Lamington National Park
An ancient land
Mountains formed from volcanoes millions of years ago, more than 500 waterfalls, crystal clear mountain streams, constant champagne climate all under the vibrant canopy of lush, green primordial rainforest. Along with the unique wildlife – what is there not to love about Lamington National Park?
Lamington National Park exists today as one of the few surviving stands of Gondwana Rainforest from the early Australian continent. It is an ancient place where the only sounds you are likely to hear are from your own footfall treading along the many walking tracks, the distinctive call of rainforest birds or the rustle of scrub birds and native marsupials in the undergrowth.
Lamington National Park, affectionately known as “Lamington” is so special that it has been awarded World Heritage listing on account of its unique evolutionary significance, rare wildlife, and natural beauty.
Access to Lamington National Park via Binna Burra and O’Reilly’s
There are two main entrances to Lamington National Park – one at Binna Burra in the Gold Coast Hinterland, and the other at O’Reilly’s in the Scenic Rim, both of which have their own distinct character.
The two entrances are separated by rugged mountains and steep, winding roads making it difficult to visit both sites in a short space of time without assistance from an experienced guide. Big Leaf Tours would be honoured to be your guide.
Binna Burra
Binna Burra is fondly familiar to generations of Brisbane city dwellers eager to escape the heat of the city and indulge in the cool subtropical rainforest of Lamington National Park, while staying at the historic and internationally renowned Binna Burra Lodge.
The Binna Burra entrance to Lamington has been closed to the public since September 2019 following the devastating bush fires which destroyed the Binna Burra Lodge and heritage-listed log cabins, and blocking off the mountain access road to the National Park.
However, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Binna Burra and the road to the luxurious Binna Burra sky lodges are scheduled to re-open in September 2020. Visitors from far and wide may once again enjoy the Binna Burra hospitality and access to this very special part of the world.
From the Binna Burra entrance to Lamington National Park, walking trails allow hikers to indulge in the lush vegetation and cool waters found in this rare cloud forest. Day visitors may get to visit ancient Antarctic Beech trees some of whose beginnings date back to the time of Christ.
The trails into Lamington from Binna Burra are awe-inspiring in their beauty and grandeur, connecting those who visit to an ancient, and more natural moment in time.
O’Reilly’s
The entrance to O’Reilly’s begins at the site of the family-run O’Reilly’s Rainforest Mountain Resort.
There is a lot to see and do at O’Reilly’s including discovering the history of the Stinson plane crash which crashed in dense rainforest during a storm in 1937 – and the heroic rescue of survivors by bushman Bernard O’Reilly.
A Stinson airplane sits in front of the resort as a reminder of its history. Visitors on a Big Leaf Tour will also have sufficient time to venture into Lamington along a National Park trail, to traverse the Tree Top Walk to get a feeling of what it is like being up high in the canopy like a bird, and to perhaps spot one of the many feathered visitors to O’Reilly’s – such as the Regent Bowerbird, Satin Bowerbird, Crimson Rosella or King Parrot. You will soon discover that O’Reilly’s is also a bird lover’s paradise.
Beaches
The Gold Coast is one of Queensland’s premier tourist destinations, known for its many protected beaches of golden white sand, sapphire blue water, and perfect subtropical climate.
Each beach has its own distinctive flavour. Some beaches stretch with golden-white sand for as far as the eye can see, while some are lined with elegant and glittering 5-star resorts. Other beaches are fringed with pine trees and forested headlands and are perfect spots for protected swimming while others again provide perfect vantage points to witness the annual migration of humpback whales.
Whichever beach you visit, you will be entranced by the natural beauty of the Gold Coast and welcomed by the friendly and fun-loving Gold Coasters.