Explore Gold Coast's best kept secret: The Hinterland

Learn how to handle a crab from the Catch A Crab expert. Photo: The Star/Ming Teoh

Deep in the heart of Queensland is one of Australia’s best kept secrets: the Gold Coast hinterland of rainforests where one can enjoy nature hikes and treetop walks, breathtaking sunsets, outdoor jacuzzis, and spot unique wildlife and birds.

Most travellers flying into Gold Coast will head for the beaches and perhaps even theme parks, but when we touched down at the airport after our flight on Scoot recently, we were taken to the hinterlands after a delightful breakfast.

Eight journalists from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, were there for a media familiarisation trip hosted by Tourism & Events Queensland and Destination Gold Coast.

The Tree Top Walk is just a stroll away from O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat. Photo: Tourism and Events QueenslandWe headed to the O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat and Villas located in the World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park, where we were checked into a one-bedroom villa each. The first thought that crossed my mind when I stepped into the villa with its spacious living and dining room, kitchen and verandah (which had an outdoor jacuzzi!) was “I could totally live here”.

Nestled in the heart of the national park, far from the hustle and bustle of the city yet without compromising on creature comforts and connectivity, this is where you can get some rest and respite and recuperate from the stress of life.

It is a nature lover’s paradise with lush temperate rainforest, cascading waterfalls and panoramic views. Here, one has the opportunity to explore over 160km of walking trails, marvel at more than 500 waterfalls and be amazed by over 250 species of unique Australian wildlife right outside your door. Some of the wildlife found in this national park include kangaroos, wallabies, possums, dingoes, koalas, bats, and large spiders.

Our first evening was spent enjoying the “Sunset Experience” where we were brought to a secret location to enjoy a glass or two of bubbly with a cheese platter (including smoked meats, nuts and dried fruit) while watching the breathtaking sunset of glorious purple, pink and orange.

Exploring the inside of a dead strangler fig tree at Lamington National Park. Photo: The Star/Ming TeohThe next morning, led by our knowledgeable guide Nathan, we set off for the "Tree Top Walk", which was just a few minutes’ stroll from the resort. Said to be the first of its kind in Australia, it gave us a bird’s eye view of the rainforest canopy as we walked along forest trails and a series of suspension bridges 16m above the ground and climbed up ladders to look-out platforms.

We even explored the insides of a dead strangler fig tree.

Of course, the rainforest there is quite different from our Malaysian rainforests in terms of the flora and fauna, and the cool weather made it a very pleasant walk.

What was special about the experience was the opportunity to encounter wildlife and birds, some of which are so “tame” that they’d even eat out of your hand and had been given names by the locals, such as “Mr and Mrs Whippy”, a pair of whipbirds.

We then returned to the resort grounds where got up close and personal with more creatures in a wildlife encounter experience with our charismatic host Nick, who introduced us to Wally the sulphur-crested cockatiel, Alan the friendly carpet snake, some squirrel gliders, and other critters.

The writer and her assigned alpaca at Mountainview Alpaca Farm. Photo: The Star/Ming TeohNext, we headed to O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards where the Mountainview Alpaca Farm is located. Here, we each had the chance to walk an alpaca. It was a very cute and fun experience, with a few alpacas being quite naughty and preferring to walk their humans instead, much to the amusement of the onlookers!

We also enjoyed a sumptuous gourmet picnic lunch complemented by some beverages and a sweet dessert of ice cream. Visitors who join this experience would just have to let the host know of your dietary needs and/or restrictions prior to the excursion, and they will accommodate your request.

Enjoy a picnic basket lunch outdoors by the river at O'Reilly's Canungra Valley Vineyards. Photo: The Star/Ming Teoh

For coffee lovers, our next stop – the Tambourine Mountain Coffee Plantation – was an experience unlike any other. Located in the hinterland, it is one of the few places in Australia where you can see coffee being grown, processed and roasted, as well as try a cup or two (or more!), all in one place.

While most coffee plantations are inaccessible and far away in the mountains, this boutique farm is close enough to the city for locals and tourists to check out.

Learning more about coffee from Sam at Tamborine Mountain Coffee Plantation. Photo: The Star/Ming Teoh

Closer to the coast, you can still enjoy outdoor and wildlife activities at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, where we had the opportunity to see koalas in their enclosures and even carry a baby koala, get close to kangaroos taking afternoon naps accompanied by ibis, and see other regional wildlife such as Tasmanian Devils, crocodiles and myriad birds.

The writer trying her hand at carrying a baby koala at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo: The Star/Ming TeohWe also had the opportunity to watch a few of the many shows offered at the Sanctuary: The WildSkies Free Flight Bird Show, and the Aboriginal Culture Show. There is a Wildlife Hospital, too, that is dedicated to treating, rehabilitating and releasing injured or rescued Australian wildlife.

At Tweed River, we had the opportunity to go on the "Catch A Crab Morning Tour". We boarded a ferry and cruised down the river, saw pelicans and a few other birds.

Then, we got wet pumping for yabbies (Australian freshwater crustaceans) which we used as bait for fishing later.

Yabbies - Australian freshwater crustaceans like a species of crayfish - caught during the expedition. They are commonly used as bait for fishing. Photo: The Star/Ming TeohWe also had the opportunity to reel in live mud crabs from traps set in the river earlier and learn more about their characteristics from our expert host David and his assistant, Montana.

The sweet climax of the experience was to taste the freshly cooked crabs and fresh raw oysters at The Oyster Shed. With a full belly and more than a handful of happy and memorable experiences, this work trip definitely gave us a different perspective on the Gold Coast.

> This trip was made possible by Tourism & Events Queensland, Destination Gold Coast and Scoot, which flies three times daily to the Gold Coast, a major gateway into Australia’s Queensland.