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Mount Tamborine And The Gold Coast Hinterland

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Away and to the west of the glitz and bling of Surfers Paradise, with its high rises and gold bikinis, the Gold Coast Hinterland provides what its beachfront counterpart struggles to recall: tranquillity. Green and sub-tropical, the Hinterland is an oasis set to a soundtrack of falling water and elusive native birds. The perfect escape, the Hinterland is very in touch with its roots – literally: parts of the natural ecosystem that existed in days when dinosaurs walked the earth still remain. Situated a mere 30-minute drive inland from the coast, its beauty is spread far and wide, across Mount Tamborine, which makes for a wonderful northern entryway into the Springbrook and Lamington National Parks

The perfect escape, the Gold Coast Hinterland is very in touch with its roots – literally: parts of the natural ecosystem that existed in days when dinosaurs walked the earth still remain. Situated a mere 30-minute drive inland from the coast, its beauty is spread far and wide, across Mount Tamborine, which makes for a wonderful northern entryway into the Springbrook and Lamington National Parks

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Gold Coast Hinterland | MOUNT TAMBORINE

A hotbed for international science and conservation societies, Mount Tamborine is part of Tamborine National Park, the third oldest national park in the world and barely an hour’s drive south of Brisbane. Made up of tiny villages within the Hinterland, the area’s quaint town consists of cosy cafes, boutique wineries, nurseries, a glassware store, an award-winning fudge shop, and the Gallery Walk, which incorporates art galleries, antique stores and homewares hubs en route. It’s all you would expect from a regional town, with the added bonus of it being set against a backdrop of lush rainforest and flourishing native wildlife.

Mount Tamborine is also the only place outside of New Zealand to which arachnocampa – more commonly known as glow worm larvae – are endemic. Don’t let the ‘arachno’ portion of their name incite fear – they were given this title, meaning ‘spider-worm’ in the min-1920s for their sticky silk dangling habits, their main means of ensnaring a meal occasionally. Dwelling in caves and well-sheltered forests, a visit to Tamborine could hardly be complete without witnessing the miniscule creature’s fascinating display of illumination, which is likened to a sparkling night sky.

Other activities available to Mount Tamborine’s visitors that instead involve real light from the sun, include mini golf, high ropes, hot air ballooning, and perhaps more fitting for the theme of a gentle getaway – the Rainforest Skywalk. An innovative means by which to take in the environment, it’s quite literally a step up from a regular day’s dirt-track meander. Resting about 30m above ground and set over 30 acres of privately-owned rainforest, the walk carries its participants over 1.5km, giving view-seekers around 45 minutes to immerse themselves in the canopy. If staying on the ground appeals a little more, Tamborine has 12 walking tracks, none of which exceed around 3km.

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Gold Coast Hinterland | SPRINGBROOK AND LAMINGTON NATIONAL PARKS

A listed World Heritage Area, Springbrook National Park consists of four sections: Springbrook plateau, Mount Cougal, Natural Bridge and Numinbah. Riddled with waterfalls and bushwalks, Springbrook is resplendent, teeming with picturesque spots to picnic or bathe. It’s especially popular among the camping crowd.

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A further half-hour drive south of Mount Tamborine, to get to Springbrook requires driving up steep, winding roads, during which the view grows increasingly generous. Once at the top, the Springbrook plateau offers its guests a raft a walks and lookouts, including the Wunburra lookout to the east, from which the Gold Coast and the Pacific Ocean can be seen. For different aspects, the Best of All and Canyon lookouts are available, the former of which sits off the beaten track- giving visitors a sweeping, panoramic view of both Queensland and New South Wales, incorporating Coolangatta, Kingscliff, Byron Bay, Mount Warning and Murwillumbah.

“A hotbed for international science and conservation societies, Mount Tamborine is part of Tamborine National Park, the third oldest national park in the world and barely an hour’s drive south of Brisbane.

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Heading west, Currumbin Creek Road stretches 20km, eventually ending at the entrance to a rainforest walk to the Cougal Cascades, part of the Mount Cougal section of Springbrook. Especially during warmer months, the Cougal Cascades are a must-see. An easy, bitumen-path walk, the Cascades offer the opportunity to cool off in pristine, blue water. At the end of the path. Another must-see includes the Natural Bridge, an enormous lump of rock formed by the force of a waterfall over the erosive basalt cave. Like so much of the Hinterland, it’s easily accessed. Distinguishing this particular waterfall from so many others in Australia is the opportunity for tourists to take a guided nocturnal tour, during which, in summer, luminous fungi and fireflies make themselves present.

While Springbrook and Mount Tamborine can together be explored over the course of a long day, it’s recommended that Lamington National Park is given its own dedicated time slot. Many visitors to the park suggest an overnight stay here, the idea of which can be brought to fruition at the award-winning Nightfall Wilderness camp. Situated in a relatively-untouched paradise by the headwaters of Christmas Creek, the Nightfall camp experience is more than that – it’s glamping in full form. The safari tents are architect-inspired, constructed on top of purpose-built wooden platforms. Limited to six travellers at a time, the camp embodies the purpose of a Hinterland stay: private, intimate and natural.

For more a more solid style of accommodation that doesn’t always require booking months in advance, consider the O’Reilly family’s unparalleled Gold Coast Hinterland lodgings. For 100 years, the O’Reilly’s have privately owned a large chunk of Lamington National Park, giving visitors the opportunity to stay and absorb the atmosphere in either a mountain villa or rainforest retreat. Making the most of the surroundings, visitors can also partake in guided tours (including segway tours), special events like the annual Bird Week, or visit the Canungra Valley vineyard. Then, of course, there’s the day spa option – but at the end of a Hinterland trip, will you really need it?

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Alana Lowes

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