Coomera Gorge
Coomera Gorge
Dense rainforest, sheer volcanic cliffs, and twin waterfalls dropping into a gorge so deep it takes a second for your brain to make sense of it. For most of the walk, the forest keeps its secrets to itself, then right at the end it opens onto one of the most dramatic views in Lamington National Park. This is Coomera Gorge.
Quick Details
Total Length: 11km
Elevation: 360m (total)
Grade: Moderate
Best season: Best viewed after recent rain, avoid on hot days
Suitable for kids: Only if they’re ok with the distance
Starting the Trail
After one hell of a storm the night before, my first morning at Binna Burra was foggy, the sun trying its best to peek through from somewhere above. We love foggy rainforests, and with rain forecast for the rest of my stay — and a good chance I’d be trapped in my tent — I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to hike my favourite trail on this side of Lamington National Park. So I threw on my backpack, tightened my boots, and headed off.
The trail starts right from the carpark, and straight away you have the option of two different tracks. It doesn’t really matter which one you choose, because they link up again in just over a kilometre, and each one is beautiful anyway. There’s something about these rainforests in southern Queensland that really feels like they completely surround you from the moment you step inside.
The track rolls along the hillside through subtropical rainforest: strangler figs wrapped around host trees, buttress roots stepping out onto the track, the odd whipbird or catbird calling from somewhere out in the green. It doesn’t take long before the forest is all there is — no traffic, no phone reception, just the rhythm of walking and the sound of your own thoughts.
I was walking along, enjoying the quiet morning and the sounds of the rainforest, when I suddenly looked up — maybe it was instinct, maybe it was coincidence. There on the track was a wild dingo. I froze. So did the dingo. I’ve seen plenty of warning signs about dingoes and what to do if you see one in the wild; I just never thought it would actually happen to me. All I could remember was to back away — except there was nowhere to go. All I could do was stand still.
Slowly, the dingo slipped into the trees downhill. It moved until it was level with me on the track and stopped, watching, refusing to move on. We locked eyes again through the trees and I realised it was waiting for me to go first so it didn’t have to turn its back. I walked on slowly, my heart pounding, checking over my shoulder every now and then to make sure I wasn’t being followed. It was an incredible experience, and one that I won’t ever forget.
It wasn’t long before I reached a junction in the trail and turned onto the Coomera Circuit. This is my only turn on the hike. All the tracks in this part of Lamington are well worn and really well signposted, so it’s pretty easy to find your way around — as long as you have at least a rough idea of where you’re going.
This part of the trail weaves between dense forest and places where the trees open right up and you can see the sky. The fog was starting to lift, and it was turning into a beautiful day. The great thing about this track is that you often have long stretches of it to yourself and it’s a chance to slow down and really appreciate the forest around you.
Vines twist and knot through the trees, ferns cover everything and even hang from high up in the trees — defying all laws of gravity and botany. The ground is covered in fallen branches and leaves, which in turn are covered in fungi of all different shapes, sizes and colours. It’s hard to tell where one thing ends and the next begins; each one leaning on another piece of the forest for life, even as it helps the next keep living here.
The track gently winds down the hill and faintly in the distance I can hear the sounds of rushing water. I still can’t see the gorge itself, but through the trees I can make out the forest on the far side and the empty space hanging between. I’m so lost in the sound of the water and the glimpse of that empty space that I barely notice the track has brought me all the way to the lookout.
Coomera Gorge
A large platform has been built right into the side of the cliff; when you stand at the edge, you’re actually hanging over the gorge. Even then you have to look almost straight down, past your own boots. From here, the world simply drops away. Coomera Falls and Yarrabilgong Falls plunge off the far wall, stitching white ribbons down into the gorge while the river twists between them.
It’s the kind of view that makes you go quiet for a minute. The scale is hard to take in — forest all the way down, water thundering into a dark pool, cliffs rising in every direction. Somewhere far below is the Coomera River, already on its journey out towards the lowlands.
The view definitely makes the 5km hike through a hot and humid rainforest worth it. I’ve been here a few times before and this view alone has made it one of my favourites. Unfortunately, for now, this is where the track ends. The circuit used to follow the Coomera River upstream, past a handful of other waterfalls, but it’s been closed due to the track being damaged.
I love coming here first thing in the morning as fog is lifting out of the gorge. Unfortunately, the fog was all gone by the time I reached it on this visit. I’d love to get a closer look at the gorge, but the walls are off-limits because they’re home to rare plants. It’s now a declared restricted access area, which means no climbing, canyoning or dropping down into the gorge itself without a permit — the lookout is as close as most of us are meant to get.
Far away I can hear the sound of voices through the trees — other hikers on the trail on their way to the lookout. I threw my bag back on, took one last look down into the gorge and prayed to the hiking gods above that the next time I visit, the rest of the circuit will be open.
Getting There
Coomera Gorge can be found on the Binna Burra side of Lamington National Park, in the Gold Coast Hinterland. From the carpark, first follow the Border Track and then turn onto the Coomera Circuit.
Tips and Tricks
The humidity through the rainforest on a hot day can be intense. Aim for hiking this trail during cooler weather.
The tracks are well maintained and signposted the whole way. You might have to navigate a fallen tree here and there but all in all the trail is easy to follow.
Binna Burra is a great place to stay, with multiple options for accommodation, including camping, bunkhouses and chalets.