IT’S TIME TO TAKE A HIKE
NOW that it’s officially summer holidays, it’s time for an epic outdoor adventure.
While it’s not quite the Incan Trail to Machu Picchu, the Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk is not only beautiful and a healthy three-day hike - it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than flying to Peru.
The 54km Great Walk is best experienced west to east, from O’Reilly’s in Lamington National Park to The Settlement camping area in Springbrook National Park.
Begin your walk from along the well-known Border Track that links the Green Mountains section of Lamington to the Binna Burra section.
This section of the hike is 21.4km and should take approximately seven hours.
The Border Track traverses some of the highest remaining basalt lavas from the Tweed Volcano. Lookouts from the rim of the Tweed Valley erosion caldera allow you to see Mount Warning, the distant Nightcap Range, the Lamington wilderness area and the Tweed Range.
Day two is a 23.6km hike that takes between six to eight hours. Begin by exploring the Lower Bellbird Circuit with lookouts over the eastern side of Lamington National Park.
Leaving Lamington plateau, descend past Egg Rock, a remnant plug from the Mt Warning volcano. The trail continues through the farming valley of Numinbah, where you can opt to stay overnight.
The last day is a four to fivehour 9km hike, which begins with a steady climb to the mountain plateau of Springbrook, includes a hike via Warringah Pools to the cool spray of Purling brook Falls and concludes at The Settlement camping area