The beautiful Currumbin Valley is situated just 5 minutes drive inland from Currumbin Beach, on the Gold Coast. The Valley is approximately 24 kms in length and between 1-4 kms wide. The Queensland – New South Wales Border marks the valley’s southern boundary, which runs along the ridge line of the McPherson Range. The northern boundary of the valley is marked by high hills and sheer cliff faces, showing the prominent features of the Cougals, Boyd’s Butte and Mt. Durran (Tallebudgera Mountain). The eastern boundary extends from Piggabeen Road to the tip of Simpsons Road.
Currumbin Creek was originally called Anson Creek, after Lord George Anson. The creek begins winding its way through the narrow gorges of the Mt. Cougal National Park, then into tracts of rainforest and open pastures. It flows on to form the Rock Pools, which is a popular swimming and picnic spot for tourists and locals. It then meanders on through green pastures, past many homes, until it reaches the Currumbin Estuary where it flows into the sea, just 12kms north of Tweed Heads.
Currumbin is an Aboriginal word meaning “quicksand” or “high up” or “place where high trees grow”. It is also a species of pine tree.
What started out as a dairy community in the late 1880’s, now incorporates many occupations. As well as dairy farms, we have banana and macadamia plantations, hydroponic farming, strawberry and coffee farming, beef raising, plant nurseries and cottage industries.
At the end of the valley are the foothills of the Springbrook National Park. This pristine tract forms part of the the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, which include the most extensive areas of subtropical rainforest in the world. It offers its visitors a glimpse of our country’s prehistoric past; a hidden shelter for rare and endangered plants, animals and birds, some with genetic history that, amazingly, can be traced back to the subcontinent.
Currumbin Valley is home to a number of homestay’s, bed & breakfast style accommodation, The Ecovillage and Camp Eden Health retreat.
Timber was cut from the area in the 1920’s, and then bananas were planted extensively. By the 1950’s, the Garden of Eden was the biggest banana plantation in Australia at 200 acres.
Timber was again cut from here in the 1950’s. A local sawmill, of which the remains can still be seen today in the adjacent National Park, made wooden banana cases from the common Eucalypt and the Flooded Gum – reported as the fasted growing tree in the world.
Devastating fires ripped through the area in the late 1950’s and killed many advanced trees. Afterwards, this fertile area regenerated rapidly.
Whilst banana trees or the giants of the past today no longer dominate the land, we see the old subtropical rainforest and bushlands returning to offer a secluded place of peace and serenity amongst pristine bushland.
The volcanic history of the area means the soils are fertile with a rainforest canopy of quandong, red cedar, bloodwood and rosewood and a shrub stratum of ferns, bangalow palms, crows nests, elkhorns, staghorns and orchids.
High rainfall averages of 2,100 mm (84 inches) per year, contribute to the many springs that are abundant in this environment together with a rich diversity of birdlife and ground animals. Wedge tailed eagles soar and black cockatoos shriek in the heavens; lorikeets, king parrots and kookaburra’s play in the canopy while below, many species of snakes, insects and Land Mullets go about their business.
Source: Currumbin Valley Facebook page, Big Volcano
