Springbrook National Park is a protected area located in the Gold Coast hinterland of Queensland, Australia. The park covers 6,197 hectares (15,310 acres) and is found on the McPherson Range near Springbrook, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Brisbane. It is part of the Shield Volcano Group within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.

In December 1994, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee expanded the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area to include the Scenic Rim (which includes Main Range, Mount Barney, Lamington, and Springbrook National Parks, as well as the Goomburra Forest Reserve) and the rainforests of northern New South Wales. In 2007, the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia were added to the Australian National Heritage List. The park is part of the Scenic Rim Important Bird Area, recognized by BirdLife International for its role in protecting several threatened bird species.

In 2009, as part of the Q150 celebrations, Springbrook National Park was named one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a natural attraction. The park is also where the rare Eucryphia jinksii tree species was discovered.

Mount Cougal section

The Mount Cougal section of the park is located about 20 kilometres (12 miles) inland from Currumbin. It started in 1938 with 142 hectares (350 acres) reserved, and over time, its area grew to 811 hectares (2,000 acres). In 1990, it was combined with the Springbrook National Park. The section is named after Mount Cougal, a mountain in the park located just on the Queensland side of the border with New South Wales. The mountain has two peaks, called the East Peak and West Peak, which rise 694 metres (2,277 feet) above sea level.

The local Yugambeh Aboriginal people call the peaks Ningeroongun and Barrajanda. They share a story about a legendary hunter named Gwayla, who had two prized hunting dogs (dingos). The dogs were killed and buried under the twin peaks, and from that time, the peaks were known by their names.

The only trails and facilities in this section of the park are at Cougal’s Cascades, which are the headwaters of the Currumbin Creek. A road leads to a carpark and picnic area, and from there, a walking trail goes up the creek cascades. There are no official trails to climb Mount Cougal itself. However, informal trails from the New South Wales side of the border may lead to the East Peak of Mount Cougal.

In 1943, a sawmill was built near the creek to produce timber for packing crates used by local banana growers. This happened when other timber supplies were being used for World War II. Timber from flooded gum and blue fig trees was taken, as well as other types of wood later on. The sawmill stopped operating in 1955 because of an unusually wet winter. In 1986, a small display of some sawmill parts was restored at the end of the walking trail.

Natural Bridge section

The Natural Bridge is a rock arch formed naturally over Cave Creek, a smaller river that flows into the Nerang River. It was created when a waterfall eroded a cave beneath it, forming a hole above. Over time, the hole and the cave joined, allowing the creek to flow through the cave. This left an arch of rock across the front.

The bridge is located in the area traditionally owned by the Kombumerri Aboriginal people, who are part of the Yugambeh language group. The first Europeans to discover the bridge were timber cutters named Alexander (Sandy) Duncan and Din Guinea.

The cave beneath the bridge is home to a group of glowworms, which are the larvae of the insect Arachnocampa flava. These glowworms produce a cold light called bioluminescence, which means "living light." This light is created by a chemical reaction inside their bodies and is used to attract prey. To protect the glowworms, swimming is not allowed in the area near the walking track. However, swimming is permitted downstream, where the creek is too shallow for it. Access to this part of the park is through the Nerang-Murwillumbah Road.

Springbrook Plateau section

Many waterfalls can be seen along short trails in the Springbrook Plateau section. A loop trail that starts at the Tallanbana or Goomoolahra picnic areas passes Twin Falls, Rainbow Falls, Goomoolahra Falls, Kadjagooma Falls, Ngarri-dhum Falls, Gooroolba Falls, Poonyahra Falls, Poondahra Falls, and Blackfellow Falls. The Gwongorella picnic area is the starting point for walks to Purlingbrook Falls and Tanninaba Falls.

In all four sections of Springbrook National Park (Springbrook Plateau, Natural Bridge, Numinbah, and Mount Cougal), visitors can picnic, observe nature, and enjoy many walking trails in a natural environment. The Springbrook Plateau section has several viewpoints and lookouts. Access to the plateau and park is via a paved road from Nerang through the Numinbah Valley or via a road from Mudgeeraba.

Located between 600 and 1,000 metres (2,000 and 3,300 ft) above sea level, Springbrook Plateau can be quite cool even during summer. The area receives more than 3,000 millimetres (120 in) of rain each year, most of which falls between December and March. The Natural Bridge section receives most of its annual rainfall, 2,500 millimetres (98 in), during the hot, humid summer. This is also the location where the UK television program I'm a Celebrity… Get Me out of Here! has been filmed.

Environment

The southern cliffs in Springbrook and Lamington National Park are part of the remains of the northern edge of the large, ancient Tweed Volcano. The Springbrook National Park includes four reserves on and around the plateau: the Springbrook Plateau section along the top of the plateau; the Mount Cougal section to the east; and the Natural Bridge and Numinbah sections to the west. The cliffs are made of strong, volcanic rock called rhyolite. Large rock overhangs are common, and sometimes big rocks fall from the cliffs.

The national park protects rainforests and eucalypt forests in the areas near rivers and creeks that flow toward the Gold Coast. These include the Nerang River on the western side of the plateau and the Little Nerang River on the eastern side. Both rivers have eroded softer rock. When the rivers flow over the edge of the land, 16 waterfalls have formed.

The plant life is very diverse because of the high rainfall and different types of volcanic soil. Subtropical rainforests, where black and white booyong trees (Argyrodendron spp.) are common, grow on basaltic soils. Warm temperate rainforests, where coachwood trees are common, grow on less fertile rhyolitic soils. Giant brush box trees are found to the east of the plateau, and flooded gums grow on basalt soils. A small area of cool temperate rainforest, where Antarctic beech trees are common, is located at the Best of All Lookout, just across the border in New South Wales. Some of these beech trees are 3,000 years old. A tree called Springbrook leatherwood, which grows up to 25 meters tall and is found only in warm temperate rainforests on Springbrook, was discovered in 1993 by local botanist David Jinks.

Other areas that are more likely to catch fire support open forests with New England blackbutt and Blue Mountains ash trees. Grasstrees are often seen in the park. Rock areas support montane heath or shrubland, where plants like Leptospermum variable, Banksia spinulosa, and Prostanthera phylicifolia grow. These heath areas are best seen in spring when wildflowers bloom.

The park is a good place to see nocturnal animals, such as the mountain brushtail possum, ringtail possum, and sugar glider. Because of land clearing nearby, Springbrook National Park has become an important home for birds. The park supports more than 100 different bird species, including the yellow-tailed black cockatoo, rufous fantail, satin bowerbird, whipbird, and Albert's lyrebird.

Long-finned eels are often found in the pools on the plateau. Many reptiles, such as the land mullet (the world's largest skink species), lace monitor, and amphibians like the orange-eyed treefrog and great barred frog, live in the park. Rare animals such as the Richmond birdwing butterfly, blue spiny crayfish, and glow-worms (the larvae of the fungus fly) are also found here. Red-necked pademelons and koalas can be seen in the park.