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If catching a heart-stopping glimpse of an endangered native bird is something that gets you going, we see you. Australia is a haven for hard-core twitchers and old-fashioned bird appreciators, and word on the wire is that there’s a world-class birdwatching paradise lying just 30 minutes from the Gold Coast and an hour from Brisbane. Meet: The Scenic Rim.
This lush expanse of emerald hills and sparkling waterfalls is best known as home to the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforest, six national parks – including the Lamington and Tambourine National Parks – and a series of ancient mountain ranges. Rich with volcanic soil and innumerable stunning waterholes, trees and vistas, this sprawling landscape is also a sanctuary for rare native birds found nowhere else on the planet.
With the rise of younger twitchers (definition: deeply determined bird watchers who travel long distances to ‘tick’ rare birds off their watch list, opposed to more casual 'birdwatchers') taking off on social media, birdwatching has become a cultural and tourism phenomenon in the last few years, bringing in a whopping $636 million to the Australian economy in 2024.
Queensland’s vast Scenic Rim region has become a hotspot for twitchers eager to spot rare species, including the critically endangered eastern bristlebird, red-tailed glossy black cockatoo, flamboyant regent bowerbird and Albert’s lyrebird.
Where is the best place to see birds in the Scenic Rim?
Lamington National Park and Tambourine Mountain are both excellent birdwatching zones. Binna Burra in Lamington National Park, in particular, has been drawing birdwatching fans (and the more dedicated twitcher subculture) for more than 90 years, boasting heaps of rainforest trails, stunning views and lush gullies. You can stay at Binna Burra Lodge for front-row seats to the aviary action, with a birdwatching guide available at the hotel.
Another standout place to stay in the Scenic Rim that comes with a birdwatching guide is O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat, where luxurious discovery packages and accommodation options promise to give you a unique and holistic look at the amazing nature in the Gold Coast Hinterland region. Twitchers, what are you waiting for? It's time to fly to Queensland.