Gold Coast: Mt Tamborine Rainforest Night Walk with Glow Worms & Waterfall

Your experience

Experience the Gold Coast’s nocturnal rainforest on a 3.5-hour guided tour, featuring glow worm viewing and a torchlit walk to Curtis Falls.

Getting started

Your evening begins with pick-up from select Gold Coast locations. After meeting your guide and receiving a short briefing, settle in for a scenic drive to Tamborine Mountain National Park—Queensland’s first national park, established in 1908.

What to expect

Home to over 85% of the region’s animal species and 65% of its plant life, Tamborine Mountain offers a rich glimpse into Australia’s subtropical rainforest. As night falls, follow your guide through torchlit forest trails, uncovering the sights and sounds that emerge after dark. Along the way, discover Curtis Falls, learn about its Aboriginal significance, and witness one of Australia’s few naturally visible glow worm colonies.

Features

Scenic drive & guide briefing

• Travel in a small-group vehicle from the Gold Coast to Tamborine Mountain, with en route commentary from your local guide.

• Get a preview of the evening’s walk and learn about the park’s significance as Queensland’s oldest protected rainforest.

Torchlit rainforest walk (1.2 km Grade 3 trail)

• Follow a guided trail through lush subtropical forest alive with sounds of the night—crickets, frogs, and rustling leaves underfoot.

• See towering strangler figs, piccabeen palms, and ancient ferns that thrive in the park’s cool, elevated climate.

• Your guide will help you spot nocturnal wildlife such as short-eared brushtail possums, brush-turkeys, and microbats darting through the canopy.

Curtis Falls (Joalah Section)

• Arrive at Curtis Falls, a basalt-column waterfall that cascades into a quiet rock pool.

• Hear about the area’s Aboriginal significance and look for signs of Albert’s lyrebird, a local species known for its elaborate mimicry.

• The viewing platform provides a peaceful, moonlit vantage point, often with the sound of water as the only background.

Glow worm colony viewing

• Walk beside a rock wall where native glow worms (Arachnocampa flava) emit a magical bioluminescent glow.

• These tiny larvae spin silk threads and use their light to attract prey, creating an ethereal scene—only visible in wild, moist environments like this one.

• Your guide will explain their life cycle, behaviour, and how local conservation protects this delicate species.

Local dessert stop

• After the walk, relax with a sweet treat and hot drink at a nearby Mt Tamborine café—an ideal way to warm up and unwind after your forest adventure.

Convenient Return

• You’ll be dropped back to your original pick-up point in the Gold Coast, with plenty of new stories and photos to share.