Tamborine Mountain Distillery Achieves Sustainable Tourism Certification
What Our Ecotourism Australia Certification Means — and the Work Behind It
We're proud to have achieved Sustainable Tourism Certification with Ecotourism Australia.
For us, the certification isn't simply another logo to put on the door.
It independently assesses something we've been working on across the Distillery: how we use energy and water, reduce waste, support conservation and contribute to the Tamborine Mountain community we call home.
And because sustainable is a word that's very easy for businesses to use, we think it's worth showing you what that actually looks like here.
What Is Sustainable Tourism Certification?
Sustainable Tourism Certification is an Ecotourism Australia program for tourism businesses committed to minimising negative impacts while creating positive outcomes for the environment, community, culture and local economy.
Importantly, businesses don't simply declare themselves certified.
The process includes assessment against sustainability criteria and independent third-party auditing, with ongoing audits required to maintain certification.
For visitors, that provides something more meaningful than us simply telling you we're trying to operate sustainably.
There's an independent standard behind it.
40kW of Solar Power on the Distillery Roof
Distilling requires energy, so energy use is an obvious place for us to focus.
Our 40kW solar panel system generates renewable electricity on site, helping reduce the amount of electricity we need to draw from the grid.
When the system produces more power than we're using, excess electricity can be supplied back to the grid.
It's a very practical sustainability measure.
The Queensland sun hits the Distillery roof.
The panels turn it into electricity.
And that electricity helps us run the business below.
120,000 Litres of Rainwater Storage
Water is another resource we think carefully about.
Like others across Tamborine Mountain, we collect rainwater on site.
Our tanks provide 120,000 litres of rainwater storage, allowing us to capture and make use of the rain that falls here rather than simply letting that resource disappear.
Solar above us.
Rainwater beside us.
Two very visible examples of how the location itself influences the way we operate.
Turning Empty Containers into Support for Tamborine Mountain Landcare
Our empty eligible containers have another job to do.
Through Containers for Change, proceeds from our recycling are donated to Tamborine Mountain Landcare, helping support work caring for our local environment.
We particularly like this initiative because it connects something very ordinary — recycling a container — with conservation here on the Mountain.
A bottle or can finishes one job and helps fund another.
Sustainability Also Means Community
Environmental measures are only one part of sustainable tourism.
A tourism business is also part of the place in which it operates.
For us, that's Tamborine Mountain and the wider Scenic Rim community.
Over the years, we've supported local schools, sporting clubs, community raffles and other local causes through product and financial donations.
We've also welcomed school and university students to learn more about what happens inside a working distillery and the practical considerations involved in operating one.
And some of what visitors encounter at TMD has been created in collaboration with local people — from artwork associated with our bottles and labels to handcrafted pieces used at the Distillery.
These might seem like very different activities from installing solar panels.
They are.
And that's the point.
Sustainable tourism isn't only about electricity and water. It's also about the relationship a tourism business has with the community around it.
Sustainability Is Something We Keep Working On
Achieving certification doesn't mean we've reached some imaginary sustainability finish line.
There will always be more we can measure, improve and reconsider.
That's why we see certification as accountability as much as recognition.
It gives us a framework against which our practices can be assessed, while ongoing auditing means maintaining certification requires continued attention.
That's much more valuable to us than simply being able to describe ourselves as sustainable.
See It When You Visit
Some of these initiatives aren't hidden behind the scenes.
When you visit Tamborine Mountain Distillery, you're visiting the place where we're actually putting them into practice.
The solar panels are here.
The rainwater tanks are here.
The recycling happens here.
Our community is here.
And so are we.
Come up to Tamborine Mountain, enjoy a tasting and discover the Distillery for yourself.
► PLAN YOUR VISIT TO TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY
► EXPLORE OUR SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENT
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tamborine Mountain Distillery sustainably certified?
Yes. Tamborine Mountain Distillery has achieved Sustainable Tourism Certification through Ecotourism Australia, which assesses tourism businesses against sustainability criteria and includes independent third-party auditing.
What does Tamborine Mountain Distillery do to reduce its energy use?
Our initiatives include a 40kW solar panel system, energy-efficient appliances, building insulation and blinds, and low-wattage LED lighting. Our solar system can also supply excess electricity back to the grid.
Does Tamborine Mountain Distillery use rainwater?
Yes. We collect rainwater on site, with 120,000 litres of rainwater storage at the Distillery.
How does Tamborine Mountain Distillery support local conservation?
One example is our participation in Containers for Change, with proceeds from our eligible container recycling donated to Tamborine Mountain Landcare to support conservation in our local area.
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