How to do Springbrook National Park

Exploring Springbrook National Park is like wandering through a natural history book. One of the four national parks (including Lamington, Mount Barney and Main Range) that make up the Gondwana World Heritage-listed area, this lush region is so special it attracts more than two million visitors every year and holds a coveted UNESCO title.

In Springbrook National Park you’ll find some of the most ancient vegetation in Australia, whose roots date back over 100 million years ago. That’s a vintage that makes dinosaurs walking on Earth seem like modern history.

For a quick history lesson in Gondwana Rainforests, detour over here.

The trails of Springbrook National Park

Whether you’ve got three hours or three days’ worth of hiking time up your sleeve, there are plenty of ways to get amongst Springbrook National Park's famous ferns and conifers.

Short walks:

Purling Brook Falls Circuit

Explore the tumbling ruggedness of Purling Brook Falls, located within Springbrook National Park. Accessed by a suspension bridge that hangs over the creek and rainforest canopy – Purling Brook Circuit is a 4km return trip.

Complete the track clockwise, so that you avoid walking up the many steps and back up via the gentle gradient, and you’ll be rewarded with a dramatic view of the waterfall from the gorge below.

The Purling Brook Falls hike is a must-do for the whole family. Linger for longer with a detour to the Warringa Pool track, which leads downstream from the base of the fall - a great spot to rest for lunch. Allow another 40 minutes to return.  

Twin Falls Circuit

Take the two-hour, 4km return Twin Falls Circuit, and take a dip in one of the rockpools as you admire the towering misty waterfall above. Starting at the Tallabana picnic area or the Canyon lookout, this Gold Coast trail sees you passing behind two waterfalls, through rock clefts and among luscious palms and tree ferns. 

Natural Bridge Circuit

The most accessible and a popular walk is Natural Bridge - arguably Springbrook National Park's most famous attribute - which takes about an hour to complete and is suitable for little legs, tired feet and even those who forgot to pack sneakers. At the bottom of a paved path, a glittering cascade pours through a basalt cave, completely backlit by natural light. 

Longer hikes:

Have a full day up your sleeve? Warrie Circuit covers 14km, and over about five to six hours of walking, you'll come to understand why it's called Warrie; the Aboriginal word meaning rushing waters. Passing waterfalls, crossing creeks and stumbling upon fresh rock pools after a little rain are all part of the fun as you descend into the canyon and back up to the top of the gorge in one of the most scenic hikes on the Gold Coast.

Seasoned hikers should make plans for the Gold Coast Great Walk. It takes three days in total, but you’ll be rewarded with full immersion amongst surreal volcanic geology and ancient flora and fauna.

Keen to tackle a multi-day hike, but have your heavy backpacks and camping gear taken care of? Auswalk Walking Holidays leads six-day group hikes from the Gold Coast to Binna Burra via Springbrook National Park. An all-inclusive, backpack-free walking holiday, you can spend your energy looking, listening and learning while led by a local guide, fuelled by chef-prepared meals and relaxing at the end of each day in comfortable ensuite accommodation. 

The flora and fauna of Springbrook National Park

Described as the 'Noah’s Ark' of rainforests, there are animals who find refuge here that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. In fact, you’ll find more frog, snake, bird and marsupial species in Springbrook National Park than anywhere else in Australia.

Perhaps its most famous face is the rare Albert’s Lyrebird. With only an estimated 3500 left in existence, your only chance of glimpsing this pheasant-sized songbird is here. On the reptile front, there are lace monitors, carpet pythons and the land mullet—known as the world’s largest skink.  

Looking for something more cute and furry? You’re likely to see pademelons bouncing through the dense undergrowth, but they are hard to photograph.

Springbrook National Park is also a botanist’s paradise. Many of the World Heritage area’s 1700 species of flowering plants and ancient trees date back to before the prehistoric era; hoop pines, living relics of the Jurassic Age about 180 million years ago, and Antarctic beech, some of which are 3000 years old.

A trip to the Best of All lookout will reveal some of the most ancient trees in this section of forest—the short walk to get there is a bit like a best-in-Springbrook show.

The best photo spots in Springbrook National Park

It’s hard to take a bad photo in rainforest as green, lush and dense as Springbrook National Park. Our tips? Pack your wide-angle lens, because these ancient trees are huge, and prepare for low-light conditions with canopies of spreading ferns towering above your head.

The colonies of glow worms in the park make for a picture-perfect photograph—their bright blue and green glow casts an otherworldly gleam in the cave at Natural Bridge. These bright beauties don't hang around for long—your best chance to see them is from December to March.

For a sweeping vantage point, you can’t go past the aptly-named Best of All lookout, perched on the edge of an escarpment looking out to Murwillumbah, Mt Warning (the core of the ancient Scenic Rim volcano) and Brunswick Heads in New South Wales. If you tackle the Warrie Circuit hike, be sure to stop for a snack break at the lookout from Ngarri-dhum Falls. For a wheelchair and pram-friendly lookout, Canyon Lookout captures spectacular views of the Gold Coast skyline.

Want a local to show you the best spots? Jump onboard Southern Cross Tours for an afternoon tour that'll take you from the coast to Natural Bridge and the park's most impressive waterfalls, or venture out with them on an evening glow worm tour instead.

Local tips and tricks for visiting Springbrook National Park

Springbrook National Park is magic all year round, but the locals know to go deep within its canopy during Australian summer. High altitude and dense tree cover keep the temperatures cooler than any split system can lay claim to.

Hiking is hungry work, so fill a backpack with supplies and water, in case you’re tempted to venture a little further than planned. The Scenic Rim is packed with roadside stalls and vendors where you can stock up on local goodies—try some of these producers on for size.

Where to stay in Springbrook National Park

After a day trekking in the rainforest, dial up the R&R at one of these hinterland boutique accommodation spots - there's everything from treetop glamping to romantic cabins hidden among the trees.

Here are more national parks in the Gold Coast Hinterland worth exploring.