Stunning forest walk just a few hours outside of Sydney leads to an abandoned tunnel that lights up with glow worms – here’s how to get there
- An tunnel from an old railway line is now covered in glistening glow worms
- The glow worm tunnel trail is in Lithgow, west of Sydney in New South Wales
- Travellers call the adventurous family friendly hike ‘stunning’ and ‘magical’
A wondrous family-friendly stroll through a tunnel covered in glistening glow worms awaits Australians who yearn for adventure.
Fireflies light up a dark and muggy old railway tunnel like stars brighten the night sky at the path in Wollemi National Park, west of Sydney in Lithgow, New South Wales.
In order to reach the ethereal blue-green display, explorers must first traverse a slightly bumpy path by car and walk down abandoned railway tracks past lush forests, narrow gorges and mystical rock formations.
Visitors can through the tunnel which is lit up by sparkling blue-green glow worms (pictured)
The path is in Wollemi National Park, west of Sydney in Lithgow, New South Wales (pictured)
The glow worms have been called ‘magical’
The 400m tunnel was originally built as part of a railway in the early 1900s but was dismantled in 1940, allowing the damp walls to be blanketed by thousands of sparkling glow worms.
As the fireflies are sensitive to noise and light, guests to the tunnel must first turn off their torches and stay quiet before the sprite-like gems will twinkle blue and green.
Visitors to the cave described it as ‘stunning’.
‘This tunnel is just beautiful, photos absolutely do not do it justice,’ said one traveller.
‘[The walk is] definitely worth the reward of seeing the beautiful glow worms in the huge tunnel that is so dark and quiet and stunning. We spent over an hour in there and it felt like 10 minutes.’
The 400m tunnel (pictured) was originally built as part of a railway in the early 1900s
There are two entrances to the tunnel, one which requires a shorter one kilometre walk but with limited parking, and another which is five kilometres but takes you along the original railway formation.
‘The drive in from Lithgow passes through beautiful, boulder strewn country. The walk to the glow worm tunnel is stunning,’ wrote an impressed reviewer.
‘It looks like they’re the Milky Way in their own private galaxy with tiny blue lights,’ said another.
The trail is about two and a half hours from Sydney CBD or two hours from Penrith in the west
Hikers of all ages are allowed to visit the tunnel, as long as they can make the trek up to it
Hikers of all ages should don waterproof boots before the trip and there is the option of walking the 7.5km Wolgan Valley circuit, a rocky four hour loop among stunning scenery.
Animals known to be spotted near the tunnel in Newnes Plateau include goannas, lyrebirds, bowerbirds, swamp wallabies and koalas.
A five hour tour by Wolgan Valley Ecotours is well reviewed, and guides will explain the history of area as well as the science behind the glittering glow worms.
Visitors are recommended to make sure their vehicles can handle the drive to the tunnel, which is two and a half hours from Sydney’s CBD or two hours from Penrith, and to try and avoid weekend crowds.
Animals spotted near the tunnel (pictured) in Newnes Plateau include goannas and lyrebirds