Key facts
- Mount Warning dominates this landscape. The mountain was so named by Captain James Cook after his ship, The Endeavour, almost ran aground on the nearby reefs.
- This oasis of subtropical rainforests that reaches out from the heart of the Tweed Valley to the Queensland coast, and west towards the Great Dividing Range, offers a window to Australia’s prehistoric past.
Full story
It's not exactly the sort of holiday experience people normally associate with Australia’s glitzy Gold Coast, but just south of the Queensland border, a short drive from the Gold Coast Airport, lies a very different side of paradise.
Known as Australia’s Green Cauldron, this oasis of subtropical rainforests that reaches out from the heart of the Tweed Valley to the Queensland coast, and west towards the Great Dividing Range, offers a window to Australia’s prehistoric past.
About 20 million years ago, the volcanoes that lie along what is now the border between Queensland and New South Wales began bubbling lava. When they had finished some three million years later, what remained was mighty impressive. In their wake they left a rippling landscape of high peaks and valleys, which has since evolved into a biological wonderland so rich with life that the region now is home to 14 national parks with World Heritage listing.
It’s no wonder that the Tweed Valley and its surrounding escarpment are classified as a National Landscape.
At the centerpiece is the magnificent Mount Warning, the eroded caldera of an ancient volcano. It could take a week to fully explore the loops and trails of the Rainforest Way touring route which showcases the region, but if you have less time there are a series of touring routes that fit neatly into one or two days.
The best place to start is at the World Heritage Rainforest and Visitor Information Centre in Murwillumbah, a friendly art deco country town on the banks of the Tweed River. Sip coffee at one of the many excellent cafes in town while planning your route. Make sure to check out the dioramas and audio visual presentations at the visitor centre; these show the geology of Mount Warning and its creation and the incredible biodiversity of flora and fauna found in the region.
For a spectacular view, go to the Tweed River Regional Art Gallery. The panoramic view from the art gallery’s verandah is beautifully reflected in the collection of artworks inside.
Heading out of town, take the well sign-posted Mt Warning View Circuit (Tourist Drive 32) which follows the base of the mountain to the Mount Warning National Park. You will be rewarded with picturesque views of the valley and rim of the caldera.
Along the way, roadside stalls offer fresh local produce and bush tucker grown in the valley’s fertile volcanic soils. Driving along this road gives you a sense of why this mountain is regarded as a sacred site by the local Aboriginal tribes of the Bundjalung nation. Thick jungle-like rainforest shrouded in an ethereal mist create a timelessness that is the inspiration for Aboriginal Dreamtime legends. It is also the first place in Australia to feel the warm rays of the morning sun each day.
The road brings you to the base of the mountain and the Breakfast Creek Picnic Area. It’s a 4.4km walk to the top of the mountain, however out of respect for their traditional law, the Bundjalung ask that you consider not climbing. There is no official ban on climbing, but the walk to the summit is challenging and the return trip can take four to five hours, so climbers should make sure they are well prepared.
Alternatively, enjoy the Lyrebird Walking Track which winds through 200m of palm forest and finishes at a viewing platform. Listen out for the calls of the lyrebirds as you walk this track.
Mount Warning dominates this landscape. The mountain was so named by Captain James Cook after his ship, The Endeavour, almost ran aground on the nearby reefs. The plants and animals in this park have a genetic history that stretches back to the super continent known as Gondwana.
The local Aboriginal people know the mountain as Wollumbin, meaning ‘cloud catcher’. In Aboriginal legend, Wollumbin was a giant bird, speared by a warrior. This spear is still visible as a point on the summit. Other legends say fighting warriors cause the lightning and thunder often observed on the mountain. In 1986, the park received World Heritage listing.
Return to the main road and meander through historic villages such as Uki, a charming outpost with an alternative character and a thriving art and craft community. You'll get a great view of the mountain from the veranda of the historic Mt Warning Hotel. The area has a range of great places to eat or stop overnight. Options include Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat, a delightful hideaway offering accommodation in self-contained cabins; Mavis' Kitchen and Cabins; Mt Warning Lodge; the Buddha's Belly or the Mt Warning Caravan Park.
The road through to Tyalgum follows the western wall of the caldera. Here the landscape opens up to reveal rolling hills and breathtaking views. Tyalgum hosts an annual music festival which attracts some of Australia's finest musicians each September. Further up the road at Chillingham, you can buy pottery at the Old Butcher Shop Gallery and hand-made soaps.
To complete the Tweed experience, return to your starting point by way of the Tweed Coast Way. This journey takes you through the seaside settlements and uncrowded beaches of Pottsville, Hastings Point, Cabarita, Casuarina, Salt Village and Kingscliff. A detour to the quirky town of Mooball provides a slice of Australian culture and humour. The residents here have painted black and white cows on pretty everything and the collection of cow-inspired arts, crafts and souvenirs in the Moo Moo Cafe has to be seen to be believed.
Take time to explore Australia’s Green Cauldron. Stand amongst Gondwanan rainforest and 2000-year-old Antarctic beech trees and experience one of the world’s great natural wonders.
Author: Kris Madden on behalf of Tourism Australia. This article is copyright free and may be reproduced.