Fraser Island

The world's largest sand island, Fraser Island is an area of remarkable natural beauty. It was listed as a World Heritage Area in 1992. The listing recognizes the island's internationally significant natural features:

evolving dune, lake, soil and forest systems, the extent and age of which are outstanding examples of ongoing geological and biological processes;
unique landscapes, which are examples of superlative natural occurrences.

Growing on seemingly infertile sands is a great variety of plant communities ranging from coastal heath, mangrove forests and swamps to subtropical rainforest.

The many archaeological remains on Fraser Island record thousands of years of culture and tradition, providing important links for the Butchulla people of today to their past.

The island is 123km long and covers an area of 166,038ha, so you will need to allow plenty of time to explore and appreciate it.

Springbrook

Dominating the Gold Coast’s western skyline, Springbrook’s cool forests and mountain streams offer visitors views of impressive landscapes, and walks among subtropical and temperate rainforest, open eucalypt forest and montane heath. Spectacular waterfalls, cascades and tumbling creeks are dominant features in this World Heritage-listed park.

Springbrook National Park covers 3425ha and is in three sections — Springbrook Plateau, Mount Cougal to the east and Natural Bridge to the west. The Plateau has many lookouts with fabulous views while Mount Cougal offers an insight into the area’s logging history. Visit Natural Bridge by day to see a unique waterfall

Lamington

Declared in 1915, Lamington National Park covers 20,590ha and boasts extensive walking tracks along the McPherson Range, which allow visitors to explore the area’s forests, creeks and waterfalls. Dramatic lookouts afford views over the Gold Coast, south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Lamington is part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves of Australia (CERRA) World Heritage Area, which includes the most extensive areas of subtropical rainforest in the world, most of the world’s warm temperate rainforest and nearly all of the Antarctic beech (Nothofagus moorei) cool temperate rainforest.

Moreton Island

Moreton Island is part of the Great Sandy region which stretches from Byron Bay to the tip of Fraser Island. The Great sandy region is the highest concentration of sand Islands in the world. Moreton Island is the only island in the region which has escaped major disturbance from logging or sand mining. The Island appears now much the same as 6000 years ago.

The island is approximately 38km long and 10km at its widest point. Apart from some volcanic rock formations in the North at Cape Moreton the island is entirely made up of sand. The island is 98% National Park and is managed by the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service. It is located about 35km from the coast and takes 2 hours to arrive by ferry.

Moreton Island Features uncrowded beaches, safe ocean swimming and untouched sub tropical forests. The eastern side is a 38km long uninterrupted surf beach. The western side is sheltered from the open sea and has fantastic ship wrecks hidden under the sea. Most of the island is vegetated with fantastic thick forests. There are three places in the centre of the island where through natural erosion there are bare sand dunes. These are the Dessert, Big Sandhills and Little Sandhills. In these areas is where we can go sand boarding and sand tobogganing. Within the island landscape there are a series of fresh water lakes with crystal clear water. Blue Lagoon offers great fresh water swimming and cooling of from the summer sun. Moreton island is the home to Mount Tempest which is the worlds highest coastal sand dune. There is a magnificent walk through the forest to the top (280m above sea level), for 360 degree views from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast Hinterland