Austinville–Bonogin Nature-Based Recreation upgrades

• Project typeEnvironment

We are investigating and planning new nature-based recreation opportunities in Austinville and Bonogin. These projects are designed to enhance how people experience our natural areas while ensuring they are managed sustainably and continue to protect the hinterland’s unique environmental and cultural heritage.

Project details

The Austinville valley contains a significant area of protected land resulting from long-term investment in conservation, land acquisition and Voluntary Conservation Agreements (VCA) on private land. This protection has been strategically expanded over time to link with the Austinville section of Springbrook National Park, creating a connected network of conserved areas across the landscape.

Over the past 20 years, we have partnered with the community and Austinville Landcare to deliver conservation initiatives across the valley. Through programs such as NaturallyGC Landcare, Land for Wildlife, and large-scale ecological restoration, areas that were once cleared and degraded have been restored to thriving bushland environments, significantly improving the valley’s biodiversity. This work continues today.

As the Gold Coast’s population continues to grow, more people are seeking time in the Hinterland and visiting the Austinville valley to connect with nature along Mudgeeraba Creek. With a lack of dedicated recreation areas and visitor facilities, this increased visitation is placing pressure on the natural environment.

It is standard practice within national parks and conservation areas to provide appropriate facilities and infrastructure that concentrate visitor use within managed areas. This approach helps protect ecological values and encourages positive visitor behaviour by directing people to a single, well-managed location, rather than allowing impacts to spread throughout the natural area.

To help meet demand and ensure people can connect with nature in a sustainable way, we will:

• improve and better manage public access
• provide visitor facilities
• create and upgrade walking trails
• Increase formalised parking

Recreation Trails – Austinville and Bonogin

New recreation trails will be established within the Austinville Conservation Area (Mudgeeraba Creek section), including two loop walks and a connecting trail linking the Austinville valley to an existing trail network to Bally Mountain and the Bonogin valley.

Parts of the existing Bally Mountain Summit trail will also be upgraded to improve sustainability and the overall walking experience, with wayfinding signage and rest areas included.

Together, these improvements will help manage visitor movement, support ongoing conservation and restoration efforts, while providing more opportunities for people to sustainably explore and connect with nature.

New visitor area (trail head) – Austinville Conservation Area

We are preparing designs for the open grassed area next to Mudgeeraba Creek to become a trail head for the new recreation trails. The space will provide start of trip and end of trip facilities including public toilets, shelters, picnic tables, educational signage, improved pedestrian access and formalised parking. This will provide a dedicated, well-managed area for people to enjoy and experience Mudgeeraba Creek, while also offering direct access to the recreation trail network.

By formalising this existing grassed open space, the project will help concentrate visitor use into one well-managed area. This will reduce reliance on the many informal creek access points along Mudgeeraba Creek, minimise environmental impacts, and better protect the surrounding natural environment into the future

Project schedule

Benefits for the community

• New public amenities
• Formal car parking at key trailheads
• Improved trail network
• More accessible infrastructure with upgraded surfaces
• Improved Bally Mountain Summit trail
• Educational and wayfinding signs

Next steps

We are continuing ecological restoration to protect and improve the areas' natural values.

Trail upgrades will progress to detailed design, focusing on sustainable routes and environmental protection.

Following the concept stage, the Austinville visitor area (trail head) will progress to detailed design. This phase involves undertaking further investigations to test feasibility and viability, refining key elements to inform a construction-ready design

Get involved

Our NaturallyGC Landcare team collaborate with local groups, including the Austinville Landcare Group and the Bonogin Valley Bushcare Group. For event details, visit our Naturally GC calendar.

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