Knoll Road Lookout — a View with a Story
If you've ever stopped at Knoll Road Lookout on Tamborine Mountain (QLD) for the spectacular view, you might not realise you're standing beside a road with almost 150 years of history.
Today, The Knoll is a peaceful place for a picnic, a walk and a spectacular outlook towards Flinders Peak and Brisbane. But once upon a time, Knoll Road was one of the most important routes onto the mountain.
Knoll Road was originally formed in 1877 and became the first road up to the Tamborine Mountain plateau. From 1877 until 1924, it was the only route for wheeled traffic between Tamborine Village and the northern end of the mountain.
For early settlers, this wasn't a scenic drive. It was a difficult and sometimes treacherous transport route used to move people and produce.
The steep dirt road was particularly challenging for bullock teams. Historical records even describe Clifford Curtis using a bullock team on Knoll Road in 1889.
Then, in January 1907, something rather more modern appeared.
A 5-horsepower Oldsmobile, carrying J. Kniep and J. Macmillan, became the first motor car recorded travelling up Tamborine Mountain. The journey via Knoll Road was anything but easy, with William Curtis, Barney Geissmann and their horses helping the car reach Capo Di Monte.
Getting back down the mountain presented its own problems!
By 1924, the newly developed Tamborine Mountain Road had taken over as the principal route, reducing Knoll Road's importance as a transport route.
But the landscape was beginning a new chapter.
Tamborine Mountain had become increasingly valued not only for farming and settlement, but for its forests, scenery and tourism. In 1954, The Knoll became a national park, adding another important chapter to its story.
The local community was also embracing the area as a scenic destination. The Tamborine Mountain Progress Association records that a directional plaque was installed at The Knoll in 1954, identifying features visible from the viewpoint. Unfortunately, the plaque was removed by vandals by 1957.
Today, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service describes The Knoll as having spectacular views towards Flinders Peak and Brisbane, with picnic tables and a covered area nestled among the forest.
And there's one final piece of advice from us…
Today it's a great place for a picnic, but a word of warning: the two friendly kookaburras - who we named Huey and Dewey - will very much enjoy joining you for lunch!
Do not leave your favourite sandwiches in view… otherwise you may go without!
So next time you stop at Knoll Road Lookout, take a moment to enjoy the view - but remember that the road below has carried settlers, produce, bullock teams, early motorists and generations of visitors.
From a rough 1877 mountain road to a peaceful picnic spot, Knoll Road has certainly travelled a long way.
Knoll Road Lookout, Tamborine Mountain, Queensland
Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/w4CshuEnvYsCahF18
Sources & further reading: Scenic Rim Regional Council, Knoll Road and Old Knoll Road, Tamborine Mountain — Assessment of Significance; Scenic Rim Local Heritage Register; Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Tamborine National Park; Tamborine Mountain Progress Association, Tamborine National Park and Jenyn's Lookout; Visit Tamborine Mountain, History of Tamborine Mountain.
Image: 5-horsepower Oldsmobile by Jackdude101, CC BY-SA 4.0
