My Story
I am a fourth-generation Tamborine Mountain local who grew up on a dairy farm on the South End. My grandfather, Stan Rosser, was just five years old when his family came to The Mountain in 1896, and my father, Allan Rosser, aged 97, still lives there today. An avid historian and bush lover who has travelled extensively, I am a retired science and mathematics teacher who now lives in North Queensland with husband Darby Monro.
For the first decade of my life, I looked upon the world through Wangalpong’s eyes, the Logan & Albert valleys, and the hinterland rivers that wind their way to the Pacific Ocean. Surrounded by the wonder and beauty of this landscape, the innocence of my childhood created an indelible impression, and Wangalpong, central to it all, captured my heart from early on.
Even after moving away from The Mountain to explore other wonderous parts of the world, my affinity with this distinctive plateau has never wavered. And, like so many others of my generation, The Mountain will always be Home to me.
WANGALPONG TO MOUNT TAMBORINE
VOLUME 1
The Moreton Bay Story
Karen Rosser surprises readers by giving Mount Tamborine — ‘Wangalpong’ to the Wangerriburra traditional custodians — a personality. The Mountain shares the enchanting story from its birth millions of years ago to the birth of Queensland in 1859. The characters are real, and Karen brings their relationship with the Mountain to life. An accurate and fully referenced historical text, Wangalpong to Mount Tamborine Volume I takes readers on a magical carpet ride above the Logan & Albert valleys and east across Wangalpong to the Coomera and Nerang River valleys of today’s Gold Coast. Where new information has challenged established history, Karen has presented the primary sources of reference supporting her conclusions. Prepare yourself for an unexpected and most enjoyable read!
History of Wangalpong and Mount Tamborine
Review
This meticulously researched and beautifully written history is one we can enjoy as a good read and keep handy for reference. It is written from the point of view of The Mountain and its ancient people. They watched as the volcano rearranged the landscape, the ships sailed by, the explorers ventured north, and settlement began. The author has made extensive use of the eye-witness accounts of those explorers, administrators, surveyors, and settlers. Careful analysis has given an interesting new view of the history most of us learned at school. This is no dry as dust recitation of the bare dates and places but a fascinating story that carries the reader along and encourages us to explore further. We should all have this fascinating history of the beginnings of Queensland on our library shelves.
Nola Fulwood,
Former archivist from the Queensland State Archives.
