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Pretty Pictures…
But Is This the Reality Planned for Springbrook?

The Queensland Parks website showcases beautiful artist’s impressions of families strolling through peaceful rainforest. The images suggest a quiet, nature-based experience that blends gently into the landscape.

But do those images tell the whole story?

According to the published project information, the proposed upgrades include infrastructure designed to accommodate very large visitor numbers, including a 200-car car park, a new bus drop-off area, and Class 2 walking tracks. Under Queensland Parks’ own classification system, Class 2 tracks are intended to accommodate large numbers of visitors, potentially thousands each day, and may be up to four metres wide to provide easy access for high visitor volumes.

That is a very different picture from the peaceful scenes presented in the promotional artwork.

From Remote Wilderness to High-Volume Tourism?

Springbrook has always been treasured because it feels wild, peaceful and remote.

Visitors come here to escape the city—to experience ancient Gondwanan rainforest, towering waterfalls and one of Australia’s most precious World Heritage landscapes.

Many local residents fear these upgrades could fundamentally change that experience.

The proposal includes:

• A 200-car parking area.
• A bus terminal capable of servicing continuous visitor arrivals.
• Wide Class 2 walking tracks, potentially up to 4 metres wide, designed for heavy visitor use.
• New visitor infrastructure around one of Springbrook’s most iconic natural attractions.

The concern is not simply about improving accessibility—it is about the scale of the infrastructure and whether it is appropriate for a fragile World Heritage landscape.

Read the Queensland Parks proposal here

Paving Paradise?

The area proposed for the new parking facilities has been carefully restored over many years by local volunteers using native species.

Residents are deeply concerned that replacing restored vegetation with large-scale visitor infrastructure risks undoing years of community conservation work.

Many are asking:

Is this really the future we want for Springbrook?

What About Purling Brook Falls?

Community members are also concerned about the additional proposed suspension bridges and wider concrete pathways surrounding Purling Brook Falls.

If constructed as proposed, they fear these structures could permanently alter the natural character of one of Queensland’s most photographed waterfalls.

Others have also raised concerns that increasing access and constructing elevated viewing infrastructure at a location already known for serious safety incidents warrants careful consideration as part of any planning process.

These are issues that deserve thorough assessment before construction begins.

A World Heritage Area Is Not a Theme Park

Springbrook National Park forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.

World Heritage areas exist to protect landscapes of outstanding global significance—not simply to maximise visitor numbers.

Improving access and protecting natural values are both important objectives. The challenge is ensuring that one does not come at the expense of the other.

As planning progresses, many residents are calling for transparent consultation, independent environmental assessment and careful consideration of whether the proposed scale of development is appropriate for this internationally significant landscape.

Take Action

If you believe Springbrook’s unique wilderness character should be protected for future generations, now is the time to become informed and have your say.

Learn more about the community campaign and sign the open letter through Save Springbrook.

Once a wilderness is transformed, it cannot easily be restored. The decisions made today will shape Springbrook for generations to come.