Must Do Nature Walks in the Gold Coast Hinterland – With 4 Easy Waterfalls to See

Want to see waterfalls and nature at its finest? You can easily find nature walks in the Gold Coast Hinterland, complete with waterfalls and tracks to explore. Some are easily accessible, while others require a full day’s hike. This post features mostly waterfalls, but I’ve also included a couple of other locations because the views are amazing, and the tranquil nature of the Gold Coast is worth sharing.

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All prices and times were accurate when this information was written or updated; however, please verify the details on the websites before your visit.

If you only have a short amount of time, I did all of this in one day, but you need a car to get around. You can do day tours to specific areas, and I have included links below.

Check out the Springbrook National Park website here to read more about the times and difficulty of the walking tracks. There are more tracks showing nature on the Gold Coast Hinterland than I have included. It’s also a good idea to check the track conditions, especially after rainfall.

Remember, Queensland is the world’s capital for skin cancer, so be sure to bring sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays. If it has been raining, you may also need insect repellent, as mosquitoes are active in such conditions. Don’t forget to bring water.

Easy Nature Walks on the Gold Coast Hinterland

Springbrook National Park has many nature walks in the Gold Coast Hinterland. Several of them require a full day’s walk, but the ones I have listed are easy, family-friendly, and won’t take long.

Natural Bridge

Natural Bridge is a magical place surrounded by nature. It’s located near the NSW/Qld border in the Gold Coast Hinterland. The 1km, easy track suits all ages.

The track is a sealed circuit, although there are some stairs to negotiate. As you walk to the creek and then back up, you go up and down a medium gradient.

I’ve been here twice, once during a drought and recently after rainfall. Both times, there was water, but to see the full force of these falls, it’s best after a rain.

The Walk

When I visited the second time, the entire circuit wasn’t open, as the rain had damaged the track. This allows you to go to the lookout and see Cave Creek fall into the cave.

There is a track branching off from the main one that leads down to the lookout. It’s only about 100m with some steps to the viewpoint.

Back on the main track, you will cross over Cave Creek via a bridge that takes you back down for another view of the falls before taking you further down to the cave.

The Cave

You can choose three views once you get down to the cave. Down the stairs, you enter the cave, which bats and glowworms inhabit. You will probably see the bats, but the glowworms will only be seen at night.

The other viewpoints are located at the top of the stairs, or you can access a platform next to the creek.

Natural Cave is one of the premier spots and nature walks in the Gold Coast Hinterland, and its large car park reflects that. It’s very popular on weekends, especially with families. Although I visited on a Sunday, even with the car park full, the views were still excellent, and it wasn’t too crowded.

Toilets are available here, and a cafe is located on the main road, accessible by turning right from the entrance.

Glowworms at Night

This part of the Gold Coast Hinterland comes alive at night with natural light. You can explore the area by night and see the glowworms shining in the cave. Please bring a torch with you, as there is no other lighting available. However, avoid shining any light directly on the glowworms, as their lights may remain off for up to an hour.

How To Get Here

Natural Bridge is located in Springbrook National Park on Bakers Lane.

Best of All Lookout

Once again, the Best of All Lookout is on the NSW/Qld border, but this time, you get the view over Northern NSW, including Mt. Warning, and if it’s a perfect day, the views are to Byron Bay.

You get to overlook all of nature at this part of the Gold Coast Hinterland.

It’s just over half a kilometre to walk on a good track to see the view from the platform. You travel through time in a forest of ancient Antarctic beech trees, the last of their kind, dating back to Gondwana.

How To Get Here

The Best of All Lookout is on Repeater Station Road in Springbrook National Park.

Canyon Lookout

Just along the road before you reach Purling Brook Falls is the Canyon Lookout, which offers stunning views of the natural landscape and the city across the Gold Coast Hinterland and the city skyline to the sea.

The lookout is wheelchair- and stroller-accessible, as it’s only 30m from the car park.

How To Get Here

The Canyon Lookout is on Canyon Parade off Boy Ull Road, off Springbrook Road in Springbrook National Park.

Purling Brook Falls

Purling Brook Falls is the longest walk, at 4 km, with a 2-hour return, if you want to complete the circuit and reach the bottom of the falls. You could also opt for the Twin Falls circuit instead, as it is all the same distance, difficulty, and time. I hadn’t done the Twin Falls circuit, so I chose Purling Brook Falls instead.

From the car park, the first viewing platform of Purling Brook Falls is only a short walk away, so you can still see the falls without doing the full circuit.

Even if you don’t want to do the whole circuit, you can have another chance to view the falls from a better perspective. If you take the left-hand track from the car park, it will take you around to the Western Lookout.

This track can be hazardous in certain areas, especially after rainfall. It is steep and features steps as you descend to the valley floor and ascend back up, but if you do, you’ll be rewarded with views like this at the bottom. The easiest way is to proceed in a clockwise direction, as the steps are located on the western side.

You could spend more time in this area and see more waterfalls, like the Twin Falls and Goomoolahra Falls, which are another short walk at 200m.

How To Get Here

Purling Brook Falls is located in Springbrook National Park on Forestry Road.

Mt. Tamborine

The following activities are located at Mt. Tamborine and can be completed on another day if you wish. It’s an hour’s drive between Tamborine Village and Purling Brook Falls.

Once again, these nature walks on the Gold Coast Hinterland are easy, family-friendly, and don’t take all day to enjoy.

Tamborine Village – Gallery Walk

Tamborine Village is at the northern end of the Gold Coast Hinterland. This quaint village is a popular weekend attraction, as both locals and tourists enjoy the local fare.

Cafes, delicacies, treats, craft beers, and wineries are here for you to explore, as are walks in nature and the Botanic Gardens.

It also has nature walks on the Gold Coast Hinterland that you can enjoy.

How To Get Here

From the Pacific Highway, take the Tamborine – Oxenford Road up the mountain and follow the sign posts.

Curtis Falls

The large car park at Curtis Falls has an overflow, which may be useful on busy weekends. The falls lookout is only a 500m, 15-minute walk away. The track features a slight incline and includes some stairs to navigate.

The lookout offers an excellent close-up view of the falls and is spacious enough to accommodate a large group. This is a popular place for photographers, and you’ll find a few with tripods, which take up a bit more space.

Once you’ve seen the falls, you can carry on taking the circuit walk through the rainforest beside the river.

Rockpools further along the river are popular places to swim safely, especially on a hot summer’s day.

Another refreshing spot to visit after your walk is the Pavilion Garden Bar, located next to the car park. Here, you can enjoy delicious food and craft beers before visiting another attraction in the area.

How To Get Here

Curtis Falls car park is on Dapsang Drive off Eagle Heights Road.

Tamborine Mountain Rainforest Skywalk

Less than a 10-minute drive from Curtis Falls is the Tamborine Mountain Rainforest Skywalk.

This walk will take you through the rainforest’s many layers, from the forest floor to the canopy.

You will enter and exit the rainforest through the Eco Gallery, where you can find information on the local flora and fauna.

Upon going outside, you are straight onto the Skywalk, which will take you into the forest canopy.

I don’t like heights or walking on metal that I can see through, but I did get used to it after a few minutes. It is the best way to see the forest and the birds that inhabit it.

Most of the walk is a gentle slope down to the forest floor, with markers indicating the way around.

After the creek, it’s back up to the Cantilever above the canopy. From the end, you have views back down to the creek below.

As the 40m cantilevers are suspended outwards, it can get bouncy, and I luckily had no one else on it.

The Tamborine Mountain Rainforest Skywalk features a large car park, a gift shop, toilets, and a cafe, all offering stunning views over the rainforest. Although there are a few steps in the park, a stroller can be taken around without much problem.

The walk is 1.5 km long, and you can take as long or as short a time as you wish, as it is self-guided. The average time is 45 minutes to 1 hour, making it suitable for all ages.

If you only have time for one attraction in this area, the Tamborine Mountain Rainforest Skywalk is the one.

Hours

• Open Daily 9.30 am
• Last Walks at 4.00 pm
• Closed 5.00 pm

Prices

For more information, please visit their website here.

How To Get Here

The Tamborine Mountain Rainforest Skywalk is on 333 Geissmann Drive, a 5-minute drive from Curtis Falls.

Witches Falls

Witches Falls is one of the hardest tracks I have listed. This 3.6 km track is steep, and after rain, it can become muddy and slippery.

The car parks are small, as you have parks just off the side of the road.

You need to be there after the rain to see any water falling. The viewing platform is a short detour off the trail, but it will bring you right next to the falls.

How To Get Here

Witches Falls is on Main Western Road, North Tamborine.

Conclusion

The Gold Coast Hinterland is an excellent place to take nature walks and get away from the hustle and bustle of the high-rises on the Gold Coast.

There are cafes along these nature walks on the Gold Coast Hinterland, but taking a picnic may be the way to go. There are many places to enjoy your lunch on the picnic tables provided at most locations. Don’t forget to take all your rubbish if bins aren’t supplied.

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