Springbrook Plateau, Springbrook National Park, QLD

Springbrook Plateau, Springbrook National Park offers breathtaking lookouts, magnificent waterfalls, dense rainforest and ancient Antarctic beech trees. The park is part of Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage area.

Dominating the Gold Coast's western skyline, Springbrook's cool forests and mountain streams offer views of impressive landscapes, and walks among subtropical and temperate rainforest, open eucalypt forest and montane heath. The plateau has many lookouts with fabulous views.

Stay for a night or two at The Settlement camping area and use it as your base to explore all the walking tracks and lookouts. Visit Purling Brook Falls, which cascades 100 metres into a deep rainforest valley lined with palms, tree ferns and stream lilies. From Goomoolahra picnic area, walk 250 metres return to another waterfall and two striking lookouts. Stroll 300 metres from the Tallanbana picnic area, just past Canyon lookout, to the top of Twin Falls; or continue on a longer walk through the canyon, passing behind waterfalls and through the different forest types. Listen for the impressive mimicking calls of the elusive Albert's lyrebird.