The 6,197-hectare (15,310-acre) park is situated on the McPherson Range, near Springbrook, approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) 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 (including Main Range, Mount Barney, Lamington, and Springbrook National Parks, and Goomburra Forest Reserve) and the rainforests of northern New South Wales.

[2] 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".

[5] The section is named for Mount Cougal which is in the park, located just on the Queensland side of the border with New South Wales.

There are no official tracks up Mount Cougal itself[5] But there are informal trails from the NSW side of the border that would lead you up to the east peak of mt cougal [6] In 1943 a bush sawmill was established near the creek, producing timber for packing crates for the local banana growers[7] when other timber supplies were being directed towards World War II.

Natural Bridge section receives most of its annual rainfall, 2,500 millimetres (98 in), during the hot, humid summer.

The southern cliffs in Springbrook and Lamington National Park are part of the remnants of the northern rim of the huge, ancient Tweed Volcano.

[10] One small stand of cool temperate rainforest, dominated by Antarctic beech, is located at the Best of All Lookout just over the border in New South Wales.

[12] Other more fire-prone areas support open forests dominated by New England blackbutt and Blue Mountains ash.

[10] Rock outcrops support areas of montane heath or shrubland dominated by species such as Leptospermum variable, Banksia spinulosa and Prostanthera phylicifolia.

[13] Due to land clearing in the hinterland district, Springbrook National Park has become a haven for birds.

[11] In total the park provides habitat for more than a hundred different bird species,[7] including the yellow-tailed black cockatoo, rufous fantail, satin bowerbird, whipbird, and the Albert's lyrebird.

[13] The rare Richmond birdwing butterfly, blue spiny crayfish, and glow-worms, the larvae of the fungus fly, are found in the park.