Queensland invests millions into Gold Coast tourism ventures
The Queensland government will invest millions of dollars in an ecotourism initiative in the Gold Coast’s hinterland, with a campground and zipline development project on the edge of protected land.
The zip line near the hinterland town of Springbrook will be the largest in the country, covering a kilometer in area, Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said on Friday.
It was one of two funding announcements for southeast Queensland tourism initiatives, with the other $4 million going to a surf park project in Parkwood.
“Tourists these days don’t just come to sit in a hotel or on the beach; they want adventure,” Powell said.
He said the adventure park would be located on a 120-hectare parcel of land next to Springbrook National Park, west of the Gold Coast beaches and about 100 kilometers south of Brisbane.
Developer David Taylor said the project, called Numinbah Escape, would include a 34-site campsite, amenities and a permanent cafe.
“We combine truly immersive, nature-based tourism accommodation with exciting adventure activities, from guided bushwalking tours to rock climbing, mountain biking and much more,” he said.
Taylor said his family has met and exceeded the government investment, but expects the cash boost will mean the park can be finished five to seven years earlier than originally planned.
The money comes from an $80 million fund the state government is using to launch tourism initiatives across the state ahead of the 2032 Olympics. Includes a zipline along the Brisbane River.
Located about an hour’s drive north of the Numinbah Valley on nearby Mount Tamborine, Thunderbird Park now has its own zipline tour 70 meters above the ground.
Plans for a cable car at Springbrook have also been proposed to attract tourists to the Gold Coast hinterland, but are controversial locally.
By late 2025 the council was still exploring a potential route for this development, despite local residents and management opposing it. environmental protection groups voicing concerns about its potential environmental impact.
Friday’s announcement also included $4 million. Palm Valley surf park projectEndorsed by retired world champion surfer Mick Fanning.
The park will include a golf course as well as a wave pool and surf academy at Parkwood, near Gold Coast University Hospital.
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