national park springbrook

Springbrook National Park sits in the Gold Coast hinterland and forms part of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.

Highlights include the Natural Bridge glow-worm cave (easy ~1 km loop), the Purling Brook Falls circuit (~4 km), Twin Falls circuit (~4 km), and the aptly named Best of All Lookout.

It’s roughly a 45–60 minute drive from the Gold Coast; the roads are steep and twisty, so save the heroics for the racetrack and use low gears on descents.

No entry fees, and day-use areas have toilets and picnic spots; dogs aren’t allowed, and mobile reception can be patchy.

Go after rain for thundering waterfalls, but pack a jacket—rainforest weather changes faster than your fuel gauge on a hill climb.