Running a generator in an outage
Never run a generator indoors or in a closed garage. Plug appliances straight into it with outdoor-rated leads. Connecting it to the house wiring is a job for a licensed electrician, who must fit a permanently wired changeover switch so the generator can't feed back into Energex's lines while crews are working on them.
Life on the plateau
No town water
Homes depend on rainwater, bores and septic systems, so electric pumps keep the water flowing.
Christmas 2023
Tamborine Mountain was activated for disaster assistance after the storms of 25 December 2023. The Beaudesert Bulletin reported major destruction on the mountain, with thousands across the Scenic Rim left without power or running water while Energex crews worked to restore supply.
Big blocks, almost all houses
93.7% of occupied homes were separate houses at the 2021 Census, 44.3% were owned outright and the median age was 50. Zoning stops subdivision, and the St Bernard Estate, auctioned in 1893, was mostly 2-acre lots.
Batteries going in
Postcode 4272 had 2,171 small-scale solar systems by September 2026, and 347 home batteries added since July 2025.
Different council, same network
The mountain is in the Scenic Rim Regional Council area, not the City of Gold Coast, but supply is still Energex: 13 62 62 for outages, 13 19 62 for fallen lines.
Backup power options
A permanently connected generator. Queensland's Electrical Safety Office says these suit home backup better than portable sets. A licensed electrician connects it to Energex's requirements and fits the changeover switch.
A battery with backup. Some batteries keep chosen circuits running when the grid drops; others shut down with it. If the water pump is on your list, ask the installer to confirm the pump circuit is backed up and that the battery can start it. Switchboard upgrades for solar and EV chargers covers the board side.
Pump circuits. Whatever you choose, the pressure pump is easier to back up, and to isolate, when it has its own clearly labelled circuit.
After a storm
If a branch or a pole has brought down the line to your house, or is resting on wires, keep everyone clear and ring Energex on 13 19 62. Once supply is back, get an electrician to check anything that took a hit: the meter box, outdoor fittings and the pump. Storm and flood damage explains the process.
If it were our place on the mountain
We'd decide what has to keep running in an outage, usually the water pump, the fridge and a few lights, and design the backup around that list, whether it's a generator with a changeover switch or a battery with backup. Then we'd have the electrician label the pump circuit at the board, so anyone in the house can find it in the dark.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.