Mountain in the Gold Coast Hinterlands, Thunderbird Park is 66km from Brisbane and 45km from the Gold Coast. Find Thunderbird Park on the corner of Cedar Creek Falls Road and Tamborine Mountain Rd.
The easiest way to get there is to type ”Thunderbird Park” in Google Maps!
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Disclaimer – We visited Thunderbird Park in collaboration with Destination Gold Coast.
