Springbrook National Park features spectacular waterfalls, dense rainforest, ancient trees and some impressive views – and has exceptional ecological importance. The national park is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, which was declared in December 1994 bny UNESCO. In 2009 Springbrook National Park was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a “Natural attraction”.
Easily visited from Brisbane or the Gold Coast, Springbrook National Park is equally good on rainy day (when the waterfalls are at their best) or on a clear ands sunny day (when you have many spectacular lookouts to choose from).
Bushwalking Trails
Springbrook National Park has over ten bushwalks, ranging from from a number of short tracks to lookouts to longer and more challenging loops into the valleys.
Springbrook trails
Springbrook has the most walks, which all start at various trailheads along the main road. The 54km Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk starts or finishes at The Settlement, traversing the Springbrook section of the national park, before heading towards Lamington National Park.
| Bushwalk | Grade | Length | Description | AllTrails Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buliya-Buliya Jagun Boardwalk | Very Easy | 0.3km return | Paved trail through rainforest past historic buildings | Map |
| Best of All Lookout | Very Easy | 0.7km return | Paved trail past Antarctic Beech forest to fenced lookout | Map |
| Twin Falls Circuit | Easy | 4.2km loop | Scenic loop to base of spectacular waterfall | Map |
| Purling Brook Falls Circuit | Easy | 5km loop | Easy loop walk through rainforest past tall waterfall | Map |
| Warringa Pool | Easy | 7km partial loop | Extends Purling Brook Falls Circuit to beautiful pool | Map |
| Warrie Circuit | Easy/Moderate | 16km loop | Multiple waterfall and cascades on this long rainforest loop | Map |
Buliya-Buliya Jagun Boardwalk
This very short, paved trail passes an old schoolhouse (Gauriemabah – the Place of Stories) which is also an information centre, and a historic play shed. The trail then enters the Gondwana rainforest and finishes at a small platform ideal for bird-watching – the trail is named after the Aboriginal word meaning “land of many little birds”.
Where: Along Springbrook Road
Length: 0.3km return
Grade: Very Easy
Best of All Lookout
The Best of All Lookout offers one of the best views in Springbrook National Park, including Mount Warning and the distant coast. Along the short, paved track is an Antarctic Beech forest (Nothofagus), an important Gondwana relict of the rainforests.
Where: From end of Repeater Station Road in Springbrook
Length: 0.7km return
Grade: Very Easy
Twin Falls Circuit
A very scenic loop bushwalk: the highlight is an impressive and tall waterfall that drops into a large pool. The track passes the top and bottom of the falls, passing through a number of slots and cracks in the rocks as it descends from the top of the escarpment.
Where: From Tallanbana Picnic Area
Length: 4.2km loop
Grade: Easy
Purling Brook Falls Circuit
A very picturesque rainforest walk, which descends to the base of the spectacular Purling Brook Falls, as well as passing a number of lookouts over the waterfall and valley.
Where: From Gwongorella Picnic Ground
Length: 5km loop
Grade: Easy
Warringa Pool
A beautiful swimming hole and small cascade along Little Nerang Creek – the trail track starts at the base of Purling Brook Falls and is an extension of the Purling Brook Falls Circuit.
Where: From Gwongorella Picnic Ground
Length: 7km loop
Grade: Easy
The Cream Track
The historic Cream Track links the Springbrook Plateau (the Springbrook section of the national park) to the upper Tallebudgera Valley (which is in the Cougal section). The steep track is mostly through tall rainforest, and is best walked from the bottom.
Where: From end of Springbrook Road / Tallebudgera Creek Road
Length: 11km return
Grade: Easy/Moderate
Warrie Circuit
This long rainforest loop drops from the top of the escarpment to Meeting of the Waters at the bottom of of the valley. It passes eight waterfalls and offers some great views to the east all the way to the Gold Coast skyline. Much of the trail is on a public road reserve through private land.
Where: From Canyon Lookout or Tallanbana Picnic Area
Length: 16km loop
Grade: Easy/Moderate
Natural Bridge trails
There’s only one short – and very popular – bushwalk in the Natural Bridge section of Springbrook National Park!
| Bushwalk | Grade | Length | Description | AllTrails Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Bridge Circuit | Very Easy | 1.1km loop | Short walk to spectacular waterfall with glow worm colony | Map |
Natural Bridge Circuit
Arguably the most spectacular Gold Coast hinterland waterfall, Natural Bridge Falls plunges into a cave and through a natural arch. The cave next to the falls has a glow worm colony. It’s reached by a short, paved loop walking trail that follows Cave Creek.
Where: From Barker Road, off State Route 97
Length: 1.1km loop
Grade: Very Easy
Cougal section trails
The Cougal section of Springbrook National Park is accessed from Currumbin (it’s about 20 kilometres inland). The local Yugambeh–Bundjalung Aboriginal peoples speak of a legendary hunter called Gwayla who had two prized hunting dogs (dingos) that were killed and buried under the twin peaks of Mount Cougal.
| Bushwalk | Grade | Length | Description | AllTrails Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cougal Cascades | Easy | 3.2km return | Paved path along Currumbin Creek to series of rock pools and waterfalls | Map |
| Gorge Falls | Easy/Moderate | 3.6km return | Partly off-track walk along creek to beautiful waterfall & swimming hole | Map |
| Mount Cougal East | Easy/Moderate | 7.2km return | Follows NSW/QLD border fence line to first Cougal summit | Map |
| Mount Cougal West | Moderate | 8.4km return | Continues over Mount Cougal East peak to Mount Cougal West | Map |
Gorge Falls
Located in the upper Tallebudgera Valley, Gorge Falls is a picturesque waterfall and swimming hole. The track follows Tallebudgera Creek; most of the route is on a public reserve through private land, but Gorge Falls itself and the creek above the falls is in Springbrook National Park.
Where: End of Tallebudgera Creek Road
Length: 3.6km return
Grade: Easy/Moderate
Mount Cougal East
A relatively easy walk with a short, steep scramble up to the top of Mount Cougal East (694m) which offers panoramic views. The track follows the NSW/QLD boundary fence, and while the start of the trail is a little unpleasant, it eventually some stunning rainforest.
Where: End of Garden of Eden Road
Length: 7.2km return
Grade: Easy/Moderate
Campground and Picnic Areas in Springbrook National Park
Bush camping is not permitted in Springbrook National Park, but there is campground at The Settlement on Carricks Road, in the Springbrook section – bookings are required. There is also a large, flat grassed picnic area here suitable for large groups.
There are multiple sheltered picnic tables with water and BBQ facilities at Gwongorella (at the end of Springbrook Road).
Waterfalls of Springbrook National Park
There are at least 15 accessible waterfalls in Springbrook National Park, and many more that are not near a bushwalking track. Many of the smaller waterfalls will be dry or just have a trickle of water if there hasn’t been some recent rain – Jan to March is generally the best time to see the wateralls. The larger falls are impressive regardless of how much rain there has been….
Gorge Falls
Although the waterfall is most impressive after it has been raining, in dry periods it’s still a nice and secluded swimming hole. A steep track above the main falls takes you to some even more secluded pools and cascades.
Where: End of Tallebudgera Creek Road, Mount Cougal section
Length: 3.6km loop
Grade: Easy/Moderate
Natural Bridge Falls
Natural Bridge Falls plunges into a cave and through a natural arch, and within the cave next to the falls is a glow worm colony (you’ll need to go after dusk to see them). A short and scenic pave loop walking trail takes to the waterfalls.
Where: Barker Road, off State Route 97 in Natural Bridge section
Length: 1.1km loop
Grade: Very Easy
Purling Brook Falls
The tallest waterfall in Springbrook National Park, Purling Brook Falls plunges 106m over the cliffs into a deep pool. You can do a loop that descends to the bottom of the waterfall, or view the falls from two lookouts at the top.
Where: Gwongorella Picnic Ground in Springbrook section
Length: 300m return to cliff-top lookout/ 5km loop walk to base
Grade: Easy
Twin Falls
Impressive even in dry periods, Twin Falls is a tall waterfall that drops into a deep pool (if there hasn’t been much rain, you may just see a Single Fall!). You can walk behind the waterfall as well as getting a good view from the far end of the pool.
Where: Twin Falls Circuit in Springbrook section
Length: 4.2km loop
Grade: Easy
Visiting Springbrook National Park in one day – what to see
You’ll need a few days to do all the bushwalks in Springbrook National Park, but you can see a lot in a day trip from Brisbane or the Gold Coast. A suggested itinerary is
- Stop at the Springbrook Visitor Centre and nearby Wunburra Lookout [20min]
- Twin Falls Circuit or Purling Brook Circuit – with an early start you could do both [2-3 hours each]
- Best of All Lookout – unless it’s really wet and overcast it’s worth a look [20min]
- Drive to Natural Bridge Circuit – aim to get here an hour or so before dark so you can see the glow-worms, and bring a torch [45min]
Indigenous history of Springbrook National Park
Archaeological evidence indicates that Aboriginal people lived in the Gold Coast region for tens of thousands of years, with a complex network of Aboriginal family groups speaking a number of dialects of the Yugambeh language. The Yugambeh family groups are identified as the Wangerriburra, Birinburra, Gugingin, Migunberri, Mununjali, Bollongin, Minjungbal and Kombumerri, which have a shared language, ceremonies, celebrations and economic exchange. However, the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) map of Indigenous Australia refers to a large area around the Gold Coast – including Springbrook National Park – as being Bundjalung land. The contention appears to stem from Yugambeh/Yugumbir being used on the Queensland side, and Bundjalung/Bandjalang in NSW.
While the Yugambeh–Bundjalung languages are considered to be nearly extinct, many of the waterfalls and lookouts in Springbrook National Park have indigenous names derived from these languages.
More information
- Queensland National Parks – Walking Tracks and Information [PDF]
- Queensland National Parks Booking System – campsite bookings
0 Comments