Project Details:
• Demographic: Business / Tourism Destination
• Location: Tamborine Mountain, Gold Coast, Queensland
• Job Completion: December, 2025
Taking in the fresh mountain air just got a whole lot more serene at Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk. The off-grid business that’s relied solely on a large-scale diesel generator for the last 22 years, is now running on solar power!
The family run business is located on 30 acres of privately owned rainforest, along the Cedar Creek rockpools. Starting in 2004, it took five years of planning, research, council approvals and construction to be completed. All without cutting down a single forest tree in the process of installing the Skywalk! Officially opened in 2009 by the then Federal Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson. The Skywalk has become a “must do” hotspot for those visiting the Gold Coast.
The exciting eco-adventure tourist destination offers guests a unique way to explore the beautiful Gold Coast hinterland rainforest canopies. Featuring a 1.5km walk with breathtaking rainforest and creek side views, 300m of high-tech steel bridges and their iconic 40m cantilever bridge that takes guests a breezy 30m high. Visitors can experience a “birds eye view” over the creek and rainforest below.
It’s just another reason why Skywalk has been awarded a ‘Best of Queensland Experience’ for 2026 & 2025!
With an Eco Gallery, gift shop and Birdwatching Café – visitors can soak up the natural surroundings without the rattle of a diesel generator, but the chirps of over 100 bird species – a birdwatcher’s delight! Supporting sustainable tourism just got a whole lot more serene. It’s easy to see why the Skywalk attracts visitors from the Gold Coast, wider Southeast Queensland, interstate and overseas.
Client Goals & Hurdles
Clients typically come to Meridien EnergyTM, with four questions:
1. Will we reduce the cost of our energy bills, by using a solar powered battery system?
2. Is investing in a larger solar powered system worth the up-front cost?
3. How long does it take for solar to pay itself off?
4. What is an Energy Management Plan?
The Process
After our initial chat with the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk team, we had a greater understanding of what their goals were. We then visited the property and completed a site appraisal. Once assessed, we had a greater understanding of:
1. Why their current set-up wasn’t working for them, and
2. How we could help them reach their financial and environmental goals.
No matter the client, big or small, we ALWAYS follow the same process – develop an Energy Management Plan, customised to the clients unique requirements, then deliver!
What is an Energy Management Plan?
An Energy Management Plan takes into consideration, factors such as:
• Understanding the current energy usage, while estimating future energy usage.
• Avoiding power bill inflation, by developing an independent system that builds Energy Resilience, not commercial dependence.
• Reducing the carbon footprint to minimise the environmental impact.
• Ways to implement systems that monitor power efficiency and consumption.
• How to Power energy bills to ZERO.
Our Solution
A unique site requires a unique solution. When it came to developing the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk Energy Management Plan, we took into consideration factors such as:
• Off Grid site, currently running on a diesel generator
• Unique site access and steep terrain
• Existing generator was located on the other side of a concrete driveway, requiring a 25m underground cable run
• The property is surrounded by rainforest. Therefore there will always be some form of shade cast during the day
• Eco gallery, gift shop and Birdwatching Café with multiple commercial sized fridges
• All day lights and air-conditioning usage
Once their Energy Management Plan was developed, we designed an Optimised Solar Panel and Battery solution that best suited their needs, for now AND into the future.
Solar System Specification
• 84x 500W Astronergy Solar Panels with Solar Optimisers
• 61.4kWh of Solax Batteries
• 30kW Solax Hybrid Inverter
• Automatic Generator control
The Results
Maximising the Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk roof space with optimised solar panels and a MASSIVE battery system has produced over 7,000kW in the last 4-months alone!
Where a standard solar system can underperform when panels are shaded, applying Solar Optimisers prevents this from happening by operating each panel independently. Therefore, even with shaded solar panels, the overall system performance is still maximised.
The solar optimisers have since made the site produce more than our most conservative initial estimates! Saving Skywalk thousands in diesel fuel bills. Investing in our custom designed solar solution means Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk is producing ZERO* Cost Energy. Meaning FREE energy, FREE power, and fresh air for all to enjoy!
About Meridien Energy
We aren’t just another solar energy retailer. With a background in investment, we focus on the numbers and make sure that we provide our energy clients with the best possible return. We develop solar solutions for residential and commercial properties. No job is too big or too small for us.
We see people underestimate their power usage often, and it leaves them with more bills than bucks. By implementing our customisable Energy Management Plan, we’ve helped thousands of clients fight back against their energy retailers. Saving money on power bills and protecting them from future price increases.
Contact the friendly team at Meridien Energy, to develop your unique Energy Management Plan. FIGHT BACK with the Power to ZERO your energy bills.
