Spending at least a day experiencing the Springbrook world heritage listed national park is an absolute must. Just 45 minutes’ drive from Surfers Paradise, the hinterland rises up to the volcanic plateau of Springbrook, formed some 23 million years ago and covered in temperate forests and truly wondrous subtropical Gondwana Rainforest - yes, Gondwana, as in the landscape’s history stretches back to when Australia and Antarctica were connected. This also explains the presence of the magnificent towering Antarctic beech trees, just one of the rare plant species unique to the area, while also look out for local wildlife, lucky visitors might even spot a paddymelon (one of Australia’s cutest marsupials) or a koala. You’ll need a lot more than a day to see all the national park with walking trails for visitors of all ability criss-crossing the lush sub-tropical rainforest leading to rocky gorges, spectacular waterfalls and stunning lookouts. Apart from the countless trails the park also has a number of picnic areas, camp grounds and beautiful swimming holes. For a unique experience, it also pays to venture into Springbrook at night (book a tour if the prospects of a lone walk in the dark is daunting), when you can see glow in the dark mushrooms and glow worms which look like thousands of stars on the cave ceiling of Natural Bridge.