Figures show why locals and Europeans love the hinterland falls and walking paths

SPRINGBROOK is climbing its way out of the tourism doldrums with a big spike in visitors in the past year.

Hot Weather in GC Hinterland before the expected extreme heat due Saturday, Adelle Botha and James Fletcher at Springbrook.

SPRINGBROOK is climbing its way out of the tourism doldrums.

Statistics obtained for the first time show a 24 per cent increase in visitor numbers to the Hinterland mountain community from March to December last year.

Area councillor Glenn Tozer said tourism numbers were being tracked by volunteers working at the mountain’s visitor information centre.

Domestic tourists account for more than 67 per cent of visitors with 21 per cent of those locals and almost 30 per cent from Brisbane or other parts of southeast Queensland.

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Of the international tourists arriving for the rainforest walks and to photograph the waterfall, almost 44 per cent were from Europe.

Purling Brook Falls, Springbrook is a huge drawcard for tourists. Picture: JERAD WILLIAMS

The breakdown of the other visitors included almost 13 per cent from the United States and Canada, about 6 per cent from Japan, 7 per cent from China and more than 11 per cent from other Asian countries.

Cr Tozer said the key driver of the increase was more promotion of the area’s environmental tourism assets.

“I think there has been an intentional change to promote the Hinterland through Gold Coast Tourism and other tourism marketers in the city, including our office,” he said.

Both the council and the Springbrook Chamber of Commerce pushed an “explore Springbrook” campaign and partnered with state promotional groups to promote environmental tourism.

“There was a time when the numbers of visitors to Springbrook were declining,” Cr Tozer said. “These figures were before the suspension bridge was opened.

Tourists at one of the many look outs in Springbrook. Picture Mike Batterham

“We’re hoping to see the continued growth for sustainable tourism options.”

Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates is also confident the tourism turnaround will continue after the opening in February of the $1 million bridge across the Purlingbrook Falls enabled walkers to use tracks closed for several years.

“This is the first time we’ve been able to quantify the number of people coming to Springbrook,” she said.

“We are getting some numbers we didn’t get before.

“With the bridge, it’s opened up the whole circular path. Just from the feedback on Facebook, there’s a lot more people going up there.”

Ms Bates called on National Parks Minister Steven Miles to guarantee tenders would be reopened for a former boutique hotel on a 10ha site near the falls.

She said a recent Bulletin report revealed two buyers had pulled out because the Government had taken “too long” to make a decision on the Springbrook Mountain Manor.

“The ALP say they are supportive of tourism on the Gold Coast so they need to put their money where their mouths are and reopen tenders for the manor,” she said.

“I’m calling on the Minister for National Parks, Steven Miles, to guarantee that the manor will not be leased to green groups such as the Australian Rainforest Conversation Society at peppercorn rents of $1 a year, as has occurred in the past.”