Glow Worm Tunnel
The Glow Worm Tunnel is located in the Wollemi National Park. There are several ways to get to the tunnel, but we chose the one from Lithgow and via the Glow Worm Tunnel Road. This option was an hour’s drive from Lithgow with a 20-minute walk.
The tunnel is a disused rail tunnel originally built to access the Newness industrial area. With a realignment of the rail line it was never used. Instead it has been colonised by glow worms and become a tourist attraction.
Getting There
The road in is all dirt and when we used it was in need of maintenance because of the numerous pot holes. At times it is very narrow, and you must stop to let other vehicles pass coming from the other way. The road is passable by two-wheel drive vehicles, but you will need to be careful. On the drive in you pass through some old cuttings not much wider than the road, giving a great additional experience to the drive. You also have to drive through an old tunnel which is even more fun.
The Glow Worm Tunnel Road takes you all the way to a car park, where the road ends and the walking track begins. This car park is very small, with limited spaces. We arrived very early and were the first there. When we left, the car park was full, and cars were parking on the access road in, further narrowing the road. One person brought a camper trailer in and had great difficulty turning it around.
Walking Track
The walk to the tunnel is fairly easy, but with several sets of steps to negotiate. Being a National Parks and Wildlife responsibility, it is well maintained. Walking in provides some great photo opportunities as the walkways and surrounding bush look amazing.
The Glow Worm Tunnel
The tunnel is stated as 400m long and horseshoe shaped, although it didn’t seem that long to us. Maybe it meant 400m return. We walked through the tunnel without spotting any glow worms, possibly because of the noise made by some people. The advice given about the tunnel, is to be quiet so as not to scare them. The far side of the tunnel was very pretty with a small creek and ferns. After looking around for a while we retraced our steps and stopped half way in. With torches off and after a short wait, the glow worms came out and we were treated to a great sight.
What Did We Think?
We had been worried about missing out on the glow worms but were more than happy with what we saw. Remember to take a torch, be careful on the road and try and be quiet in the tunnel.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.