page_title: Springbrook National Park
section_title: Natural Bridge section
hierarchical_section_title: Springbrook National Park / Natural Bridge section
caption_attribution_description: English: They are larvae of a mosquito species, Arachnocampa flava, a fungus gnat. Their larval stage has a blue luminescent glow, which helps them attract preys. The Arachnocampa genus are only found in Australia and New Zealand. Sadly, due to the increasing tourism in recent few years, their populations are shrinking. My tour guide told me that many tourists would use point light at them or use flash light when taking pictures, which is devastating to these larvae. The larvae will think the light is from their companions, so they will compete to glow brighter, so that they can attract more preys. But by doing that, they will use up all energy and can’t survive to the adult stage. They usually die three days after strong light. Strong moonlight kills them too, which was the case the day I went. I wasn’t able to see a full cave of glowing worms as you would find in other pictures online. However, the view was still spectacular.
context_page_description: The Springbrook National Park is a protected national park that is located in the Gold Coast hinterland of Queensland, Australia. The 6,197-hectare park is situated on the McPherson Range, near Springbrook, approximately 100 kilometres south of Brisbane. The park is part of the Shield Volcano Group of the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.
  In December 1994, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee officially extended the area now known as the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area over the Scenic Rim and the rainforests of northern New South Wales. In 2007 the areas of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia were added to the Australian National Heritage List. 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.
  In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, the Springbrook National Park was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a "Natural attraction".
context_section_description: The Natural Bridge is a naturally formed rock arch over Cave Creek, a tributary of the Nerang River.  It was formed from a waterfall which undercut a cave beneath the waterfall and dug a pothole on top, until the two joined and the creek flowed through the cave, leaving an arch across the front.
  The bridge is in the territory of the local Kombumerri aboriginal people (a family group of the Yugambeh language peoples).  The first Europeans to find it are said to be timber cutters Alexander (Sandy) Duncan and Din Guinea.
  The cave is home to a colony of glow worms (larvae of the insect Arachnocampa flava) and commercial operators lead night tours into the cave. The ‘light’ you see is produced within the glow-worm's body. It is the reaction of four chemicals that produces the cold light or bioluminescence—meaning ‘living light’. Glow-worms generate this bioluminescence to lure their prey. Swimming is no longer permitted in order to protect the glow worm habitat.  This applies to the area bounded by the walking track / circuit.  Downstream access to the creek is allowed but the pools are too shallow for swimming. Access to this section of the park is from the Nerang-Murwillumbah Road.
caption: Arachnocampa flava in one of the caves in the national park
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