This was probably our favourite tour for the trip. It came second to our day at Currumbin. Glenn got so many photos and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Springbrook is a must-see if you are in the gold coast region. We could have easily spent several days exploring the many walks. This tour was great as a taster. It showed us the best stuff and made us want to see much, much more.
Springbrook forest
The forest is fantastic. Fantastic. We got to go to several waterfalls and lookouts. The photographic opportunities were endless and the flora is very different to what we get down here. On the way up I lost count of the amount of kookaburras I saw. It was surprising to see such a different kind of rainforest so close to the artificial Gold Coast.
This photo captures a small fraction of the view from the aptly named ‘best of all’ lookout.
The short stroll to the highest lookout on Springbrook Plateau passes through some ancient Antarctic Beech forest. The lookout lives up to its name by providing a panoramic view across Mount Warning to Byron Bay and Coolangatta, though the view can also quickly disappear in the fog and mist that can suddenly roll in from the coast.
via Visit Gold Coast
The waterfalls were amazing but didn’t have that much water due to the lack of rains. In a number of cases you are a fair distance from them so don’t expect spectacular views and photo opportunities at every one. We still managed to get some really beautiful shots at the two waterfalls we got close too.
The flora in this area is completely different to what I’m used to. Barry, our guide for the day, taught us a lot and was incredibly friendly and funny.
I highly recommend this part of the tour
Natural Arch
Oh. My. Gosh. This area was one of the best things I’ve seen in my life. It was a slight walk to get there – some parts of this tour may be a struggle for those who struggle with steps and hills. Again, I loved the forest. 
And then we were there.
Words can’t describe how beautiful this was. I could have sat here for hours just watching the light change. This photo was part of Glenns experiments with long exposure waterfall photography. I’m hoping to return here at some point after decent rains, and I’d love to see the glowworms here. Barry gave Glenn enough time to be a photography nerd, which was appreciated. We then headed to Springbrook Manor which was an incredibly photogenic place. The chips were meh (something that was consistent at *every* place I ate at) but it was the type of place that is fun to instagram. If you’re into that kind of thing 😉
Tropical Fruit Tasting
We crossed the border into NSW and my jaw dropped. I was too busy looking at the view to get a camera out as nothing could do the view justice while we were driving. It was one of the best landscapes I have seen and I’ve visited many parts of Australia. Wow. Shortly after, we arrived here.
It’s important to note that the tropical fruit tasting does not take place at Tropical Fruit World. It takes place at a large farm. This is fine, but it may lead to disappointment if you don’t read the brochures properly. I was excited to taste different varieties of fruit but we only got to taste 5 different types, mostly generic ones. Then, the owner explained the various products made from the fruit. It felt more like a pitch then an experience. It was still interesting, but you have to go in with low expectations.
Overall
This tour is a must-do. It doesn’t matter which company you go with – choose something that is aligned with your interests. The tours have slight differences but these can affect how much you get out of the tour, especially if you are only there for a week or so
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