Day 4 Sunshine Coast to Gold Coast via Warwick Trip

Rainforest circuit (Class 3) Distance: 1.6km return

Time: Allow about 25min walking time

Details: The circuit commences at the eastern end of The Crest car park. It passes the Allan Cunningham monument and is the beginning of an extensive track system on the northern side of Cunninghams Gap. The Fassifern Valley lookout is on the eastern part of the circuit and can be reached by climbing the stairs at the first track junction. The lookout provides a spectacular view over distinctive volcanic peaks, the Fassifern Valley and Lake Moogerah.

For an easier way round the circuit, turn left at the base of the stairs and walk the circuit in a clockwise direction.

Warwick Sitting gracefully on the banks of the Condamine River, historic Warwick – known for its roses and rodeo – features some of the state’s finest original sandstone buildings. From here it’s an easy drive to explore the friendly villages and small towns of the Southern Downs.

Settled over 150 years ago, the town is rich in “Heritage and Historic Building Trails” featuring a number of well-preserved churches, cottages, railway stations, schools and monuments – each with its own story of old. One of the most interesting stories is that of Thomas Byrnes whose imposing statue stands in the main street – the talented son of poor Irish immigrants, he rose to be Queensland Premier in 1898 and after just five months in office, tragically died of pneumonia.

“Rose City”, rose plots are prolifically planted throughout Warwick’s Central Business District and can be seen at the Visitor Information Centre, the Warwick Art Gallery, the Warwick and District Historical Society Museum and in various plots on the northern approach to the city.

8 Locke Street,

Acacia evenue

Daggs Falls Lookout is the easiest of the falls on The Falls Drive to access, with the viewing platform coming directly off the parking area.

Queen Mary Falls is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area that internationally recognises the natural values of this unique landscape, having provided refuge to species for millions of years.

It’s a place where ancient lineages of flowering plants, songbirds (such as bower birds) and other rare or threatened animals (such as the spotted-tail quoll) are protected.

Queen Mary Falls is part of the headwaters of one of Australia’s longest river systems, the Murray–Darling. The headwater, Spring Creek, plunges 40m over Queen Mary Falls to continue its twisting journey down the valley floor to join the Condamine River’s upper reaches.

Spend some time exploring the Queen Mary Falls circuit, a 40-minute walk that takes you from the lookouts at the top of the falls to the creek below.

Situated in the Scenic Rim, Templin has over the years produced dairy, grain, meat and vegetables and the Templin Historical Village invites guests to step back in time and see what life was like for early settlers in the area. Spanning 10 acres, the museum showcases the area's varied history, epitomising this quintessential country town. 16 buildings have been saved and house thousands of stories, images and collections Templin Historical Village is an amazing place to visit. You literally step back in time. The buildings are all kept in amazing condition. There is so much to see

Visitors depart from the Rainforest Eco Gallery and begin the adventure on a spectacular elevated walkway through the beautiful middle and upper canopies of the rainforest.

The walkway is a stable, high-tech steel structure enabling visitors to explore these canopies in a safe and secure way. It descends gradually to the lower canopy and follows points of interest including rockpools and waterfalls, a butterfly lookout, local history enclosure and sheltered rest areas along the way until reaching the amazing Cantilever.

This is a 40 metre long span soaring 30 metres above the valley, with spectacular views over the creek and the rainforest canopies below. Finally the walk returns along the rainforest floor to the Centre.

For those who venture onto the canopy walk, the adventure begins in the Rainforest Eco Gallery which has a comprehensive array of rainforest fauna and flora information and displays.

These include interpretive panels with descriptions and photos of sub-tropical rainforest wildlife, static displays and an aquarium with a variety of Australian freshwater fish.

The “Birdwing Café” serves delicious light refreshments inside or on the deck beside the rainforest, also on offer an interesting gift and souvenir shop with quality merchandise.

Open every day (except Christmas Day) 9.30am to the last walk at 4pm.

Enjoy an enchanting walk through wet eucalypt forest beneath towering flooded gums and into cool and lush rainforest. Look for the beautiful crows nest and staghorn ferns in the canopy, and stop to marvel at the intricate strangler fig.

The first view of the falls will take your breath away. Depending on the season, a raging torrent or gentle curtain of water tumbles over huge basalt columns to the pool below. The columns are the legacy of the region's rich volcanic history.

Look for basking turtles on fallen logs and see fish and eels in the rock pool. If you’re lucky you might see the local platypus. Distance of walk 1.2km