Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 6 . QUEENSLAND & THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
Tips Exploring Lamington National Park
The easiest way to explore the park is to base yourself at O’Reilly’s Rainforest
Guesthouse in the Green Mountains section of the park, or at Binna
Burra Mountain Lodge in the Binnaburra section (see “Where to Stay &
Dine: Worth a Splurge” below). Most of the trails lead from one or the
other of these resorts, and a 23km (14-mile) Border Trail connects them; it
follows the New South Wales-Queensland border for much of the way,
and can be walked by most reasonably fit folk in a day. Guided walks and
activities at both resorts are for houseguests only; however, both properties
welcome day visitors who just want to walk the trails for free. Both
have inexpensive cafes for day-trippers.
It’s a good idea to bring a torch (flashlight) and maybe binoculars for
wildlife spotting. The temperature is often 10°F to 20°F (4°C–5°C) cooler
than on the Gold Coast, so bring a sweater in summer and bundle up in winter
when nights get close to freezing. September to October is orchid season,
and the frogs come out in noisy abundance in February and March.
room. In summer you may see giant carpet pythons curled up in a tree or large
goannas sunning themselves on rock ledges. Near streams a hissing Lamington
Spiny Crayfish, an aggressive little monster 15 centimeters (6 in.) long, patterned
in royal blue and white, may challenge you. The park comes alive with
owls, possums, and sugar gliders at night.
Most visitors are fascinated by the park’s Antarctic beech trees, which begin to
appear above the 1,000m (3,330-ft.) line. Like something from a medieval fairy
tale, these mossy monarchs of the forest stand 20m (66 ft.) tall and measure up to
8m (26 ft.) in girth. They are survivors of a time when Australia and Antarctica
belonged to the super-continent, Gondwana, when it was covered by wet, tropical
rainforest. The species survived the last ice age, and the trees at Lamington are
about 2,000 years old, with suckered off root systems about 8,000 years old. The
trees are a 2 1 ⁄2-hour walk from O’Reilly’s Rainforest Guesthouse (see below).
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE By Car O’Reilly’s is 37km (22 miles) from the town of
Canungra. The road is very twisty, so take it slowly, allow yourself an hour from
Canungra to reach O’Reilly’s, and plan to arrive before dark. Binnaburra is 35km
(21 miles) from Nerang via Beechmont, or 26km (15 1 ⁄2 miles) from Canungra, on
a similarly winding mountain road. From the Gold Coast go west to Nerang,
where you can turn off to Binnaburra via Beechmont, or go on to Canungra where
you will see the O’Reilly’s and Binnaburra turnoffs. From Brisbane, follow the
Pacific Highway south and take the Beenleigh/Mt. Tamborine exit to Mt. Tamborine.
From there follow the signs to Canungra. Allow a good 2 1 ⁄2 hours to get to
either resort from Brisbane, and 90 minutes from the Gold Coast. Binnaburra sells
unleaded fuel; O’Reilly’s has emergency supplies only.
By Coach The Mountain Coach Company (& 07/5524 4249) does daily
transfers to O’Reilly’s from the Gold Coast, leaving the airport at 8am, picking
up at hotels on the way, and arriving at O’Reilly’s at 12:30pm. The fare is
A$50 (US$33) round-trip. The return trip leaves O’Reilly’s at 2:30pm, arriving
at the airport by 5:30pm. Allstate Scenic Tours (& 07/3003 0700)
makes a run from outside the Roma Street Transit Centre in Brisbane every