Springbrook National Park is located in the Gold Coast just under 100 km from Brisbane, and is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area.
Explore all the wonders Springbrook National Park has to offer.
Getting there
You will need a car to go to Springbrook National Park as there is no public transport to this area. From Brisbane, there are a couple of ways to go depending on where you live in Brisbane.
One way is to go the “back way” via Canungra. This is the way you would go if you live in the south-western suburbs of Brisbane such as Jindalee, Browns Plains and Ipswich. The other way is to go along the M1 Southbound via Nerang.
You will need to drive to get to Springbrook.
I would allow for 1.5 to 2 hours to get to Springbrook from Brisbane. The last stretch of the drive goes uphill along a narrow and windy road. On the way to Springbrook, you will also go past Advancetown Lake, which is the main source of drinking water for the Gold Coast region.
My two favourite hikes at Springbrook are Purlingbrook Falls and Twin Falls. Both are possible to do in a day if your fitness levels are good.
The lush tropical scenery in Springbrook NP.
Purlingbrook Falls
Purlingbrook Falls is a loop track where you start on the top of the falls and walk to the bottom and back up again. In total, it is a 4km hike. It is recommended to walk this track in a clockwise direction. At the bottom of the falls there is a suspension bridge which is quite nice to cross as you are walking above the creek.
An extension on Purlingbrook Falls is to include the Warringa Pool Track. The trailhead for the Warringa Pool Track is at the bottom of Purlingbrook Falls and is an extra 2km (there and back).
The Twin Falls track allows you to walk behind the waterfall.
Twin Falls
Twin Falls is another popular hike to do while visiting Springbrook National Park. The quickest way to Twin Falls is to park at Tallanbana Carpark. From Tallanbana Carpark, it is approximately 2km (there and back) and takes approximately 1 hour to complete. This track allows you to walk behind the waterfall. The track also has a number of caves and other smaller waterfalls.
To extend the walk, it is possible to complete the “Twin Falls Circuit” which takes 4.2km to walk. There are well-marked signs for the Twin Falls Circuit. The Twin Falls Circuit goes via Canyon Lookout and you will also see Blackfellow Falls.
Check out the caves along your hike.
Warrie Circuit
Another popular, but longer hike is the Warrie Circuit. It is best to start this hike at either Canyon Lookout or Tallanbana Picnic Area. You will first start by walking part of the Twin Falls Circuit before following the signs for the Warrie Circuit. The Warrie Circuit is a well-marked 17km loop track and it is recommended to allow 6 hours to complete the hike.
As it is a longer hike, it is important that you are well equipped. Snakes have been spotted along this track, so it is advised to wear gaiters. and carry a snake bite kit just in case. “Warrie”, which means “rushing water” in the local Indigenous language, is a word that lives up to its name.
The Warrie Circuit has a number of waterfalls including but not limited to Goomoolahra Falls, Twin Falls, Rainbow Falls, Tamarramai Falls, Gooroolba Falls, and Pooryahra Falls.
You may get a glimpse of Moreton Island from Goomoolahra Falls lookout.
Goomoolahra Lookout
If you drive to the end of Springbrook Road you will come to another lookout point called Goomoolahra Falls lookout track. It is only a very short walk (around 5 minutes) where you will be able to go to two lookout spots.
The lookout spots are looking east of Springbrook and here you will be able to see the Gold Coast and even on a clear day, you can even see out to Stradbroke Island and Moreton Island. The lookout is next to Goomoolahra Falls and there are also some nice picnic spots here to have a BBQ.
This is also the area where The Cream Track ends. It is best to do The Cream Track starting from the Gold Coast and walking up to Springbrook rather than the other way around.
This is one of the most popular lookouts in the park.
Canyon Lookout
Another popular lookout is Canyon Lookout. From the lookout you can see Purlingbrook Falls as well as Twin Falls. In the distance, on a nice day, you will also see the skyscrapers from the Gold Coast. Canyon Lookout is right next to the carpark so little walking is involved. It is also a starting point for the Warrie Circuit and Twin Falls.
This lookout is very close to the carpark.
Best of All Lookout
On the way back from the Goomoolahra Lookout, it might be worth visiting the Best of All Lookout. To get there you need to turn onto Repeater Station Road and drive along this road for approximately five minutes. Once you get to the end there will be limited car spots. From the car park, it is a five-minute walk to the lookout.
The lookout looks out in the southern direction so you can see out towards NSW and mountains including Mt. Cougal and Mt. Warning. On the way to Best of All Lookout, you will also come across ancient Antarctic Beech trees which would be some of the oldest trees in Springbrook (some are about 12000 years old!).
The Best of All Lookout provides views towards NSW.
Packing for your hike
It is important to pack well when going up to Springbrook. There are cafés, however, there are no larger supermarkets to stock up on supplies. Therefore, make sure you pack plenty of water and snacks for your hikes and bring along sun protection and a small first aid kit.
Reception is not the best so keep this in mind if you need to communicate with family and friends. Also, temperatures in Springbrook will be slightly cooler than coastal areas, such as the Gold Coast, so bring along something warm just in case.
Pack well as it’s hard to pick up supplies in the area.
This article focuses on one particular area of Springbrook. To go to the other area, where the Natural Bridge is, you will need to drive out of Springbrook Road and take a different road along a different mountain range, perpendicular and west of Springbrook Road.
What’s your favourite tropical hiking spot?
Sabrina is an avid hiker from Brisbane. She hikes as a way to unwind after a busy week working as a Guidance Officer. She’s explored many of the popular tracks around South East Queensland and is always up for a bigger challenge! She has a long list of hikes she would like to do around Australia and overseas in the future.