[Featured Travelogue]Explore Australia: A One-Day Rainforest Experience on the Gold Coast

In addition to visiting Surfer’s Paradise and other theme parks, there are plenty of other recommended activities on the Gold Coast worth exploring.

 

Another early morning rise—this time to join Southern Cross 4WD Tours.

Southern Cross 4WD Tours uses four-wheel-drive vehicles to take participants to the outskirts of the Gold Coast, where you can experience the rainforest ecosystem. (http://sc4wd.com.au)

 

We booked the one-day tour, and the 4WD vehicle picked us up from our hotel around 8 a.m.

On the way to the rainforest, we stopped at a café for a simple morning tea.

 

(It was just scones and drinks—don’t expect too much.)

 

The small chapel next to where we had morning tea

 

Next, we arrived at Tamborine National Park to experience Australia’s tropical rainforest. It rains about two-thirds of the time in the rainforest, and that day was no exception—we had light rain throughout, but the guide reassured us: “No rain, no rainforest.”

 

Along the way, the guide kept sharing insights about the rainforest’s ecology and things to watch out for, such as the age of certain trees and highly toxic plants.

 

Trees over a hundred years old

 

Can you guess what I am?

Answer: A bird’s nest fern (bird’s nest)!

 

At the end of the trail, there’s a waterfall (held the camera for 2 seconds… so it’s a bit blurry)

 

The stone tower in the middle of the river!?

 

We spent about 40 minutes in Tamborine National Park—the trail wasn’t too difficult.

***Also, a friendly reminder: don’t wear light-colored shoes, especially white ones—unless you don’t mind them getting covered in mud.

(I saw two fellow travelers wearing white sneakers and they looked absolutely miserable…)

 

After Tamborine National Park, there were two options for the next activity:

1. Wine Tasting 

2. Visit shops in a small town

We chose the latter because we had already planned a wine-tasting session in Melbourne later. The shops mainly sold boutique items, some of which were handmade, but due to time constraints, we couldn’t explore and shop at all of them.

 

Next came lunchtime—BBQ lunch (not self-grilled BBQ).

Lunch location

 

The guide had asked each participant in the morning what main dish they’d like for lunch (vegetarian options were available), so dishes were served immediately upon arrival. I had the steak—honestly, the taste was pretty average, but the ambiance made up for it.

 

 

During a free moment, the guide taught us how to throw a boomerang.

A foreign traveler gave it a strong throw

 

The final stop was Lamington National Park, but by then the rain had gotten heavier, so we could only take a quick walk around.

 

The most unique feature of Lamington National Park is the several suspension bridges connecting different parts.

 

There’s also a Mountain Garden where visitors can climb up and view the rainforest from above.

After spending about 40 minutes at Lamington National Park, we headed back and dropped off each group member at their hotel.

 

Joining this 4WD 1-day tour allows you to see a different side of the Gold Coast beyond just the usual fun — the guide was also very funny and entertaining too. But do note that some parts of the drive are on mountain roads, so it can get a bit bumpy, and the journey is quite long. Friends who are prone to motion sickness should bring their own medication just in case.

 

Finally, here’s the 4WD that carried us throughout the whole day.