Springbrook National Park

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Springbrook National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)

Nearest town/city:	Rathdowney
Coordinates:	28°08′24″S, 153°16′27″E
Area:	27.2 km²
Managing authorities:	Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
Official site:	Springbrook National Park

Springbrook is a national park in Queensland, (Australia), 78 km south of Brisbane. It is part of the World Heritage site Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves. In December 1994, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee officially extended the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves Australia (CERRA) World Heritage Area over the Scenic Rim (including Main Range, Mt Barney, Lamington and Springbrook National Parks and Goomburra Forest Reserve) and the rainforests of northern New South Wales.

In all three sections of Springbrook National Park (Springbrook Plateau, Natural Bridge and the Cougals) you can picnic, study nature and enjoy a wide range of walks in a beautiful, natural environment. Springbrook Plateau section has many lookouts with spectacular views.

The southern cliffs in Springbrook (and Lamington National Park) are part of the remnants of the northern rim of the huge ancient volcano, Mount Warning. The 2954ha Springbrook National Park comprises three reserves on and around the plateau: Springbrook Plateau section along the crest of the plateau; Mt Cougal section to the east; and Natural Bridge section to the west. The national park preserves rainforest and eucalypt forests in the cliff-lined headwaters of rivers and creeks flowing to the Gold Coast.

At 900 m above sea level, Springbrook Plateau can be quite cool even in summer. The area averages more than 3000 mm of rain a year, most of which falls between December and March. Natural Bridge section receives most of its annual rainfall (2500 mm) during the hot, humid summer.

1 Mount Cougal section
2 Natural Bridge section
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Mount Cougal section

Springbrook Plateau to the left of Numinbah Valley and Lamington National Park.

The Mount Cougal section of the park is located about 20 kilometres inland from Currumbin. It was begun in 1938 with 1.42 km² set aside, and additions over time brought it to 8.11 km² and in 1990 it was amalgamated with the Springbrook National Park.

The section is named for Mount Cougal which is 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, rising 694 metres above sea level.

The local Yugambeh Aboriginal peoples call the peaks Ningeroongun and Barrajanda. They tell of a legendary hunter called Gwayla who had two prized hunting dogs (dingos). They were killed and they were buried under the twin peaks, and from then on the peaks were known by their names.

The only tracks or facilities in this section of the park at Cougal's Cascades which is the headwaters of the Currumbin Creek. A road leads in to a carpark and picnic ground, and from there a walking track goes up the creek cascades. There are no tracks up Mount Cougal itself.

In 1943 a bush sawmill was established near the creek, producing timber for packing crates for the local banana growers when other timber supplies were being directed towards World War II. The easily milled timbers of the flooded gum and blue fig were taken, and later various other timbers. It ceased operations in 1955 due to an especially wet winter. A small display of some of the sawmill parts was restored in 1986 at the end of the walking track.

[edit] Natural Bridge section

The Natural Bridge is a naturally formed rock arch over Cave Creek (the headwaters of the Nerang River). It was formed from a waterfall which undercut a cave beneath the waterfall and dug a pothole on top, until the two joined and the creek flowed through the cave, leaving an arch across the front.(Gold Coast City Council)

Waterfall running through the Natural Bridge during Summer.

The bridge is in the territory of the local Kombumerri aboriginal people (a family group of the Yugambeh language peoples). The first Europeans to find it are said to be timber cutters Alexander (Sandy) Duncan and Din Guinea.

Swimming is permitted in the creek and cave, but jumping from the top is dangerous and not permitted. The cave is home to a colony of glow worms (larvae of the insect Arachnocampa flava) and commercial operators lead night tours into the cave. Access to this section of the park is from the Nerang-Murwillumbah Road.