Explore Australia

Nerang Forest Reserve On the north-west fringe of Nerang is this hilly rainforest and open eucalypt reserve. An excellent way of exploring the landscape is on the 2.8 km return Casuarina Grove Track through rainforest and along the creek. Look out for the black cockatoos. The reserve is a popular spot for horseriders and cyclists (permit required).Nerang River: this gorgeous river flows through town, providing a popular spot for picnics, boating, fishing and watersports.

Springbrook National Park This rainforest park forms part of the Scenic Rim of mountains. The Springbrook section has an information centre, from which a short walk leads to a spectacular lookout over the Gold Coast. Access is via Springbrook (39 km SW). The Natural Bridge section features a unique rock arch over Cave Creek. Take the 1 km rainforest walk to see the natural bridge where Cave Creek plunges through an eroded hole to a cavern below. There are tours to see the glow worms or a 3 km night trail through rainforest; bookings on (07) 5533 5239. Park information (07) 5533 5147; 38 km SW. Mt Cougal section: see Burleigh Heads. Lamington National Park Part of a World Heritage area, this popular park preserves a wonderland of rainforest and volcanic ridges, crisscrossed by 160 kilometres of walking tracks. The main picnic, camping and walking areas are at Binna Burra and Green Mountains, sites of the award-winning Binna Burra Mountain Lodge and O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. Don’t miss the Tree Top Walk for an up-close look at the canopy’s flora. Access to the Green Mountains section is via Canungra; (07) 5544 0634. Binna Burra is accessed via Beechmont; (07) 5533 3584.Carrara: nearby town offers scenic balloon flights over the Gold Coast, (07) 5578 2244, and holds weekend markets; 5 km SE. Hinze Dam on Advancetown Lake: sailing and bass-fishing; 10 km SW. Historic River Mill: 1910 arrowroot mill; 10 km W. Mudgeeraba: holds the Somerset Celebration of Literature in Mar. Nearby is the Gold Coast War Museum with militia memorabilia and skirmish paintball; 12 km S.

Clarrie Hall Dam - Fishing Sub-region 52 km

Angling is a buzz when you are into a hot bite. It is also a buzz when discovering new territory or out hooking with other anglers, observing their methods and techniques on their home waters. So it was when I fished... Find out more

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Lake Wivenhoe 105 km

Impoundment fishing for native species in southern Queensland has enjoyed phenomenal growth and it all began at Lake Wivenhoe. Situated about 80 km west of Brisbane on the Brisbane Valley Highway, Wivenhoe has a surface... Find out more

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Mooloolaba 146 km

It’s 6am on the Mooloolaba waterfront behind Kawana Waters Hotel. The temperature is mild enough to be wearing shorts and a shirt. All is quiet amid the moored boats except for the eager anglers sitting around the... Find out more

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Bjelke Petersen Dam 225 km

Lake Barambah is a 22 sq km water about 15 km south-east of Murgon. It is regarded as one of the state’s best waters for big bass, but also has yellowbelly, silver perch and saratoga. It is relatively shallow for a... Find out more

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Tamborine Mountain Distillery 16 km

There is a multitude of chemical-free schnapps, gins and vodkas to try here, many of which come from the fruits grown on the farm. Try lemon myrtle vodka, the multifaceted choc’n’chili liqueur, forest... Find out more

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Rock climbing around Brisbane 64 km

Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point is perhaps the friendliest city rock-climbing spot in the country, with views over the Brisbane River, a range of climbs for absolute beginners and upwards, and established anchor points... Find out more

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Cycling and mountain-biking around Brisbane 65 km

Brisbane has a growing network of great cycling trails and some excellent rides for tourists – a five-to-20-kilometre ride along the shores of the Brisbane River comes highly recommended. There is also a great ride... Find out more

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Westlander 65 km

Take the overnight train ride from Brisbane to Charleville or Quilpie, travelling over the Great Dividing Range and through some of Queensland’s rich farming areas.... Find out more

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Mount Coot-tha Forest 69 km

The largest natural area in Brisbane, this 1500 hectares of open eucalypt forest holds more than 18 kilometres of walking tracks, 12 kilometres of mountain-biking tracks and a further 31 kilometres of multi-use tracks.... Find out more

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Diving and snorkelling around Byron Bay 77 km

Although there is not much in the way of shore dives or snorkelling around Byron Bay, the nearby Julian Rocks Marine Reserve is a top spot if you can get on a boat, with sea turtles, eagle rays, corals, grey nurse and... Find out more

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Cycling the Sunshine Coast and hinterland 144 km

Join a half-day or longer guided bike tour with Bicycle Tours of Queensland, particularly the popular Sunshine Coast ride or Maleny to Glass House Mountains. A back-up bus is included if it all gets too much.... Find out more

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The Grand Golf Club 4 km

Think of the Gold Coast and flashing images spring to mind: beaches, theme parks, high-rise apartments, hordes of tourists. The Gold Coast hinterland has none of these, and could be thousands of miles away. The... Find out more

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Lakelands Golf Club 7 km

As a player, Jack Nicklaus was a regular visitor to Australia for more than two decades. He won six Australian Opens and inspired a generation of young Australians to take up golf. When his playing career began... Find out more

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The Glades Golf & Spa 10 km

Ask Greg Norman’s former chief designer Bob Harrison to name one course that makes him feel proud when he sees the final result, and chances are he’ll say The Glades. Upon joining the Gold Coast golfing... Find out more

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The Links, Hope Island 13 km

When Hope Island opened for play in 1993 it was a unique addition to Australia’s golfing landscape. Here was a links-style layout seemingly uprooted from Scotland and transplanted on to the sunny northern... Find out more

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Sanctuary Cove Golf & Country Club (Pines course) 14 km

Sanctuary Cove’s Pines layout, designed by Arnold Palmer, has reigned for more than two decades as one of the Gold Coast’s best courses. At various stages during that time it has also ranked among the... Find out more

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Brookwater Golf & Country Club 57 km

Brookwater opened to considerable fanfare in 2002, with many observers quick to draw comparisons with Augusta National, venerable home of the US Masters. The varied terrain, inventive bunkering and undulating putting... Find out more

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Royal Queensland Golf Club 66 km

Of all the golf courses in this book, Royal Queensland has undergone the most dramatic changes in recent years. Originally opened in 1920, on reclaimed mangrove swampland on the north bank of the Brisbane River, ... Find out more

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North Lakes Resort Golf Club 91 km

Good course designers have tricks up their sleeves when it comes to spurring golfers to rise to the challenge. They can visually intimidate you with large schemes of bunkers or water hazards encroaching on the best... Find out more

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Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club 108 km

Challenging the best players without alienating casual and beginner golfers is the fine line every course designer treads in coming up with a new creation. One designer who does it better than most is Ross Watson. His... Find out more

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Pelican Waters Golf Club 130 km

It took 54 years for his dream to be realised, but when Pelican Waters Golf Club finally opened for play in 2000, not even the visionary behind the original idea could have imagined it would turn out as good as it... Find out more

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Mondo Organics, West End 65 km

Australia’s first organic restaurant when it opened in 2000, Mondo Organics serves a range of organic meats, including beef, chicken, duck and lamb, and the fish is chosen for the sustainability of the catch. The... Find out more

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Burleigh Brewing Company 15 km

Queensland has generally suffered from a dearth of craft breweries so the Burleigh Brewing Company is a welcome and relatively recent addition. Co-owner/brewer Brennan Fielding boasts considerable experience as a... Find out more

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Mt Tamborine Brewery 15 km

As we went to press, one of Queensland’s more ambitious craft-brewing operations was about to come to fruition at Mount Tamborine, in the Gold Coast hinterland. The 24-hectolitre microbrewery is the original plant... Find out more

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Foster's Group (Yatala Brewery) 28 km

This brewery site, located at Yatala, midway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, was established by the Power Brewing Company, which launched Powers Bitter in 1988. Four years later a joint venture between Powers and... Find out more

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Castlemaine Perkins (Fourex) Brewery 66 km

The pages of Australian brewing history are littered with take-overs and acquisitions, and while Castlemaine Perkins sounds like a merger, it was, in reality, yet another buy-out. As the name suggests, the Castlemaine... Find out more

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Stone and Wood Brewing 76 km

The popular coastal holiday destination of Byron Bay is the location for one of the country’s newest and most exciting craft breweries – Stone & Wood. The partners behind the venture include a trio of... Find out more

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Sunshine Coast Brewery 149 km

Queensland’s longest-running microbrewery has been operating from an industrial estate on the outskirts of Maroochydore since 1998. It was established by Jim Robinson and Queensland craft-beer pioneer Graham Howard... Find out more

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Main Beach Tourist Park 9 km

<p>This large, busy tourist park - across the road from Main Beach and just two minutes' drive from Surfers Paradise - has 95 powered sites and an additional 24 ensuite powered sites. Facilities on-site include a... Find out more

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Sharp Park camping area 16 km

Only 30 min from the Gold Coast’s theme parks, this no-frills family site is conveniently nestled by the Coomera River, 4 km south of Canungra, which in turn is 27 km east of Beaudesert. Ideal for daytrips to Mt... Find out more

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Burleigh Beach Tourist Park 16 km

Set on a prime location directly opposite Burleigh Beach, this tourist park has 72 powered sites and 12 unpowered sites. Facilities include a modern amenities block, laundry, free wireless broadband access, and tour... Find out more

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The Settlement camping area 23 km

Well-defined sites here are suitable for caravans and campervans, but the area is not well shaded. Hikers should note that walking tracks near this site lead to the Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk. Each campsite has a... Find out more

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Binna Burra Mountain campsite 27 km

A south-east Queensland gem, this mountain-top site has long been a favourite with campers for its stunning panoramic views of the Numinbah Valley. Activities at Binna Burra include guided bushwalks, abseiling, flying... Find out more

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Lamington National Park camping area (bush camping) 32 km

For experienced, self-sufficient campers with good navigational skills, there are a small number of camping sites in the bush along the walking trails in the national park. These are walk-in only, limited to around 6... Find out more

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Darlington Park camping area 33 km

Sensational for families, this well-shaded campsite has the added bonus of a cricket oval (with artificial turf cricket pitch) and kids playground on a glorious 12 ha site. The kiosk is handy for basic supplies,... Find out more

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Green Mountains Campground 33 km

Close to O’Reilly’s Rainforest Resort, this hillside campground in forest surrounds has designated campsites on terraces on the slope. It is suitable for camping beside your car, walk-in camping or... Find out more

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Burgess Park camping area 43 km

Much smaller than its sister site at Darlington Park, this flat and grassy 1.2 ha camping area backs onto Christmas Creek, a good spot for swimming and fishing. To find it, head for Christmas Creek Rd, 37 km south of... Find out more

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Stinson Park camping area 44 km

In 1937 local legend Bernard O’Reilly led the Stinson air crash survivors to safety from this historic site. After being lost in the mountains for 10 days, O’Reilly found the wreckage in dense rainforest... Find out more

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Broadwater Tourist Park 8 km

Position is everything, and this spacious council-owned park fronts the Gold Coast’s Broadwater. It has very good facilities and outstanding views across the water to Marina Mirage and the Palazzo Versace. There... Find out more

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Treasure Island Holiday Park 8 km

This is a good quality park recently acquired by the NRMA. It has a licensed family bistro and a range of great facilities including a resort-style pool, spas, tennis courts and minigolf. The park is a short stroll from... Find out more

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Main Beach Tourist Park 9 km

This is a unique park set amid the famous Gold Coast high-rise buildings. Across the road is a patrolled beach, and the fashionable Tedder Avenue restaurant strip is a short stroll away. The park is neat and well... Find out more

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Gold Coast Holiday Park and Motel 10 km

This is a larger park adjoining the M1, almost opposite Movieworld, and very close to Dreamworld. The park has undergone a lot of redevelopment in recent times and as the only quality dog-friendly park east of the... Find out more

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Ocean Beach Tourist Park 14 km

This is one of several good quality Gold Coast City Council parks. It is smaller than many and has very good facilities. Just across the road from the beach, the access from the Gold Coast Highway is also excellent. This... Find out more

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Burleigh Beach Tourist Park 16 km

This is one of the older council parks on the Gold Coast but it has recently been upgraded with new amenities. It is very popular with holidaymakers as it is across the road from a patrolled beach and within walking... Find out more

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Tallebudgera Creek Tourist Park 17 km

A favourite of ours, this park fronts onto the Tallebudgera Creek and is just a short walk to the beach. It is among the Gold Coast’s best parks, centrally located with good amenities and a wide range of... Find out more

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Jacobs Well Tourist Park 23 km

This is a quality Gold Coast City Council park, located in a quiet township on the protected waterways north of the Gold Coast. It is a very popular park with families and those who fish. Bookings are required in peak... Find out more

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Kirra Beach Tourist Park 27 km

Easily accessed from the Gold Coast Highway, this is a spacious, good quality caravan park, popular with beach devotees, backpackers and international travellers. It is very close to some of the Gold Coast’s best... Find out more

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Pyramid Caravan Park 28 km

This is a well-maintained, good quality park on the southern end of the Gold Coast. It will suit those chasing the winter warmth and who do not wish to be right beside the beach. Bookings are required in peak periods and... Find out more

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Riviera B&B

She’s a Queenslander and he’s French, and between them Caroline and Robert Marchesi offer a very personalised and pleasant experience for guests in this restored, 100-year-old Queenslander mansion. It’s... Find out more

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Cottages on the Creek 26 km

This 2-hectare establishment is managed as a Land for Wildlife property and the two, onebedroom spa cottages have composting toilets, protecting Currumbin Creek with its turtles, catfish, platypus and yabbies.... Find out more

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The Mouses House, Springbrook 27 km

Set in a beautiful rainforest at more than 800 metres above sea level, this luxury resort has 11 self-contained chalets, hot tub, sauna, tennis court and bikes, a sensible environmental policy and eco-accreditation. It... Find out more

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Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat 29 km

Located near Murwillumbah and surrounded on three sides by World Heritage–listed national parks, this secluded couples-only resort on the Queensland border has minimal-impact, self-contained bungalows and cabins.... Find out more

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Brisbane Marriott Hotel 66 km

By no means the greenest accommodation in this book, the Marriott still deserves inclusion as one of the better options in large hotels. It gained the Green Globe Benchmarked Bronze status and is AAA-rated for its water-... Find out more

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Destiny Boonah 68 km

Set on 80 hectares of Land for Wildlife property, this self-contained three-bedroom cottage is solar- and wind-powered. You are encouraged to bring a mountain bike or go bushwalking on the property, which is located near... Find out more

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Emerald Valley Villa 70 km

Nestled in the hinterland some 25 minutes drive from Byron Bay, this is way up the high end of ecotourism in this country. You can rent your own five-star palace (they call it a villa), complete with pool, courtyard,... Find out more

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Glass House Mountains Eco-Lodge 125 km

The simple, down-market rooms here include the use of old train carriages for a communal kitchen and group area. An old church has also been recycled, and all greywater and blackwater is used on site to irrigate the... Find out more

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Sleepy Hollow Rest Area 51 km

61 km N of Ballina (L) northbound only Large area adjacent to the highway. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S28 25.457 E153 31.220 ... Find out more

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Yelgun Rest Area 59 km

50 km N of Ballina (R) or 42 km S of Tweed Heads (L) Large area just off the highway. GPS: S28 29.489 E153 31.356   ... Find out more

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Tyagarah Rest Area 71 km

38 km N of Ballina (L) northbound only Large area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S28 35.902 E153 32.663   ... Find out more

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Coolgardie Rest Area 106 km

89 km N of Tyndale (L) or 14 km S of Ballina (L) Large areas just off the highway on both sides. Limited shade. GPS: S28 56.104 E153 28.307 ... Find out more

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Woodburn Park Area 120 km

Middle of town Parking area on the highway beside the river. Good facilities. GPS: S29 04.297 E153 20.575 ... Find out more

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Tuckombil Road Rest Area 123 km

40 km S of Ballina (L) southbound only Large area just off the highway. GPS: S29 06.209 E153 20.400 ... Find out more

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Coochin Creek Camp Area 126 km

T/O 73 km N of Brisbane (R) or 95 km S of Gympie (L) Coochin Creek campground is located 5 kilometres east of the highway (via Bells Creek Road and Roys Road) in a pleasant forest setting in Beerburrum State Forest.... Find out more

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New Italy Rest Area 129 km

56 km N of Tyndale (L) or 47 km S of Ballina (R) Large shady area adjacent to the highway near the museum and cafe. GPS: S29 09.205 E153 17.930... Find out more

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Landsborough Park Area 138 km

83 km N of Brisbane (L) or 85 km S of Gympie (R) Small area located 500 metres off the highway via Landsborough exit. Good shade. GPS: S26 46.409 E153 02.252... Find out more

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Tabbimoble Creek Rest Area 144 km

65 km S of Ballina (L) southbound only Small area adjacent to the highway. GPS: S29 16.940 E153 12.911... Find out more

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