The Gold Coast hinterland is often hailed as the green behind the gold. I discovered there is a lot of gold in the green too, during a media trip hosted by AirAsiaX and Tourism and Events Queensland. The hinterland is home to nine national parks, some of which are Unesco World Heritage Sites.
Less than an hour’s drive from Gold Coast’s famous Surfers Paradise is Tamborine Mountain, nature’s paradise. We were booked for a half-day tour with Southern Cross 4WD Tours, and their little demonstration of what a 4WD can do up steep hill tracks, added to the excitement. Our off-road adventure took us through protected eucalypt forests to the top of the mountain.