Discover every amazing secret of the Gold Coast Hinterland

Need a break from the city? A local shares what to do and where to stay in the breathtaking Gold Coast Hinterland.

Less than an hour’s drive from the bright lights of Surfers Paradise is the other side of the Gold Coast — the green behind the gold. Host to two national parks within the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, the Gold Coast Hinterland is a rich amalgam of rolling hills and picturesque walking trails woven with charming towns, local wildlife, and foodie gems.

Whichever way you slice it, this leafy paradise is a dream, best experienced per your personal traveller style. Whether you’re a loved-up couple, tied to the kids or simply a nature-lover yearning for soulful outdoor immersion, these Gold Coast Hinterland itineraries are nothing short of magical.

For families

About 30 minutes away from the Gold Coast’s best beaches, a lush playground begins to weave, hypnotising adventure-seeking families. Whether you’re happy to escape for just a day or can swing an overnight stay, children of all ages (including those at heart) will thrive amid this region’s endless greenery.

THINGS TO DO

the Thunderbird Park, Gold Coast Hinterland

Thunderbird Park is nestled in the heart of Tamborine Mountain. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Kick off your adventure with a visit to the Historic Rivermill, just off the Coomera River and smack bang on that 30-minute drive time mark from Surfers Paradise. While it was once best known as a wedding venue, the Hinterland attraction offers a weekend beginners’ horse-riding experience for the whole family (kids need to be six and over), helping kids fulfil their My Little Pony dreams. If it’s just you and your experienced youngster, the team also run a ‘Farm Horse Ride + Picnic For Two’ package, offering besties a one-hour riding experience complete with gourmet sandwiches and a charcuterie board.

About half an hour beyond is the action-packed Thunderbird Park. A one-stop shop offering its own mini excavator park, Dig IT, laser skirmish, mini golf, one of the country’s highest and fastest ziplines, crystal panning, TreeTop ropes courses, pickleball, rockpools and even more, this place is non-stop fun no matter how many times you visit.

a kid conquering the TreeTop Challenge, Thunderbird Park

Soar above the rainforest canopy at Thunderbird Park’s TreeTop Challenge. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

The action continues at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, filled with activity to blow their mismatched cotton socks off. Located in the heart of the World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park, the Gold Coast Hinterland boredom smasher offers wildlife shows, glow worm caves, e-bike tours, a 180-metre-long flying fox and more. For parents – an often-forgotten element of the term family-friendly – the Lost World Spa offers a blissful break from the mayhem. The usual selection of treatments is available, but for an adult-themed indulgence, try the Vinotherapy Ritual. Because who hasn’t always wanted to soak in a bath full of wine?

WHERE TO STAY

O’Reilly’s rainforest villas as seen from above

Unwind in a mountainside villa at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

There are convenient options at O’Reilly’s including studio, two-bedroom and three-bedroom villas that can sleep up to nine guests. Whether you’re fronting a mesmerising valley or subtropical rainforest, each stay is contemporary yet homely, with many featuring spacious decks with spa baths. There’s also a campsite if you’re a camping family. Sealing the deal is the on-site cafe, restaurant, and bar which nails homemade pizza, plus in-room dining. Self-caterers should grab supplies at the FoodWorks in Canungra on the way through.

Alternatively, Thunderbird Park sits within Tamborine Mountain Glades which offers another stack of accommodation including some of the best Gold Coast glamping (fit for up to five guests in some of their alarmingly spacious bell tents) multi-bedroom cabins, camping with an ultra-plush amenities block and boutique hotel-style rooms overlooking a small creek and sharing an awesome communal fire pit. It’s a great pick if you’re keen to sit motionless after an adrenaline-charged day at Thunderbird.

For couples

Misty mountains, slow, winding roads and a firm focus on quality dining. Reconnecting with your other half or escaping for a googly-eyed new romance is a dream in the Gold Coast Hinterland, where remote luxury and stellar culinary indulgences run rife.

THINGS TO DO

guests harvesting coffee beans at the Tamborine Mountain Coffee Plantation

Get your caffeine fix straight from the beans grown at Tamborine Mountain Coffee Plantation. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Besides trailing some of the Gold Coast’s best nature hikes, there’s also the endlessly fabulous town of Mount Tamborine to thoroughly lean into. After a quality caffeine hit at Tamborine Mountain Coffee Plantation (which also offers a site tour if you’re a geek for beans), get your steps in at the nearby Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk where sturdy pathways soar you above beautiful treetop canopies.

From here, drop into the ultra-hip North Stores and burgeoning village life of north Tamborine (we’ll get to the more touristy Gallery Walk shortly), where you can sample on-site distilled amaro at Loborn Tasting Bar (say hello to owner and distiller Tom who meticulously handcrafts the good stuff) before shaking it into one of the best Negronis you’ll taste in town. Line your stomach a few doors down at Picnic Real Food Bar, where legendary duo Brenda and her team dish up homemade, seasonally charged dishes and top-shelf coffee. There’s also Outland Demin, a ceramic studio and a bespoke florist within the North Stores’ collective of cool.

lunch at Saint Marthe, Gold Coast Hinterland

Dine on authentic French cuisine at Saint Marthe Brasserie on Tamborine Mountain.

Kick the party onto Saint Marthe for lunch, just across the road and quickly gaining a reputation for some of the region’s most exceptional fine dining. The French bistro nails authentic flavours with finessed technique, all while charming the pants off diners via genuine, heart-led hospitality.

It’s unthinkable to visit Mount Tamborine without popping into the Gallery Walk, ideal for hand-in-hand meandering through chocolate, cheese, gifts and sweets stores. Highlights include the homemade bread at Franquette, a lovely French patisserie and bakery, and the Tamborine Mountain Distillery for its famous tasting room that whips together more than 80 cocktails.

wine tasting at Witches Falls Winery, Gold Coast Hinterland

Witches Falls Winery is the perfect treat for wine lovers. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Chase a perfect Mount Tamborine afternoon with a glass of vino at Witches Falls Winery, Queensland’s first-ever winery. If you prefer beer, the team also run Boxer Brewery Co., home to an outstanding tap room with its self-dubbed ‘frost trail’ — an in-built freezer strip sitting on the bar that keeps your cold one cold no matter how long the game captivates you. Pure genius.

Next, grab an Uber and brace yourself for one of the most exceptional dining experiences of all: The Paddock Restaurant at Beechmont Estate. From the mountainous views outside floor-to-ceiling windows, to the endlessly attentive service, this place is a special occasion kind of treat. Catch the sunset, get stuck in and finish with more drinks by the fireplace. Struggling to move after all the indulgence? Beechmont’s luxury retreats provide an all-too tempting place to rest woozy heads.

WHERE TO STAY

Wake up to breathtaking sunrise views at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

January 2025 saw O’Reilly’s unveil its plush accommodation, the boutique Pat’s Farm, encompassing six private chalets. The eco-friendly stays offer sophisticated farm life experiences so they’re well worth considering if you book early enough to catch availability.

An Australian Traveller favourite, however, is The Tamborine, an Instagram-friendly boutique hotel drenched in creature comforts. From the soothing, expertly executed colour palette of nature-inspired hues, a heavenly outdoor swimming pool, and jaw-dropping views across the region, to the fire pits overlooking it all and a private spa treatment room, this is Hinterland hibernation at its most exquisite.

For nature lovers

As well as a fascinating diversity of plants to observe, there’s no shortage of wildlife sightings within the Gold Coast Hinterland. Chase waterfalls, uncover spectacular views and sleep under the stars — this corner of the country is filled with serious splendour.

THINGS TO DO

guests walking along the trees at Lamington National Park

Admire the ancient trees in the Binna Burra section of Lamington National Park. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

The Gold Coast Hinterland is your proverbial oyster, especially if your boots were made for walking. The huge array of bush walks throughout this serene bushland overwhelms, even if you’re accustomed to the area.

From the short-but-sweet one-kilometre Natural Bridge Circuit in Springbrook National Park that comes alive with the tiny green lights of thousands of nocturnal glow-worms, to the renowned two-day Stinson Walk that retraces steps to the Stinson Memorial crash site, the diversity is astounding. If you’re an experienced hiker, consider the epic three-day Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk, a 54-kilometre stretch that links the Lamington and Springbrook plateaus via the Numinbah Valley, filled with extraordinary flora and fauna.

WHERE TO STAY

Who said camping is your only connection to nature? Nestled in World-Heritage-listed Springbrook National Park, The Mouses Rainforest Retreat offers enchanting chalets from which you can hear the song of native birds and the call of nocturnal animals, all while surrounded by towering bush box trees.

You’re so close to nature that, at night, possums typically visit each chalet to be hand-fed. The chalets themselves are incredible with a spa bath looking out over your surroundings, while some even come with a private outdoor hot tub so you can soak it all in while enveloped in luxury.

Originally written by Jemma Fletcher with updates by Kristie Lau-Adams

Need somewhere to stay? Discover the best hotels on the Gold Coast

The unique tranquillity of Japanese bathing culture can now be experienced in a Queensland rainforest.

I’m the first official guest at SOL Elements, an elemental bathhouse located in Mt Tamborine, roughly 50 minutes inland from the Gold Coast beaches. The town is already a calm-inducing hinterland heaven as birdsong echoes over rolling hills and roadside avocado shacks pop up around many corners. But with the arrival of SOL Elements, Mt Tamborine evolves into a wellness destination. Let me take you through the experience.

The new bathhouse is set in the calming hinterland. (Image: Timothy Birch)

First impressions

The exterior of the new SOL Elements Bathhouse in the Gold Coast hinterland

The setting delivers maximum serenity. (Image: Timothy Birch)

Given the jaw-dropping rendered photography released by the team in January 2025, I wondered if SOL Elements could meet the hype. Additionally, the location is at the end of a large car park at Tamborine Mountain Glades’ Thunderbird Park, an iconic kid-friendly hinterland attraction, so I was curious as to how they’d bring the Zen.

Surprisingly, no shrieking children are heard as I approach one architecturally magnificent facade. Positioned off a small lake dubbed Lotus Lake, swimming with turtles and ducks, it features thin timber boards that gradually fan out via meticulous three-millimetre increments. More than 2000 metres of hand-charred wood, burnt personally by Russ Raven, who founded SOL Elements with his wife Shae Raven, make up the entrance and much of the interior walls, channelling the ancient Japanese art of wood preservation, Yakisugi. It’s an aesthetic that pops amid bushland without ever jarring. It’s dramatic yet graceful, bold yet grounded – a lot like what’s going on inside, really…

Communal bathhouse

The communal bathhouse is circular with treatment rooms branching off from a garden. (Image: Timothy Birch)

Positioned to take in the entire breadth of that fairytale lake, three small outdoor thermal mineral pools are the cornerstone of SOL Elements’ communal bathhouse, which caters to just 30 people at a time. While the warm pools bubble at a toasty 38 degrees, the cold plunge drops to an icy 12 degrees.

There are two ways to soak up some hot and cold therapy. The first starts inside SOL’s Cedar Wood Sauna, fitted with bench seating and extensive windows that let in more Lotus Lake views, before I go 90 full seconds in the cold (I’m aiming for two minutes, but it’s still winter). The sauna is small, and I’m grateful to be in there alone, but six or so people could fit in here comfortably.

Sit around the sunken fire pit at SOL Elements Bathhouse

Sit around the sunken fire pit. (Image: Timothy Birch)

The second way to hop between hot and cold is via the showstopping submerged outdoor fire pit. I take a seat on its curved bench seating and watch the flames flicker against my serene view. Sitting in wet cozzies, I feel reinvigorated, ready to dip in and out all over again.

Then there’s the communal Earth Lab, a mind-blowing alchemy station. Before I hit the showers, I’m invited to spoon out two ingredients from a bar filled with salts, flowers and powders. Utterly delighted to personalise my sensory journey, I go for the ground coffee and hibiscus flower petals before pumping body wash into my palm and creating an exfoliating polish. It’s hard to ignore the likes of raw brown sugar, chamomile flowers, rose petals and spirulina powder (there are 10 options in total), but my blend is straight-up delicious.

The Earth Lab features an alchemy station for guests to create a personalised sensory journey that suits their mood. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

Himalayan Salt Sanctuary

The Himalayan Salt Sanctuary at SOL Elements. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

There’s one other communal element at SOL: the Himalayan Salt Sanctuary, featuring a gasp-worthy design (and gasps are welcomed, given the respiratory benefits salt therapy is famed for).

Built with illuminated salt bricks that morph between sunrise shades, pale pink and clear white, the room radiates as I breathe in negative ionised air. Bench seating wraps the entire space while three stunning pendant lights glisten, dialling up the drama. It feels as though I’m sitting inside a lantern, all while my lungs are high-fiving me as I attempt further breathwork.

Floatation caves

For the ultimate sensory deprivation experience, two Floatation Caves are calling. Located right next to the Himalayan Salt Sanctuary, the rooms open to beautiful all-black stone fit-outs. Magnesium salt water is heated to complement your unique body temperature. Epsom salt and Dead Sea salt are expertly utilised to create the most extensively filtered water in Queensland. This is magnesium magic on steroids.

Once the doors shut, it’s completely dark. I float blissfully unaware of my surroundings; waterproof headphones ensure total immersion.

Secluded Suites

an outdoor mineral plunge at SOL Elements

The onsite accommodation features a heated private mineral plunge. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

I step up my SOL Elements visit by booking one of its two Secluded Suites, and the experience is end-to-end luxurious. Facility-wise, the suite (which caters for groups of up to five) gives me my own infrared sauna, single-person cold plunge, shower, private Earth lab with four ingredients, mini-bar with mocktails, tea station and clay mask, all while floor-to-ceiling glass windows throw up more of those soothing views.

The cherry on top? An outdoor private warm mineral plunge right by the lake. I sip on an organic, caffeine-free lemon myrtle and ginger root tea as the afternoon slips by. But before I go, there’s one more unmissable element to indulge in.

Massages and treatments

Inside the treatment rooms at SOL Elements Bathhouse

Up the ante with a rejuvenating massage at one of the two onsite treatment rooms. (Image: Timothy Birch)

I dress in a plush black waffle robe and stroll a couple of doors down to one of SOL Element’s two treatment rooms. I’m booked in for the Earthing Immersion as I love hot stone massages, and this features stones gathered with permission from Indigenous elders right around Australia. How special is that?

For so many reasons, but mainly the skills flexed by therapist Milena (who specialises in stretching), this is a massage like no other. I’m asked about my mood and lifestyle before Milena tells me she’s reading my energy. I’m not typically partial to energy readings, but I can’t deny that my limbs surrender under the hands of Milena, who uses Synthesis Organics’ essential oils that smell divine.

The stones differ in size and shape, heated and rolled across me like Café de Paris butter. 90 minutes later, I feel weightless as I return to my Secluded Suite to shower again and, begrudgingly, depart. I’m truly transformed into jelly. It took Shae and Russ four long years, but SOL Elements manages to live up to every expectation before soaring far beyond.

Details

Address: Cedar Creek Falls Rd and Tamborine Mountain Rd, Tamborine Mountain (within Tamborine Mountain Glades)

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 8 pm, Friday to Sunday, 8 am to 10 pm

Prices:

Communal Bathhouse: $95 for 90 minutes
Floatation Cave: $90 per person for 60 minutes (2 guests maximum)
Secluded Suite: From $360 for two people, for 90 minutes
Earthing Immersion: $300 for 90 minutes
Other massages, facials and treatments: View the spa menu

Accessibility: SOL Elements welcomes guests with access needs. The building features wide pathways, accessible for wheelchairs, throughout. A pool hoist can also be arranged if requested in advance.

Please note: All guests must be over 18.

Discover every amazing secret of the Gold Coast Hinterland

Need a break from the city? A local shares what to do and where to stay in the breathtaking Gold Coast Hinterland.

For families

THINGS TO DO

WHERE TO STAY

For couples

THINGS TO DO

WHERE TO STAY

For nature lovers

THINGS TO DO

WHERE TO STAY

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The unique tranquillity of Japanese bathing culture can now be experienced in a Queensland rainforest.

First impressions

Communal bathhouse

Himalayan Salt Sanctuary

Floatation caves

Secluded Suites

Massages and treatments

Details