Australia 2009: Currumbin Rock Pools & Springbrook National Park

After our excursion to the farmer's market this morning, Maddy, Anna, and I decided to forgo the shopping mall and drive up into the hills instead for a walk. No complaints here. We first went to the Currumbin Rock Pools which is just a little spot where you can swim and have a BBQ with a beautiful view of the hilltops covered in fog. We only stayed there briefly to get a couple pics and then drove further into the hills.

CURRUMBIN ROCK POOLS

THE HILLS BY THE ROCK POOLS

DRIVING INTO THE HILLS

We parked the car and walked along a pathway in the Springbrook National Park. The path was halfway up a hill covered in humongous trees and ferns with the water down below. A few people were swimming around the first waterfall we found. There are steps set up on the hill so you can walk down to the water and as we were walking down a girl tumbled down the rocks she was climbing with a friend but luckily landed in the water. Maddy and I both thought we had witnessed a death seeing as she fell on what looked like her head but she surfaced with a grin on her face. Scary! I was at least expecting some blood or something but she seemed to have been fine. I was highly amused when Maddy later said, "I wonder if her mother knows what she's up to".

SPRINGBROOK NATIONAL PARK

STANDING ABOVE A WATERFALL

THE ROCKS WHERE THE GIRL FELL!

SOME COOL TREE ROOTS

After overcoming the shock of this girl's gymnastics we continued up the pathway and deeper into the rainforest. It started raining lightly and being amongst the foliage, away from buildings/roads, and feeling the sprinkles on my head was incredible and a little surreal. We weren't able to see much wildlife but the trees alone are phenomenal. Just such a different type of nature that what I'm used to.

MADDY AND ANNA WALKING THROUGH THE RAINFOREST

HUMONGOUS TREES

The pathway follows the water all the way up so we were hoping to see a platypus but apparently they are ridiculously difficult to see in the wild. Back down at the carpark they have used massive tree trunks as dividers and there's a little cafe where we stopped for a coffee and snack. Will definately be going on many more rainforest walks. The Hinterland (Australian rainforest) is just so incredible and to now have seen it I'm just in awe that a 3 minute walk east of my house I have the beach and a 10 minute drive west I have rainforest. I'll be seeing more of the Hinterland in March as I recently found out I've been accepted for a long weekend eco conservation trip just west of Brisbane!