Scenic Rim
Encyclopedia
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
s of the Great Dividing Range
Great Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...
straddling the border between south-eastern Queensland
South East Queensland
South East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
and north-eastern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Description
The mountainous landscape forms a quarter circle ridge positioned roughly from south of Toowoomba around to SpringbrookSpringbrook, Queensland
Springbrook is a suburb, mountain and plateau in the Gold Coast hinterland of South East Queensland. The highest point, known as Springbrook Mountain is high...
. Tamborine Mountain, Lever's Plateau and the Lamington Plateau are part of the rim formation. The scenic rim is considered part of the Gold Coast hinterland
Gold Coast hinterland
The Gold Coast hinterland is an area of South East Queensland, Australia that comprises the Tweed Range, Nimmel Range, Tamborine Mountain, Numinbah Valley, eastern parts of the McPherson Range and western parts of suburban Gold Coast.-History:...
and. Parts of the rim are well developed, crossed by highways with facilities for tourists like Cunninghams Gap, others are privately owned agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
properties and rural villages such as Beechmont
Beechmont, Queensland
Beechmont is a residential village located in the Gold Coast hinterland of eastern Australia.The suburb is positioned on a forested ridge leading from the Lamington Plateau to Tambourine Mountain...
and Tamborine Mountain. Much of the rest is protected in national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s and nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s.
Ranges
The ranges include the Little Liverpool RangeLittle Liverpool Range
The Little Liverpool Range is a mountain range of the Scenic Rim in South East Queensland, Australia. It runs from the Main Range to the west of Aratula northwards to the area between Marburg and Hatton Vale where it is crossed by the Warrego Highway...
, Main Range
Main Range
Main Range may mean:* Main Range National Park, Queensland, Australia* Main Range , New South Wales, Australia-See also:* Main Ranges, also known as the Park Ranges, a group of mountain ranges in the Canadian Rockies...
, Mistake Ranges, McPherson Range
McPherson Range
The McPherson Range is an extensive mountain range, a spur of the Great Dividing Range, heading in an easterly direction from near Wallangarra to the Pacific Ocean coastline. It forms part of the Scenic Rim on the border between the states of New South Wales and Queensland. Further west of the...
, Teviot Range
Teviot Range
The Teviot Range, also referred to as the Flinders Peak Group, is a mountain range located on the northern edge of the Scenic Rim region of South East Queensland, Australia....
and the Tweed Range
Tweed Range
The Tweed Range is the western extension of the Tweed Volcano caldera rim in northern New South Wales, Australia. The range marks the southern extinct of the Scenic Rim. The Bar Mountain massif is the highest point on the range, rising to 1130 m above sea level...
. Valleys of the Scenic Rim include Laidley Creek, Christmas Creek, Lockyer Valley, Fassifern Valley
Fassifern Valley
Fassifern Valley is a valley of the Scenic Rim in South East Queensland. Towns found in the valley include Harrisville, Kalbar, Roadvale, Warril View and Aratula...
, Numinbah Valley
Numinbah Valley
The Numinbah Valley is an area of the Gold Coast hinterland in South East Queensland, Australia. This Scenic Rim valley contains many rocky outcrops, waterfalls, rainforest walks, and good hinterland scenery....
, the Albert River, Logan River
Logan River
The Logan River is a river in South East Queensland. The catchment is dominated by urban and agricultural land use. Near the river mouth are mangrove forests and a number of aquaculture farms.-History:...
, Coomera River
Coomera River
The Coomera River is a river situated in South East Queensland. The upper reaches of the river flow from the Lamington plateau and the Lamington National Park. Here are the spectacular Coomera Falls in the Coomera Gorge...
and the Bremer River.
Environment
The geology and landscape of the Scenic Rim is largely volcanic in origin, deriving from the prehistoric Tweed VolcanoTweed Volcano
Tweed Volcano was an early Miocene shield volcano in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. In the course of about three million years, Tweed Volcano was formed over the East Australia hotspot when this part of the continent passed over it around 23 million years ago...
, including the Mount Warning
Mount Warning
Mount Warning is a mountain west-south-west of Murwillumbah, near the border with Queensland in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia...
shield volcano
Shield volcano
A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their large size and low profile, resembling a warrior's shield. This is caused by the highly fluid lava they erupt, which travels farther than lava erupted from more explosive volcanoes...
, and the Focal Peak and Main Range volcanic rock
Volcanic rock
Volcanic rock is a rock formed from magma erupted from a volcano. In other words, it is an igneous rock of volcanic origin...
s. Some areas of sedimentary origin
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
include parts of Mount Barney and eastern Lamington national parks. The deeply weathered, mainly basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
ic, soils support rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
and vine thicket ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s, as well as rare eucalypt
Eucalypt
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora.In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the...
and grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
communities. The area has a subtropical
Subtropics
The subtropics are the geographical and climatical zone of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropical zone, which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at latitudes 23.5°N and 23.5°S...
climate with (at the lowest altitudes) average minimum winter temperatures of 6°C, average maximum summer temperatures of 29°C, and average annual rainfall of 1555 mm.
Protected areas
Areas protected in national parks and other conservation reserves include the Border Ranges National ParkBorder Ranges National Park
Border Ranges National Park, 150 km south of Brisbane, Australia, is in northern New South Wales with a small portion located in Queensland....
, Glen Rock Regional Park, Koreelah National Park
Koreelah National Park
Koreelah is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 631 km north of Sydney. The park is part of the Scenic Rim Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance in the conservation of several species of threatened birds. -Description:The main...
, Lamington National Park
Lamington National Park
Lamington is a national park in Queensland, Australia, lying on the Lamington Plateau of the McPherson Range on the Queensland/New South Wales border...
, Limpinwood Nature Reserve
Limpinwood Nature Reserve
Limpinwood Nature Reserve is a wilderness region of 26 km² situated in the Border ranges of north eastern New South Wales in Australia.The reserve is part of the Shield Volcano Group of the World Heritage Site Gondwana Rainforests of Australia inscribed in 1986 and added to the Australian National...
, Main Range National Park
Main Range National Park
Main Range is a mountain range and a national park in Queensland , 85 km southwest of Brisbane. It is part of the World Heritage Site Gondwana Rainforests of Australia . It protects the western part of a semicircle of mountains in South East Queensland known as the Scenic Rim...
, Mebbin National Park
Mebbin National Park
Mebbin is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 633 km north of Sydney. It is part of the Shield Volcano Group of the World Heritage Site Gondwana Rainforests of Australia inscribed in 1986 and added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2007...
, Moogerah Peaks National Park
Moogerah Peaks National Park
Moogerah Peaks is a National Park in the Fassifern Valley of South East Queensland, Australia, located approximately 70 km south west of the state capital Brisbane...
, Mount Barney National Park
Mount Barney National Park
Mount Barney National Park is a national park in Queensland , 90 km southwest of Brisbane. It amalgamated the adjacent Mount Lindesay National Park in 1980. It is part of the Scenic Rim Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance in the conservation...
, Mount Chinghee National Park
Mount Chinghee National Park
Mount Chinghee is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 93 km south of Brisbane. It is part of the Shield Volcano Group of the World Heritage Site Gondwana Rainforests of Australia inscribed in 1986 and added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2007...
, Mount Clunie National Park
Mount Clunie National Park
Mount Clunie is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 631 km north of Sydney. It is part of the Focal Peak Group World Heritage Site Gondwana Rainforests of Australia inscribed in 1986 and added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2007...
, Mount Nothofagus National Park
Mount Nothofagus National Park
Mount Nothofagus is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 634 km north of Sydney. It is part of the Focal Peak Group World Heritage Site Gondwana Rainforests of Australia inscribed in 1986 and added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2007...
, Mount Warning National Park
Mount Warning National Park
Mount Warning National Park is a park in northern New South Wales, Australia, 642 km north of Sydney near the border with the state of Queensland. It surrounds Mount Warning, part of a remnant caldera of a much larger extinct volcano . The park is administered by the NSW National Parks and...
, Numinbah Nature Reserve
Numinbah Nature Reserve
Numinbah Nature Reserve is part of the Mount Warning caldera, situated in the Border ranges of north eastern New South Wales in Australia. The Reserve is part of the Shield Volcano Group of the World Heritage Site Gondwana Rainforests of Australia inscribed in 1986 and added to the Australian...
and Springbrook National Park
Springbrook National Park
Springbrook National Park is a national park at Springbrook on the McPherson Range in the Gold Coast hinterland of Queensland, , 96 km south of Brisbane. It is part of the Shield Volcano Group of the World Heritage site Gondwana Rainforests of Australia...
. Parts of the Scenic Rim are listed as a World Heritage site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, and some are designated Wilderness Areas.
Important Bird Area
A 1351 km2 area encompassing the Scenic Rim has been identified by BirdLife InternationalBirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
as an Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
(IBA) because it supports populations of endangered Eastern Bristlebird
Eastern Bristlebird
The Eastern Bristlebird is a species of bird in the Bristlebird family Dasyornithidae. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, and temperate grassland...
s, Black-breasted Button-quails, Rufous Scrub-bird
Rufous Scrub-bird
The Rufous Scrub-bird is a bird species in the family Atrichornithidae. It is endemic to Australia.Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests...
s, Albert's Lyrebird
Albert's Lyrebird
The Albert's Lyrebird is a pheasant-sized songbird, approximately 90cm long, with brown upper body plumage and rich chestnut below. It is very similar with the Superb Lyrebird in its habits. This bird also mimics other species sounds....
s, Pale-yellow Robin
Pale-yellow Robin
The Pale-yellow Robin is a species of passerine bird in the Petroicidae family. It is endemic to eastern Australia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is a non-descript bird with grey head and olive upperparts, white throat and yellow underparts. The sexes are...
s, Paradise Riflebird
Paradise Riflebird
The Paradise Riflebird, Ptiloris paradiseus, is a medium-sized, up to 30 cm long, passerine bird of the Paradisaeidae family. The male is black with an iridescent greenish blue crown, throat and central tail feathers. It has a black curved bill, black feet, dark brown iris and yellow mouth...
s, Green Catbird
Green Catbird
The Green Catbird, Ailuroedus crassirostris is a species of bowerbird found on subtropical forests along the east coast of Australia, from southeastern Queensland to southern New South Wales. Its colouring is emerald green, with faint black markings on the face and white streaks on the neck.Green...
s, Regent Bowerbird
Regent Bowerbird
The Regent Bowerbird, Sericulus chrysocephalus is a medium-sized, up to 25 cm long, sexually dimorphic bowerbird. The male bird is black with a golden orange-yellow crown, mantle and black-tipped wing feathers. It has yellow bill, black feet and yellow iris...
s and Australian Logrunner
Australian Logrunner
The Australian Logrunner is a species of bird in the Orthonychidae family. It is endemic to eastern Australia...
s. There are also historical and recent sight records of the critically endangered
Critically endangered
Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
Coxen's Fig-Parrot
Coxen's Fig-Parrot
Coxen's Fig-Parrot , also known as the Blue-browed, Red-faced or Southern Fig-Parrot or Lorilet, is one of the smallest and least known Australian parrots. It is a highly endangered subspecies of the Double-eyed Fig-Parrot...
.
Tourism
There are many recreational activities for day-tripperDay-tripper
A day-tripper is a person who visits a tourist destination or visitor attraction from his/her home and returns home on the same day.- Definition :In other words, this excursion does not involve a night away from home such as experienced on a holiday...
s, rockclimbers
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
, hikers and nature lovers on the ranges. The concept of the Scenic Rim was first described by Arthur Groom
Arthur Groom (Australian writer)
Arthur Groom was an Australian writer, conservationist, journalist and photographer, the son of Arthur Champion Groom.-Early career:...
and Romeo Lahey in the 1920s. They were campaigning for the protection of the forests from Main Range
Main Range National Park
Main Range is a mountain range and a national park in Queensland , 85 km southwest of Brisbane. It is part of the World Heritage Site Gondwana Rainforests of Australia . It protects the western part of a semicircle of mountains in South East Queensland known as the Scenic Rim...
to the Lamington Plateau. At about the same time the Binna Burra
Binna Burra
Binna Burra is a parcel of private land surrounded by Lamington National Park in Queensland, Australia. The settlement lies in the north-eastern corner of the Lamington Plateau, 75 km south of Brisbane. It is a part of the World Heritage site, Gondwana Rainforests of Australia...
lodge and O'Reilly's Guesthouse
O'Reilly's Guesthouse
O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat is a tourist destination in Queensland, Australia, situated in the heart of the Lamington National Park, two hours by road south of Brisbane and 90 minutes by road west of the Gold Coast. It is located in the Scenic Rim Region Local Government Area and and is...
were established as the popularity of the area grew with tourists.