There’s nothing quite like a sunny day trip out of the city, with the window down and the fresh breeze on your face. Luckily for us here in Gold Coast, we’ve got plenty of amazing hiking trails, waterfalls, caves and more that can be found just a stone’s throw away. Here are 6 awe-inspiring caves near Gold Coast, ready to be explored on your next escape.
1. Natural Bridge, Springbrook
Tucked away in Springbrook National Park is this glow worm cave with a waterfall raging inside it. Since the walk to this popular spot is only 1km, it can be completed in an hour or less, which means you’ll have time to explore the rest of the park. We recommend coming here after dark to see the shiny glow worms that illuminate the cave.
Distance from Gold Coast: 50 min
Grade: easy
2. Mount Maroon Caves, Scenic Rim
A personal favourite, a true hidden gem, but also not one for the faint of heart, Mount Maroon Caves can be found off-the-beaten-track on the northern side of Mount Maroon. And by that, we mean you’ll have to jump off the main Cotswold trail and trek through the bush using a GPS trail map. We recommend downloading and using AllTrails for this one. It’s well worth the effort, especially around sunset when the cave is lit up with the glow of the sun.
Distance from Gold Coast: 1hr 50 min
Grade: hard
3. Kweebani Cave, Lamington National Park
This is one spot that’ll make you feel super small. Located along the scenic Caves track in the Binna-Burra side of Lamington, Kweebani Cave towers over you at each glance. The 7km return journey takes you through the lush rainforest and offers views from the Darlington Range down to the Coomera Valley.
Distance from Gold Coast: 1hr
Grade: moderate
4. Paradise Caves, Noosa Heads
One for the beach lovers, these bayside caves can be found in Noosa National Park, but only during low tide. To find them, you’ll need to start at Sunshine Beach and walk north over the headland. Along a dense bush trail, you’ll come to a secluded bay, soon scrambling over rocks to find the caves. We recommend wearing shoes with good grip, rocks at the beach get mighty slippery if they’re still wet.
Distance from Gold Coast:2hr 45 min
Grade: moderate
5. Glow Worm Caves, Tamborine Mountain
There are plenty of reasons to visit Tamborine Mountain: the local wineries, distilleries, foodie delights, picturesque outdoor scenes, and well, a stunning glow worm cave that lights up at night. The only thing that sets apart the Tambo glow worm cave from the Natural Bridge, however, is the Tamborine Mountain one costs to visit, whereas the Natural Bridge is free. Both are totally worth the visit, though!
Distance from Gold Coast: 45 min
Grade: easy
6. Cherubs Cave, Moreton Island
One thing that sets Cherubs Cave apart from the rest in this list is this one can only be accessed underwater, on a scuba dive. The incredible dive site is located 4km off the eastern side of Moreton Island, so you’ll need to catch a ferry over to the island and jump on a boat tour to visit this one. Avid or keen divers, click here to secure your spot.
SEE MORE: 10 Absolutely Stunning Waterfalls To Catch In The Gold Coast Hinterland