The Cream Track

The Cream Track is the name given to a track from the Tallebudgera Valley, up to the Springbrook Plateau, following a route that early dairy farmers used to get their product down to the coast. It is a challenging track, because of its gradient, and especially challenging after rain.

Waterfalls

Lookouts

Swimming

Bird Watching

Picnic Facilities

BBQ

Toilets

Rainforest

828m

Maximum Elevation

708m

Total Climb

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Getting there

The track begins at the end of Tallebudgera Creek Road (sealed all the way), where there is a carpark and Gold Coast City Council signage describing the track. Notably, the sign describes going to a website in order to obtain a permit to cross some private property on the Springbrook end of the track, but the website no longer exists. There are now no signs prohibiting access on the way up the mountain, and the old signs a walker encounters on the way back down are, like the GCCC signage, clearly out of date. Walkers should keep to the path (which is, on the whole, quite well-formed), and respect the multiple "private property" notices that are passed.

Walk Details

Cross through a gate at the start of the track and travel about 800m following the creek. There are three creek crossings which may require getting your feet wet, depending on whether there's been recent rain. Soon after the third crossing the track diverges, with the right hand track clearly signed as the Cream Track (the left follows the creek to various swimming holes; handy for the end of your walk).

From this point, the next few kilometres are almost relentlessly upward, with some sections being quite steep. At times you walk on a clear footpad, and at other times you walk along the old 4WD track. The GCCC trail markers are pretty clear, especially around the bottom half of the walk.

About 2km in, you'll come across a viewpoint, near a banana plantation, with views north towards Mt Gannon and Tallebudgera Mountain. The next 2km or so are the steepest part of the track, though there are still a few short inclines to negotiate towards the top. There aren't any significant navigational difficulties.

Towards the end of the track, it opens out onto a gravel road that leads to the Goomoolahra Picnic Area and Lookout, with good views towards the coast and a waterfall (weather dependent). Retrace your steps to return to the start, and keep your eye out for views of the Cougals on your way back down.

Maps

QTopo: Mount Cougal 9541-132 and Springbrook 9541-133

GPS Tracks

The Cream Track - Springbrook Mountain to Tallebudgera Valley (KML)

Comments

Never made it quite to the summit.

First trip was to explore the waterfalls along the river bed and second was to tackle the track. Started later than we hoped fue to getting lost on the drive over and missing the entrance to the track and die to heat had to turn back not too far up fromthe banana plantation clearing
Korina Meagher on Oct, 2019

A good walk, although if you haven't got a car waiting at the other end it's a two-way trip; round trip about 5 hours (2 down, 3 up). Pretty steep, and as you're under the canopy most of the way there aren't many opportunities for views, tantalising as the bits you can see suggest it would be quite spectacular. Take lunch; there's nowhere to eat at the bottom, and the cafe's on Springbrook are open irregularly. Have fun!
John F on Sep, 2019

Good walk, took me about 3.5 hours. It's fairly well sign posted, but there's a few points that could use a tad more tape. Fantastic views of the Gold Coast from the top.
Bec on 11 May, 2019

Pretty hard track, but well worth it. You'll be we inside the bush! Quite steep! Very rewarding dip in the creek down below at Tallebudgera
Cesar on 4 Nov, 2018

This was a really challenging walk. The first walk for both of us in a long while so can’t believe we chose this one! We started at the bottom. You drive right to the end of the road until you find a little car park a creek and a house and then there is a gate you enter. Don’t forget a permit which is free just in case. There are heaps of areas where you can easily veer off track so keep a watchful eye out for the surveyors tape. This track is so steep in some parts that I felt like it just wouldn’t end but once you get to the farm and turn around and sit on the benches there you realise why you just sweated and struggled up the mountain! The view is super amazing and honestly it’s worth the hike up...we didn’t bother finishing at the top and stayed just at the chairs and then made our way back down through the cow pats to the track again. The hike back down was just as hard and we slipped a lot on the way down especially at the end in the mud where there was no where to hold on to.
All in all this track was good and we will do again as a challenge.
Belindak77 on 27 May, 2018

So slippery in the wet coming down..good challenge going up!
Sally on 22 Apr, 2018

Nice trailed hike, pretty scenery, good view from the top. Workout going up makes it fun on the descent!

Lia Skye
www.livingahimsa.com.au
Lia Skye on 22 Jan, 2018

Fantastic track, we didn't come across any other walkers today which made it feel like a hidden gem. Initial start has gorgeous creek crossings (which could definitely be more difficult after rain), then the incline begins & continues pretty much all the way. Good views & beautiful bush, falling the pink tape isn't hard although we lost it twice, we found it quickly enough. The track did take us longer than expected, my trail app logged us at 11.5km return & 4.5hrs with a lunch break.
petalani on 1 Jul, 2017

A great but challenging walk. As this track is not used too much it's likely you'll get to see wildlife not seen around the more popular Springbrook tracks. There's a couple of decent views along the way too.

New guideposts have really improved track visibility but it still needs a bit of work. You'll still need to follow the pink tape in a number of sections. We accidentally went off track twice but it did not take too long to find our way back. I highly recommend to bring a GPS with you.

The main service track is in good condition however to avoid private property sometimes the track veers off into rougher and slightly overgrown areas, because of this you really should wear long pants. I received a few scratches and collected a tick. The track is steep is some sections but manageable.

Thank you to the land owner of Serenity Farm who allow walkers to access this track :-)
rob.bushman on 11 Dec, 2016