Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area: Bird Hide, Boardwalks and Parking

The Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area is more than 1,200 hectares of wetland, eucalypt forest, saltmarsh and mangroves on the northern Gold Coast, with a bird hide, boardwalks and more than 16 km of flat walking tracks. It is free to visit and open every day, and it is one of the best places on the coast to see birds, koalas and kangaroos.

There are four entry points, each with its own car park and its own walk, so the first job is choosing which one suits your day.

Walks at Coombabah Lakelands

Bird hide walk

Start at the Shelter Road car park. The walk begins on a flat bitumen path through eucalypt forest, then becomes a winding boardwalk through the mangroves to the bird hide. The hide is 800 metres from the car park.

Signs along the way describe local and migratory birds, and there are seats for resting and watching.

Melaleuca boardwalk and the Wallaby Circuit

The Melaleuca boardwalk is an elevated boardwalk over the wetlands and part of the 1.2 km Wallaby Circuit loop. Listen for frogs and native birds along it. Park at the car park on Lakelands Drive, reached from Pine Ridge Road.

Myola Court boardwalk

The Myola Court boardwalk is a flat, linear trail of about 2 km return beside a waterway. The car park is opposite 29 Myola Court. The flat tracks suit all ages and fitness levels.

Koala trail

The Koala trail is reached from Lakelands Road, off Pine Ridge Road. It is a good one for spotting koalas and kangaroos, and it links to other trails in the area. Its length is not published, so check the trail map before you set off.

Wildlife and birdwatching

The area is habitat for 274 animal species. Koalas, powerful owls and grey-headed flying-foxes are listed as vulnerable or near threatened, and you may see koalas in the trees and kangaroos grazing in the grassland.

The wetland also supports 24 internationally protected migratory bird species. The bird hide is the place to settle in with binoculars.

Can you ride a bike at Coombabah Lakelands?

Bike riding is listed as an activity here and the flat tracks suit it. No specific bike rules are published, so give way to walkers on the boardwalks and keep to the marked tracks.

Is Coombabah Lakelands dog friendly?

No. The conservation area is a dog prohibited area. The City of Gold Coast dog exercise area map shows where you can take a dog off leash instead.

Planning your visit

• Hours: open daily, 6 am to 6 pm. Leave before the gates close.
• Cost: there is no entry or parking fee listed.
• Toilets and water: there are no toilets and no drinking water anywhere in the conservation area. Bring water.
• What to bring: water, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, binoculars and a download of the trail map.
• Picnics: picnicking is listed as an activity, but there are no facilities, so take everything with you and bring your rubbish out.
• Accessibility: the tracks are flat and suit all fitness levels, and the bird hide walk starts on a bitumen path. Check the maps if you use a wheelchair or pram, as the boardwalks are narrower.

Getting there and parking

The conservation area is about 69 km from the Brisbane CBD, about 60 minutes by car without traffic. It is on the Gold Coast side of Moreton Bay, a short drive from Helensvale.

There are four places to park:

• the Shelter Road car park, for the bird hide walk;
• Lakelands Road, via Pine Ridge Road, for the Koala trail;
• a car park on Lakelands Drive, via Pine Ridge Road, for the Melaleuca boardwalk;
• a car park opposite 29 Myola Court, for the Myola Court boardwalk.

For buses and trams, plan your trip with the Translink Journey Planner or call 13 12 30. Full details are on the City of Gold Coast page.

Nearby

• Helensvale – parks, playgrounds and a Westfield for lunch afterwards.
• Hope Island – a marina and waterside parks a short drive north.
• Southport Broadwater Parklands – rockpools and playgrounds for the kids.
• Southport – the Broadwater, shops and cafes.

Browse more nature walks, wildlife watching and the Gold Coast.

Events in the area

• Runaway Bay Carols – see the post for the next dates.

You might also like

• Toohey Forest (Nathan)
• Obi Obi Boardwalk (Maleny)
• Cooyar (Toowoomba)

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