The Numinbah Valley is a valley and locality in the Gold Coast hinterland in South East Queensland. This Scenic Rim valley covers 116 km²[3] and contains cleared grazing land, rocky outcrops, waterfalls, rainforest walks and good hinterland scenery. Lonely Planet has described the valley as the most beautiful in South East Queensland.[4]
Compared to other areas of the Gold Coast the Numinbah Valley has remained largely undeveloped in recent decades. To the east is the Springbrook plateau. On the eastern side of the valley is the Natural Bridge in Springbrook National Park and to the west lies the Lamington Plateau and the Lamington National Park. To the south is the Tweed Valley in northern New South Wales.
Vegetation in the valley includes dry and wet sclerophyll forest. The valley is part of the upper catchment area for the Nerang River which flows into the Hinze Dam in the lowest elevated and most northern part of the valley. The communities of Advancetown and the small township of Numinbah are located in Numinbah Valley.
The river which lies in the Numinbah valley region is home to the duck billed platypus. The platypus is regularly seen in Bonchow park and Forest park in Numinbah valley. recent studies show that most of the platypus population on the Gold Coast lies in Numinbah valley and Canungra fresh water streams including Scenic Rim suburbs such as Palen Creek, Rathdowney, Mount Barney and surrounding suburbs.
The valley was first explored by timber cutters seeking cedar in 1845.[6] Bullocks hauled the felled timber to Nerang. Later in the 1860s, when a route to the Tweed Valley was discovered as surveyors mapped the Queensland/New South Wales border, settlers moved into the area.[6]
Bornhoffen PCYC or the Numinbah Valley Environmental Education Centre caters for large groups of students. These large recreational facilities are situated in the southern and highest part where the headwaters of the Nerang River coalesce.
Heritage listings
Numinbah Valley has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
