"The Gold Coast Hinterland is one of those walks that genuinely surprises you. There are ancient myrtle beech trees as wide as a truck, extraordinary, and two iconic lodges perched high above the canopy with views that make the effort more than worth it."
– Dan, Group Tours Manager
OverviewOverview
Walk through the largest protected area of subtropical rainforest in the world on this seven-day journey through one of Australia's most extraordinary natural landscapes. The Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk links the World Heritage-listed Lamington and Springbrook plateaus across a landscape shaped over hundreds of millions of years, passing towering waterfalls, cascading streams and ancient rainforest that shelters some of Australia's last remaining Antarctic Beech cool temperate forest. Auswalk has selected the most scenic and rewarding sections of the track, with ample time each day to swim, explore and soak up the surroundings before retiring to unique and characterful rainforest retreats each evening.
Highlights
Massive Strangler Figs, ancient Antarctic Beech, Red Cedar, Rosewood and Booyong trees
Admire hundreds of different species of palms, vines, ferns and orchids
Pass cascading streams and towering waterfalls on tracks that crisscross creeks
Trek across the incredible McPherson Range
Explore different levels of the forest on the Treetops walk
Itinerary
Loading overview…
What's Included
Accommodation
4-star Hotel (6 nights)
Meals
6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 6 dinners
Transfers
Private Vehicle Transfers
Luggage Transfers
Guidance & Support
Itinerary & Walk Notes
Walking App for Navigation
24/7 on-trip support
How We Rate This Walk
3
Auswalk Walking Grade
Moderate
Rated by our team — we walk every route before we recommend it.
Expect some hills and longer walking days. A reasonable level of fitness will help you enjoy the experience.
The accommodation on this walk is a genuine highlight. Nights are split between a celebrated rainforest resort perched high on the Lamington plateau, sky lodges with sweeping views across the canopy, and cabins built directly over a rainforest creek at Springbrook — one of the most tranquil settings you will find anywhere in Australia. All properties sit within or adjacent to the national park, all rooms have ensuites, and the sense of immersion in the rainforest never really stops.
What You'll Eat
Dinner, cooked breakfast and a substantial packed lunch are included each day. Lunches are enjoyed at memorable spots on the track throughout the walk. The rainforest lodges take their food seriously, and evenings are a relaxed and rewarding way to end each day in the wilderness.
More About This Trip
Return transfers are included from Gold Coast Airport, Coolangatta and Gold Coast hotels. Simply let us know your arrival details, and we will take care of the rest.
The Gold Coast Hinterland is best walked between May and August, when humidity is low and temperatures are ideal for rainforest walking. September through November and March through April can be warm and humid. The walk is not available from December to February during the summer months.
The terrain is varied and demands solid fitness — the tracks wind through dense subtropical rainforest, across ridgelines with occasional lookouts, and descend steeply into valleys before climbing back up to the plateaus. Tree roots, muddy sections and some steep stair climbs are a feature of the walk, particularly on the descent into the Numinbah Valley and the ascent to the Springbrook plateau. Good waterproof footwear with a solid grip is essential, as tracks can be slippery after rain. A training regime of three to four times per week in the lead-up to departure is recommended.
You must hold adequate travel insurance for your trip, including cover for personal liability and accidental injury and illness. For all trips involving international travel, your policy must also include emergency medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation cover. We strongly recommend your policy also covers trip cancellation and curtailment, and loss of or damage to luggage.
A cancellation fee usually applies if you cancel after your booking is confirmed. Travel insurance with cancellation cover will generally cover this fee, so it's worth arranging your policy at the time of booking.
A detailed information pack and itinerary will be sent to you around six weeks before departure, covering everything you need to know for a seamless experience. In the meantime, our team is always on hand to answer any questions.
Dates & Pricing
Choose Your Start Date
Pick any available date — this is your trip, your schedule
August 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
1Out of season
2Out of season
3Out of season
4Out of season
5Out of season
6Out of season
7Out of season
8Out of season
9Out of season
10Out of season
11Out of season
September 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Available
Limited
Unavailable
Out of season
Prices shown are per person, twin/double share basis.
Gold Coast Hinterland reviews
4.9
19 reviews
5 Star
17
4 Star
2
3 Star
0
2 Star
0
1 Star
0
Tom B
2 months ago
excellent walking tracks, great accommodation/food, an all-round worthwhile experience for a week
Melissa O
3 months ago
Accommodations exceeded our expectations. Walk was great and everything went smoothly.
Leigh K
8 months ago
My sister, niece and I took a self-guided trip through the Gold Coast Hinterland and it was a fantastic experience. Auswalk organized everything for us, gave us incredibly detailed notes about what to expect and the walking app was super for keeping us on track.
Kevin G
9 months ago
The Auswalk Team take the organizational stress out of arranging a multi day hiking holiday. After our 2nd hiking holiday prepared by Auswalk we’d happily use them again
Toni S
10 months ago
The accommodation on this walk was fantastic. The map on the ap was great. The entire walk went very well.
Greg S
11 months ago
Thank you again Auswalk!
Greg and myself thoroughly enjoyed our time trekking in the Gold Coast Hinterland Monday 28th July to Saturday 2nd August. On Thursday 31st July, walking from Binna Burra to O’Reillys was a memorable achievement for both of us. But whatever the day rewarding views and varied forest and bush environments were continuous, around every curve in the track.
Lee was new to the walk, but had a broad knowledge of flora and fauna in general. And at all times a very quick, quirky sense of humour! Whatever our destination either by car or foot I always felt confident that Georgie, our hard working, efficient and experienced leader, would deliver us safely.
We always look forward to the set of photos taken by leaders. They are much superior to our own!
Thank you for organising the cake and song for my birthday. A little embarrassing but a nice touch!
In appreciation as always
Greg S
11 months ago
Thank you again Auswalk!
Greg and myself thoroughly enjoyed our time trekking in the Gold Coast Hinterland. On Thursday 31st July, walking from Binna Burra to O’Reillys was a memorable achievement for both of us. But whatever the day rewarding views and varied forest and bush environments were continuous, around every curve in the track.
Thank you for organising the cake and song for my birthday. A little embarrassing but a nice touch!
In appreciation as always
Cilla B
last year
An opportunity to walk in World Heritage listed rainforest featuring ancient trees, spectacular waterfalls and rare birds. Accommodation at Binna Burra and Mouse’s House was a standout.
Anne T
last year
The Gold Coast Hinterland is a marvelous locations for walking, offering great tracks and fantastic scenery with many waterfalls. I will be definitely looking at other trips with Auswalk in the future.
Rhonda W
last year
I had a fabulous time and would highly recommend it. The guides were excellent, both professional and approachable. It was my third one with Georgie and it great to meet Lee and I appreciated his humour.
Caroline W
last year
I was very happy with all aspects of my walk. Both guides, Lee and Georgie were delightful and excellent leaders. We all enjoyed their company and felt safe on all of the walks. I will definitely do another AUSWALK, but I’m. It sure which one yet.
Rhonda W
last year
I had a fabulous time and would highly recommend it.
Caroline W
last year
I was very happy with all aspects of my walk. Food were of excellent quality. I will definitely do another AUSWALK, but I’m. It sure which one yet.
Denise U
2 years ago
I have just completed the Gold Coast Hinterland 6 day guided Auswalk led by Katie and Georgie. It is a spectacular area, ancient, lush and green, waterfalls and streams , forest bathing at its best. The trails were not too difficult but multi day walking requires some stamina and the easy/ hard options were available each day. The accommodation is excellent. Our small group of 10 were all friendly and had similar fitness levels. We did encounter a lot of unseasonable rain which made for a slippery, muddy track but with the right rain gear and attitude it wasn’t too much of a problem. We saw one elusive dingo and we all became very practised at spotting and removing leeches. I can highly recommend this guided walk.
Scott H
2 years ago
I have just completed the GOLD COAST HINTERLAND HIGHLIGHTS - 5 DAYS self-guided walking package organised by Auswalk. This was my first experience with Auswalk and everything went very well.
Communication was very good and they were really clear about costs and inclusions, and all of the notes and information they provided was accurate and easy to follow. It was great to have all of the details taken care of so all you have to do is show up and walk!
The walk itself was a very good intro to the Great Gold Coast Hinterland Walk.
Gary Gill
3 years ago
We have done three supported walks with Auswalk, The Flinder’s Ranges and The Gold Cost Hinterland unguided and Larapinta Trail guided. All were well designed, well organised and most enjoyable. We’d be happy to walk with Auswalk again.
Nyla C
4 years ago
I have just completed the Gold Coast Hinterland Walk, solo, as a self-guided option with Auswalks. This is my second walk with Auswalks, and totally exceeded all expectations - absolutely stunning scenery; great variety of walks and surfaces; fantastic food and accommodation that had to be seen to be believed. It was truly a trip of a lifetime - providing the peace and quiet I was after, whilst also knowing that every little detail was taken care of - all I had to do was show up and walk - or not, if I so chose! From the moment I was picked up at the Coolangatta airport, to being delivered to the Nerang Train Station at the end, I never had cause to worry about anything. The trip notes were accurate to a fault; the food was amazing and perfect for walking; and the evening accommodation really was the icing on the cake - amazing locations; superb food, and a very restful night's sleep before the next day's adventure. I was so delighted to have been able to do this on my own and was exactly the holiday I was after - I have returned home to NZ, refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated - and excited about planning my next walk.
Joanne P
4 years ago
I can highly recommend this amazing holiday. The walk was breathtaking and the trip notes were easy to follow and understand , the accommodation was varied and very comfortable, not to mention unique and the food was plentiful and all tastes were catered for. Thankyou Auswalk for a wonderful holiday which was good for my body and soul.
Lyn B
4 years ago
The 7 day Gold Coast Hinterland self guided hike was awesome. I always feel some trepidation heading off alone in unknown areas but the trip notes were detailed and descriptive and with my personal beacon in my pack I felt safe. It was also reassuring to walk in areas described as suitable only for fit and experienced hikers and to discover I could complete these competently. The last few months have been extremely wet and I was faced with challenging days where I negotiated mud and slush and waded through calf deep creeks. This added to the overall enjoyment of the hike - thankfully I had poles, gaiters and plenty of newspaper to dry my boots at the end of the day. The accommodation was amazing and each one different. After hiking from O'Reillys to Binna Burra in non stop rain, the bath in the Sky Lodge was so very welcome - and what brilliant views to enjoy while luxuriating in it. My favourite hikes were those in Springbrook, probably because there were less people around and I had the tracks to myself. Thanks Auswalk for a wonderful experience. Looking forward to the next one
Frequently Asked Questions
Coolangatta Airport is your gateway. Auswalk provides a transfer from either the airport or your Gold Coast hotel to your first accommodation at the start of the walk, and a 30–40 minute transfer back to Coolangatta Airport or your Gold Coast hotel after breakfast on the final day. It's recommended to take a morning flight on arrival day. These transfers are included in your trip price.
No problem. Leave your car at your last accommodation and Auswalk will organise a transfer to your first. At the end of the walk, your car will be waiting for you.
Your luggage is transported between accommodations while you're out walking each day — you'll just need a medium-sized daypack for the trail. Bags are limited to 23kg, so please keep within that limit to make things manageable for those handling your gear.
Coverage in the Gold Coast Hinterland is unreliable — this is genuinely remote terrain. Don't count on your mobile for communication. Download the free Emergency+ app before you go, which uses GPS to show your exact location and lets you contact emergency services even without coverage. If you need guaranteed connectivity throughout, a satellite phone is the only reliable option.
No. The Hinterland is remote, and there are no food or drink facilities along the trail itself. All meals are at your accommodations. If you'd like extra snacks or supermarket supplies, sort that out before your transfer to the first property — once you're in, you're in.
May to August is the sweet spot — cooler temperatures, lower humidity, and ideal walking conditions. It can get warm and humid from September to November and again in March to April. The walk is not available in summer (December to February).
The essentials are a waterproof jacket, warm mid-layer, sturdy walking boots with ankle support, sun hat, sunscreen (SPF 50+ recommended), sunglasses, at least 2 litres of water (more in warmer months), a basic first aid kit, toilet paper, and some cash. A portable charger is also worth bringing given the remote location.
Australian dollars. Cards are widely accepted but carry cash — ATMs are scarce along the trail and there's nothing to spend money on out there anyway. Stock up in town before you head in.
Auswalk does their best, but given how remote this walk is, the simpler your requirements, the better the outcome. Flag any allergies or dietary needs at the time of booking. If your diet is particularly restricted, provide a list of what you can eat rather than just what you can't — and consider bringing some of your own supplies from the supermarket before you set off.
Want to Know More?
The Gold Coast Hinterland Experience
Wonder
Follow the Border Track across the McPherson Range from Lamington to Binna Burra
Auswalk from O’Reilly’s to Moran Falls, Canungra Creek and the Tree Tops Walk
Descend the Warrie Circuit to Meeting-of-the-Waters, then climb out via Twin Falls
Wellness
Soak in O’Reilly’s heated outdoor spa pool after the Box Forest circuit
Cool off with a refreshing dip at Warringa Pool on Springbrook Plateau
Sleep above Twin Falls Creek in Springbrook forest chalets
Nature
Ancient Antarctic beech, giant strangler figs, red cedar and booyong trees
Waterfall-lined tracks follow the Little Nerang River towards Purling Brook Falls
Spot Regent Bowerbirds, wedge-tailed eagles and red-necked pademelons in Gondwana rainforest
Trip added to your saved list. Find your saved trips anytime using the in the header.
We use cookies to improve your experience and measure how our ads perform. See our Cookie Policy.
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
-300x200.jpg)
