Sometime between 1980 and 2010 the Natural Arch became Natural Bridge.
I'm not sure how an arch becomes a bridge but the sign was very clear - as were the plethora of other signs advising anything beyond the well beaten path is strictly outa limit. I don't think the 'bridge' sees many footsteps.
That aside, the area was still as beautiful as I remember it from my childhood when we children would pile into the sweaty back seat of the car for a Sunday picnic with the extended family.
This time I was there with a new group of friends who, except for one, all shared similar memories of being captured for Sunday drives with their parents to picnic destinations.
The power of the rainforest as we walk down the leaf strewn path to the boulder-strewn creek below is all encompassing. When we reach the bottom and wander around the forest floor it's as though I am a child again but there's no dangling hot feet into the cool stream water. Too many signs forbidding that!
And the waterfall cascading from a bright hole into the iridescent green of the water was simply awesome. Do go and see it for yourself.
I went to the Numinbah Valley and saw hangliders and paragliders running off the side of a mountain. I saw the tall spikes of the Gold Coast bathed golden with morning sun and walked through an ancient caldera.
The Numinbah Valley is an area of the Scenic Rim of the Gold Coast hinterland in South East Queensland, with many rocky outcrops, waterfalls, rainforest walks and wonderful sweeping hinterland scenery. The valley is populated with small hamlets and farming communities.
To the east is the Springbrook plateau and you'll find Natural Bridge in Springbrook National Park on the eastern side of the valley. To the west lies the Lamington Plateau and the Lamington National Park and south is the Tweed Valley.