Exploring the Beautiful Gold Coast Hinterland
My husband had two weeks off recently due to an infected cat bite on his thumb. We had some time on our hands and, because we hadn’t been away since last March, we decided to make the most of it. Luckily we live in one of the most beautiful areas in Australia. We often have a staycation – a short trip within an hour of home. Right on our doorstep is the beautiful Gold Coast hinterland, so we had a night away there, at Lamington National Park.
The Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia
The Gold Coast is known as the glitter strip because it has all the glitz and glamour of high-rises right along one of the most pristine beaches in the world. Our most famous beach is Surfers Paradise. It is a tourist mecca, with many attractions like theme parks and night life.
I rarely go to that part of the city, however. I much prefer the natural environment that can be found in the Gold Coast Hinterland, also known as the Green Behind the Gold. There are waterfalls, rainforest and a diverse collection of wildlife. Away from the crowded beaches, up in the hills is where my heart sings. That is where I feel at peace.
O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat
We decided to visit O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. I had only been once before, and my husband not at all. I took a youth group camping up there the first time, an experience I will never forget. Many of the teenagers had never stayed overnight outside their family home so it was a huge eye opener for them.
To get to O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat is quite an experience. The road is narrow and windy and the trip takes 90minutes through Canungra, up the mountain to the World Heritage listed Lamington National Park. The views are stunning of farm land in the valley below and the mountains of the McPherson and Darlington Ranges.
O’Reilly’s has an interesting history. It started over 100 years ago as a settlement for the O’Reilly family who cleared the land for cattle farming. Over time they began to receive guests who had made an arduous journey to get there. That is how the guest house began, in 1926. Over time it has grown and is now a large operation of several types of different accommodation options, a restaurant, bar, day spa and winery.
Another interesting historical fact is that in 1937 Bernard O’Reilly trekked through the rainforest to rescue survivors of the Stinson Plane Crash. There is a replica of the plane at O’Reilly’s. His knowledge of the local area was vital in locating the wreck, and during the rescue effort.
The Wildlife and Rainforest
Part of the attraction for us was the wildlife. Very experienced guides are available to lead the guests on a number of different guided walks, educational talks and hikes through the Lamington National Park. We took part in two guided walks, and also viewed a documentary of the wildlife in their cinema.
There is also a treetop walk – a series of suspension bridges up to 15 metres above ground that allow you to walk amongst the tops of the forest. Because I get severe vertigo with heights I was very nervous at the slight swinging of the bridges but I made it across by not daring to look down. My husband even climbed up the 30 metre high ladder to a platform where he could view 360 degrees across the top of the rainforest.
The Glow Worm Tour
Without a doubt my favourite part of the weekend was the nighttime glow worm tour. The guide took us for a short drive from the resort. We then hiked through the bush to a stream where thousands of glowworms sparkled like stars along the bank. The stream was flowing gently, so that the glow worms reflected in the water. When you looked up through the trees, the milky way glittered brightly above us. It was incredibly beautiful.
Matt our guide helped us to spot many native animals and plants along the path. His knowledge and enthusiasm for the wildlife enhanced the experience. One of the more interesting creatures was a bright blue crayfish which can walk 2km away from water! This was a feisty little crustacean who snapped its claws at us. He has a mean bite we were told.
We encountered two types of possums, many different varieties of birds and insects, lizards and spiders. I would have just walked straight past many of the creatures but Matt had a way of finding these elusive animals in the dark.
Hand Feeding the Birds
The early morning bird walk was just as interesting. Being able to hand feed the wild birds was a beautiful experience. The rainforest is home to a huge variety of birds. The most colourful are the parrots that you can hand feed. Many of the walking tracks are suitable for all types of fitness levels, with two being suitable for wheelchairs..
The more adventurous can take a segway safari tour, or try the flying fox. There are guided walks through the Lamington National Park, or there are many tracks that you can do on your own without being a paying guest. Maps are available from the National Parks Information Centre or O’Reilly’s reception.
If you are ever in our part of the world, pay a visit to the hinterland. The experience will stay with you much longer than a day at Sea World. There is so much more to the Gold Coast than the glitter strip and Surfers Paradise.
If you enjoyed this you may also enjoy:
- How to Make the Most of Your Staycation;
- Be a Tourist in Your Own Town;
- Revitalise by Attending a Health and Wellness Retreat.
Shared on #WeekendCoffeeShare Linkup on Natalie the Explorer’s blog, #Lifethisweek Linkup on Denyse Whelan’s blog
MidlifeStylist 
31 responses to “A Weekend in the Lamington National Park”
Hi Christina, Darn about your husband’s cat bite. A staycation is one of the best types of vacations, especially when you live in a beautiful part of the world. The “green behind the gold.” I love this description. Interesting information about Bernard O’Reilly. We had our first experience of a glow worm tour in New Zealand. Fascinating. A blue-coloured crayfish….wow! Thank you for sharing an interesting post and beautiful photos.
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Hi Erica, I agree that staycations are one of the best types of vacations, and with the possibility of travel plans being disrupted, it’ll be the only vacation we get for a while! Was the glow worm tour at the Waitomo Caves? We’ve been there a couple of times – it is absolutely stunning. Thank you for your lovely comment, regards Christina
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I will have to check back on our photos, Christina. I recall it was a family run business. A few generations. Really friendly and well organized and fascinating.
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It doesn’t sound like Waitomo Caves then. I’d love to know where it was!
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I looked it up last night. Pretty sure it was Te Anau Glowworm Caves. An amazing experience. 🙂
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Thanks Erica, I didn’t even realise they had glowworm caves in Te Anau!
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HI Christina what a lovely way to spend the weekend and so close to home. Mike and I have been trying to do this but as yet we haven’t put the plan into action. I do love the Lamington National Park and your post has inspired me to take action and just do it. We recently went for a day trip to Springbrook but a weekend away is so much nicer. Love your photos and we are so lucky to be surrounded by natural beauty. Have a lovely week. #weekendcoffeeshare
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Hi Sue, yes we are lucky – we have the beautiful ocean and beaches, canals, rainforests and waterfalls – it’s a lovely part of the world. You would love it up there, it’s like being in another world. So peaceful and relaxing. Thanks for your lovely comment, regards Christina
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Hi Christina, I’d love to visit this beautiful National Park. Having a knowledgeable tour guide/ naturalist makes the tours more educational and memorable. Thank you for sharing your lovely photos and trip details with us at #WeekendCoffeeShare.
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Hi Natalie, I agree that having a knowledgeable tour guide can really make the difference. They help you to see things from a different perspective. I have been inspired by the photos and information you share about your local area on your blog. I think we all like to do what travel we can at the moment, even if it is online! Thanks so much for your comment, regards Christina
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What a wonderful place. I would love to visit it.
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Thank you so much for your feedback, regards Christina
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What a lovely tour! Thanks for sharing.
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Hi Antoinette, thank you so much for your comment, much appreciated. Regards Christina
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It all looks gorgeous Christina – and hand feeding the parrots would have bee something special indeed. I love it when we get to spend some time in nature just breathing it all in and enjoying being out in the open.
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Hi Leanne, yes that is one of the best things about being in nature. That is my happy place! I am so lucky to live near beautiful nature and I walk my dogs in nearby parks rain, hail or sun (no snow here!) because it starts my day off right. Thanks so much for commenting, regards Christina
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How wonderful. I’d love to visit Australia and NZ. My hubby has been to Australia and my youngest daughter to NZ.
Visiting from weekend coffee share
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Hi Kirstin, It is a beautiful part of the world. Well worth the trip if and when travel starts up again. Thank you so much for commenting, regards Christina
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That looks amazing. I’d love to visit Australia and NZ. My hubby has been to Australia and my youngest daughter to NZ.
Visiting from weekend coffee share
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My fiancé spent a month last Christmas in Australia, but did not get to this park. He said he would take me next time and wants to see the glow worms.
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Hi Geri, it’s definitely worth the trip when travel opens up again. Australia is a vast country and has diverse climate and nature. There probably are other areas where you can see glow worms. Thank you so much for commenting, regards Christina
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I love glow worms…that pool deck looks lovely!
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Hi Lydia, we spent an hour or two lazing on that pool deck. It was such a hot day. Regards Christina
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I just love this! Australia is on my bucket list of places to visit. I’ve been obsessed since I was a kid. Sadly, I’ve never made it there, but I felt like I was there as I was reading this post. I could just picture everything. Your photos certainly helped paint the picture too. Sometimes those quick jaunts away from home are just as important as the ‘big’ trips to exotic locales. Thanks for sharing!
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Thankyou so much for your lovely comment! I hope you do make it to Australia some day. There is so much to see and do in this vast continent. I agree, quick trips away are definitely great for boosting your morale. Regards, Christina
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Your poor husband! But how nice that you got to relax in such a lovely place. Enjoyed the photos very much.
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Thank you so much for your lovely comment. I’m glad you liked the photos, regards Christina
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I am glad something good came out of that awful incident with the cat. When my parents retired and spent 6 weeks on the Gold Coast each year they often did day trips to the hinterland. I have the feeling they may have even stayed there as well. It’s good seeing areas you know later in life to appreciate them more.
Thank you for linking up your blog post for #lifethisweek on Monday 22 Feb 2021. Next week, it’s the first optional prompt of Taking Stock where I am using my own prompts for the first time. Hope to see you there, on or off prompt. Take care, Denyse #lifethisweek #linkup #Australia
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Hi Denyse, yes at least something positive came out of my husband having to have time off! I definitely agree that seeing areas again as an adult makes you appreciate them more. I can’t remember enjoying jaunts into the forest as much as I do now! The forests were cold and wet in New Zealand though so it’s no wonder! Thanks so much for your comment, regards Christina
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I agree Christina, it is one of the most beautiful areas up there and I’m glad you managed to get away together. #lifethisweek
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Hi Deb, it is beautiful. I really should try and get up there more often. Regards, Christina
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