02/08/17 - Springbrook National Park
We spend most of our outdoor time here on beaches or in parks, we rarely travel inland to the jungles and mountains of the hinterland, we’ve been only a handful of times in the three months (!) that we’ve been living here. We had never been to Springbrook park, a heritage listed national park. When we tried to go a few months ago, the roads were all closed due to flood damage (from Cyclone Debbie), and we haven’t attempted it since as we aren’t convinced that Marge would be able to handle the gradual steep ascents and windy roads that lead there. Thankfully though, my parents came with a reliable hire care, so we decided to take them to Springbrook to experience the Aussie jungle.
Springbrook is about an hour’s drive south-west from where we are.The same road is *still* closed due to damage so we had to find an alternative route. In the end it took us just over an hour to get there. There are so many walks and drives to do around Springbrook, and loads of information on the park online, and in tourist leaflets all over the Gold Coast. We didn’t want anything that involved much walking, as my Mum struggles with limited mobility, and long distances or uneven surfaces would exacerbate that. So we opted for places that we could easily reach by car, but that also included little walks through rainforest and jungle.
On our way up to our first destination, we stopped for coffee (this entire country is obsessed with coffee, now Daniel has at least one a day, but usually two, and my Mum and Dad had to have their daily fix when they were here). Pure Vibrations is located next to the Wunburra lookout and has a spectacular garden. It offers tea, coffee, and snacks, and also sells jewelry, precious stones, and a whole host of other beautiful things. The staff were so lovely, they helped me out with my tea choice which was tough as they had such a good variety, and made us feel so welcome. We enjoyed our tea and coffee in the wonderfully wild garden, bird watching and soaking up the sun. It was a great way to refresh after our car journey and the perfect way to start our day. I think Daniel and I will definitely return.
Our first stop for views was at the aptly named Best of All Lookout. Sitting right on the border of Queensland and New South Wales, the lookout promises spectacular, unrivaled views without the need to hike through dense jungle, and fend off critters to see them. To reach the lookout takes only a short scenic drive and then a 300m walk on a path through the rainforest. The walk is great because it doesn’t require you to climb over rocks or walk on uneven or unstable ground. It’s a leisurely stroll through the jungle, which is filled with all kinds of fascinating creatures, and plant-life. I saw a wallaby hopping away the sound of my footsteps, and there were a lot of cool birds, butterflies, and some small mammals. Once at the viewing platform, you are treated to views of the beautiful Hinterland, including Mount Warning, and Byron Bay, over 100km away! It’s a beautiful spot that doesn’t require you to break a sweat or nearly kill yourself to see it, I’d definitely recommend it to everyone, especially those who struggle with walking long distances, or who don’t want to hike for ages to enjoy the views.
Our next stop was Purling Brook Falls, for some lunch and a short walk. Purling Brook Falls is a waterfall in the middle of the Gondwana Rainforests. The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and include some of the most extensive areas of subtropical rainforest in the world. These rainforests house huge numbers of diverse wildlife, and many of the plants here are ancient species, dating back to over 100 million years ago. It’s an amazing place, and somewhere that reminds you just how magnificent and beautiful our world is. We stopped at a rest area near the falls, and made use of the barbecues and picnic benches, and enjoyed lunch in the middle of the jungle, surrounded by wildlife and some very persistent, and hungry, bush turkeys. After lunch we had a short walk to some lookout points surrounding the falls. We first walked about 100m to a lookout that showed the front of the falls, and all of the dense jungle below. Then we walked back and a further 300m to a lookout that was on the other side of the falls, almost in line with them. On the way we stopped at the very top of the falls, a 100m or so back from the edge (obviously a fence stops you from going further), and admired the beautiful rock pools that fed into the waterfall. At our second lookout, we could clearly see walkers below, at the bottom of the falls, and the path that winds through the jungle, taking you down through the rainforest, past the falls, and back up again. Daniel and I plan to return and do this walk in the near future. The falls and the surrounding rainforest was spectacular from every angle, the waterfall itself is hugely tall, and standing at the top of it makes you aware of just how small you are. Again, this was a relatively easy walk, though the ground was more uneven than our last walk, and it offered so much beauty!
On our journey back we stopped at The Fudge Shop, on Lyrebird Ridge Road for some sweet treats. Not only did we get some incredible fudge but we also got some excellent service, and the cute shop sells a whole host of interesting and beautiful things as well as fudge.
The hinterlands are beautiful and we left Springbrook with a new favourite place and plans to return, regularly. The Gondwana Rainforests can be found from Main Range in Queensland, through to Barrington Tops in New South Wales. The rainforests offer a different side to the Gold Coast, and a quiet escape from the city. They are a must see for anyone visiting the south-east coast.
