Nature
The Great Sunshine Way is a new touring route in southern Queensland, Australia.It features many natural wonders including lovely islands, lush national parks and rugged mountain ranges.
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Here’s how you can enjoy some of the best experiences that nature has to offer - at little or no cost.
Brisbane | Gold Coast | Sunshine Coast | Fraser Coast | Worth a Splurge
Great Saver: Bribie Island
Bribie Island is ideal for a short island excursion and will cost you next to nothing. It is the only island in Moreton Bay that can be accessed by road (car or local bus) and is popular with the locals for fishing, picnics, lazing on the beach or surfing. The area
is teeming with dolphins, dugongs, turtles and other wildlife.
Where: Northern end of Moreton Bay, less than 1 hour’s drive from Brisbane city
Cost: Free
www.epa.qld.gov.au
Great Saver: Mount Coot-tha
Enjoy panoramic views of Brisbane city from this summit. You can also explore its subtropical Botanic Garden, which includes over 20,000 plant specimens, a herbarium, bonsai house, tropical dome and water lily ponds.
Where: About 7km west of the Brisbane CBD
Cost: Free
www.brisbanelookout.com
Great Saver: Roma Street Parklands
This park is lauded as the largest subtropical garden in a CBD. Enjoy free performances in its amphitheatre and explore its colorful mix of horticultural displays, architecture, artworks and other interesting features including fossils. You can also ride the colorful miniature train around the parklands.
Where: 1 Parkland Boulevard, in the centre of Brisbane city
Cost: Free entry; Train: A$5 (adult), A$3 (child)
www.romastreetparkland.qld.gov.au
Great Saver: Redlands IndigiScapes Centre
This is Australia’s first environmental centre for indigenous plants. Explore the Wildflower Walk, one of the best places to see wildflowers in their natural setting. Take a walk through the Tallowwood View Trail, where you can spot koalas in the large eucalypt trees.
Where: 17 Runnymede Road, Capalaba (Half-hour drive from Brisbane city)
Cost: Free
www.epa.qld.gov.au
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Great Saver: Oceanway
This 36km network of pathways is a great way of exploring the spectacular coastline, including mangroves, dunes and rainforest. It has markers to let you know where the next point is, plus shower facilities, playgrounds and exercise equipment along the way. The entire route is also serviced by local buses.
Where: Along the beaches from Gold Coast Seaway to Point Danger lighthouse
Cost: Free
www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/t_standard.aspx?pid=1746
Great Saver: Springbrook National Park
You can enjoy the great outdoors, swim in a creek and see a host of wildlife including possums and pademelons in this lush national park, without paying a cent.
Highlights:
- Explore the cave and waterfall at the magnificent Natural Bridge.
- Marvel at Australia’s largest colony of glow worms that light up the cave when night falls.
Where: Less than an hour’s drive inland from Surfers Paradise
Cost: Free
www.epa.qld.gov.au
Great Saver: Currumbin Rock Pools
Enjoy the great outdoors at Currumbin Valley on the Gold Coast. Take a dip in the lovely rock pools, a favourite swimming hole of locals. There are also barbecue and toilet facilities for use.
Where: About 20 minutes drive from Surfers Paradise
Cost: Free
www.epa.qld.gov.au
Great Saver: Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk
Opened in September 2007, this A$10-million government wildlife-conservation initiative created a series of world-class walking tracks. Spanning a total walking distance of 54km, it showcases forested valleys and gorges, waterfalls, rock pools and spectacular lookouts.
Highlights:
- Start your walk at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat and take the well-known ‘Border Track’ towards Binna Burra Mountain Lodge.
- Walk through the ancient volcanic landscape of the Tweed Volcano.
- Explore Numinbah Valley and finish at Purling Brook Falls.
Where: From the Green Mountain section of Lamington National Park to Purling Brook Falls in Springbrook National Park
Cost: Free
www.epa.qld.gov.au
Great Saver: Tamborine Mountain Botanical Gardens
Comprising 9 hectares of glorious rainforest, mountain streams and a lake, this botanical garden features a wide range of plants including begonias, azaleas, hydrangeas and more.
Where: Forsythia Drive, at Eagle Heights, Tamborine Mountain, about 40 minutes inland from the coast
Cost: Free
www.tamborinemountain.net
Great Saver: O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk
Walk through the canopy to see flowering and fruiting trees, vines, epiphytic orchids, ferns and the birds and animals that inhabit them. The 180-metre Tree Top Walk was the first of its kind in Australia and is made up of 9 suspension bridges, plus 2 observation decks.
Where: O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, Lamington National Park
Cost: Free
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Great Saver: Noosa National Park
This national park is easily accessible and has sheltered beaches, coves, rainforest, open woodlands and all kinds of wild flowers.
Highlights:
- Spot koalas sitting in the trees overlooking Laguna Bay.
- For a leisurely walk through rainforest with hoop pines and palms, explore the Palm Grove circuit.
- Take the Coastal track, which provides access to picturesque coves including Tee Tree Bay.
- Explore the Ocean Track and discover colourful wildflowers and dune plants.
Where: The Noosa Headland section of the park is at the end of Park Road. This is just a 15-minute walk from the shops and restaurants on Hastings Street, the hub of coastal town Noosa
Cost: Free
www.epa.qld.gov.au
Great Saver: Pumicestone Passage Marine Park
Experience the natural beauty of this tranquil marine park, which has extensive mangroves, sea grasses and coastal dunes, and feeds into creeks and estuaries.
Highlights:
- It is home to more than 350 species of bird life, including pelicans, black swans and thousands of migratory sea birds.
- Look out for other fascinating marine life such as dugongs and dolphins.
Where: Caloundra, 1 hour north of Brisbane city
Cost: Free; or 2-hour guided cruise from A$27 (adult) / A$16 (child)
www.epa.qld.gov.au
Great Saver: Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk
Winding through the spectacular Blackall Range, this 58-km marked track passes through five national parks and forest reserves. Discover picturesque waterfalls, subtropical rainforest, eucalypt forest, valleys and gorges.
Highlights:
- Kondalilla National Park, which features wet eucalypt forest, rainforest and the cascading Kondalilla Falls.
- Abundant wildlife, including more than 100 species of birds, 70 reptile species and 30 frog species.
- Mapleton Falls National Park, which has panoramic views of the waterfall, forest and valleys.
Where: Starts at the car park before the picnic area at Baroon Pocket Dam and ends at Delicia Road in Mapleton Forest Reserve
Cost: Free
www.epa.qld.gov.au
Great Saver: Beerwah Forest Reserve
Visit one of the few remaining coastal rainforest areas in the region. This reserve is an important home for wildlife, including platypus, the eastern yellow robin and Richmond birdwing butterfly. Enjoy scenic views of the Glass House Mountains, surrounded by pine plantations, eucalypt forest and rainforest.
Where: Located on the banks of the Mooloolah River, 14km north of Beerwah town, via Glass House Mountains Tourist Drive
Cost: Free
www.epa.qld.gov.au
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Great Saver: Fraser Island
You don’t need to splurge to enjoy the world’s largest sand island. Take a dip in a freshwater lake, explore ancient rainforest and marvel at the strikingly coloured sand cliffs.
Where: 4-hour drive north of Brisbane to Hervey Bay, plus a 25 to 40 minute ferry ride
Cost: A$24 for a round-trip ferry ticket. There are many low-cost accommodation options on or near the island. Or you can have fun camping. All you need is a permit (about A$5 per person).
Great Saver: Environmental Walkway
If you enjoy bird watching, you can view more than 130 species along this 9.5km raised wooden walkway. It lines the foreshore of Tin Can Bay and allows free access while causing the least possible disturbance to the fauna that resides there.
Where: Tin Can Bay, Cooloola
Cost: Free
www.cooloola.org.au
Great Saver: Cooloola National Park
Also known as the Great Sandy National Park, this is where you’ll find glorious beaches, colored sand dunes, forests, sparkling lakes, beautiful wildflowers and the pretty Noosa River.
Highlights:
- Walk eastwards from Rainbow Beach town and see the towering cliffs of coloured sands at Teewah Beach.
- Fishing is popular along Teewah Beach and at Inskip Peninsula.
- Explore Carlo Sandblow, a natural sandblow with extensive views.
Where: Located between Noosa Heads and Rainbow Beach
Cost: Free
www.epa.qld.gov.au
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Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort
This lovely resort is where you can hand-feed wild dolphins that swim to the shore every evening. There are also beautiful national parks, beaches and sand dunes, plus exciting activities including marine eco cruises and sand tobogganing.
Where: 75 minutes by boat from Brisbane on Moreton Island
Cost: About A$290 per night for a hotel room
Whale-watching cruise
Getting up close to the magnificent humpback whales is unforgettable and there’s no better place for it than Australia’s whale-watching capital. This is the only place in Australia where all boats guarantee sightings during the season (late July to early November).
Where: Hervey Bay
Cost: From A$99 per adult
Kingfisher Bay Resort
If you wish to enjoy the comforts and luxuries of home while exploring the World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, stay at this acclaimed award-winning resort. Opt for a hotel room or self-contained villa. The resort offers 4WD tours, nature and bird-watching walks, and rainforest treks conducted by experienced rangers.
Where: Fraser Island
Cost: From A$235 per night
O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat
Enjoy a relaxing mountain retreat in the lush Gold Coast hinterland. There are many lodges to choose from, including ecotourism pioneer O’Reilly’s, which is set in the beautiful Lamington National Park.
Where: Lamington National Park Road
Cost: From A$265 for O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat Room, or from A$425 for Mountain Villa
