Springbrook National Park
Springbrook National Park Mount Cougal and the Gold Coast urban strip can also be seen. | |
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Nearest town or city | Mudgeeraba |
Coordinates | 28°08′24″S 153°16′27″E / 28.14000°S 153.27417°E |
Established | 1990 |
Area | 61.56 km2 (23.8 sq mi) |
Managing authorities | Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service |
Website | Springbrook National Park |
See also | Protected areas of Queensland |
The Springbrook National Park is a
In December 1994, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee officially extended the area now known as the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area over the
In 2009 as part of the
The park was the location for the discovery of the rare Eucryphia jinksii species of subtropical tree.[4]
Mount Cougal section
The Mount Cougal section of the park is located about 20 kilometres (12 mi) inland from
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.[5]
The only tracks or facilities in this section of the park are at Cougal's Cascades which are the headwaters of the Currumbin Creek. A road leads into a carpark and picnic ground, and from there a walking track goes up the creek cascades. There are no tracks up Mount Cougal itself.[5]
In 1943 a bush sawmill was established near the creek, producing timber for packing crates for the local
Natural Bridge section
The Natural Bridge is a naturally formed rock arch over Cave Creek, a tributary of the Nerang River. It was formed from a waterfall that 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.[7]
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 is said to be timber cutters Alexander (Sandy) Duncan and Din Guinea.
The cave is home to a colony of glowworms (larvae of the insect
Springbrook Plateau section
Several waterfalls may be seen along relatively short tracks in the Springbrook Plateau section. The return circuit walk that begins at either the Tallanbana or Goomoolahra picnic areas passes Twin Falls, Rainbow Falls,
In all four sections of Springbrook National Park (Springbrook Plateau,
At between 600 and 1,000 metres (2,000 and 3,300 ft) above sea level,[6] Springbrook Plateau can be quite cool even in summer. The area averages more than 3,000 millimetres (120 in) of rain a year,[10] most of which falls between December and March. 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 programme I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! has been filmed.
Environment
Landforms
The southern cliffs in Springbrook and Lamington National Park are part of the remnants of the northern rim of the huge, ancient Tweed Volcano. The Springbrook National Park comprises four reserves on and around the plateau: Springbrook Plateau section along the crest of the plateau; Mount Cougal section to the east; and Natural Bridge and Numinbah sections to the west. The cliffs are resistant, volcanic based rhyolite.[9] Rock overhangs are common and massive rock falls sometimes dislodge house-sized rocks.[9]
The national park preserves rainforest and eucalypt forests in the cliff-lined headwaters of rivers and creeks flowing to the Gold Coast, in particular, the Nerang River on the plateau's west and Little Nerang River to the east, both of which have eroded less resistant rock.[9] Where the waterways flow over the escarpment, 16 waterfalls have developed.[9]
Flora
The flora is highly diverse due to the high rainfall and variety of volcanic soil types.
Other more fire-prone areas support open forests dominated by New England blackbutt and Blue Mountains ash.[9] Grasstrees are commonly seen in the park.[9] Rock outcrops support areas of montane heath or shrubland dominated by species such as Leptospermum variable, Banksia spinulosa and Prostanthera phylicifolia. These heath areas are best appreciated in spring when most of the wildflowers bloom.
Fauna
The park is a good location for the sighting of nocturnal animals such as the
Long-finned eels are commonly found in the pools of the plateau and there are numerous reptiles such as the
Recreation
Bush camping is not permitted.[13] There is one camping area in Carricks Road.[13]
See also
References
- Department of the Environment. Australian Government. 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
- ^ "Scenic Rim". Important Bird Areas factsheet. BirdLife International. 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2011.
- ^ Bligh, Anna (10 June 2009). "PREMIER UNVEILS QUEENSLAND'S 150 ICONS". Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 24 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ Forbes, Tom (22 December 2018). "Less-famous living fossil: Botanist fine with 'iconic' Wollemi Pine overshadowing his own rare tree find". ABC News. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Visitor Information sheet. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (Report). April 1999.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-74117-245-4.
- ^ Natural Bridge page Archived 23 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine (Gold Coast City Council)
- ^ "Nature, culture and history". Department of Environment And Science.
- ^ ISBN 0-9758275-0-2.
- ^ ISBN 1-875992-47-2.
- ^ Forbes, Tom (22 December 2018). "The living fossil discovery overshadowed by the 'iconic' Wollemi Pine". ABC News. Retrieved 22 December 2018.
- ^ a b "Springbrook National Park — Nature, culture and history". The State of Queensland. 29 April 2009. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
- ^ a b "Springbrook National Park: Camping information". Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
External links
- Springbrook National Park at Queensland Government Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing / Parks.
- The Lure of Glow Worms by Wendy Pyper at the Australian Broadcasting Commission