Glowing in the Dark - Glowworm Walking Track - Lithgow - NSW - Australia

The Glowworm tunnel is a popular attraction in the Wollemi National Park. The tunnel can be accessed by an easy 1.5 km walk from the car park at the end of the Glowworm tunnel road. This can also be accessed from Old Coach Road or Wolgan Valley road near Newnes. 

The 400m disused railway tunnel, which was once part of the Newnes Railway line is now taken over by the Glowworms. The railway line was constructed to service Newnes Oil Shale mine and operated from 1907 to 1932. Once the mine was closed, the railway line was also abandoned and the track was dismantled.

Glowworm Tunnel - Lithgow
The Glowworms found inside the tunnel are the larvae of the fungus gnat. During the larvae stage, they are bioluminescent and emits a blue-green light as a result of a chemical reaction in the body. This helps to attract prey like mosquitoes to their sticky webs. How clever are the Glowworms!! 

The railway line passes through two tunnels and you could drive through the first and continue up to the car park at the end of Glowworm tunnel road. We parked near the entrance of the first tunnel and it was 3.4 km to the Glowworms from there. We traced our steps back the same route, so the round trip was around 7km. 

Since we were travelling after a few days of rain, Glowworm tunnel road was in a bad condition with many potholes and slippery muddy sections.

First Tunnel - Glowworm Tunnel Road
The landscape was impressive with pagoda-like rock formations, thriving ferns and narrow gorges. Due to recent rain, the trees, especially the ferns were quite lush.

Along the Glowworm Tunnel Road

The Car Park at the End of the Glowworm Tunnel Road with Pagoda Rocks as the Backdrop
The 2km, one hour round trip Glowworm tunnel track starts at the end of the Glowworm tunnel road. 

Start of the Glowworm Tunnel Track
The track was mostly flat with only a few steps. While the trees have bounced back, the burnt trunks still reminded us of the 2019/20 black summer bushfires.


After about 10 minutes on the track, we crossed the tunnel creek on a small footbridge which led us through a set of stairs through a narrow gap between rocks.


The track soon became muddy and rough, but quite beautiful with the lush green fern that decorated the path.

About 30 minutes on the track got us to the mouth of the tunnel. Glowworms, here we come!!

Entering the Glowworm Tunnel

Soon it became pitch dark and we had to switch on the torch on the mobile. The floor was wet and uneven. These dark damp conditions make it ideal for the Glowworms. When it got very dark, we switched off the torch and the Glowworms appeared like the night sky on the ceiling and the wall of the tunnel. What a splendid sight it was.

Glowworms Mimicking the Night Sky

Light at the End of the Tunnel
From the dark tunnel, we stepped into a nice green open area. The track continued beyond the tunnel. If continued, we could have walked towards Newnes or taken the Old Coach Road and Pagoda track which joins to the Glowworm tunnel track. However, the shortest way back was to trace our steps through the tunnel on the Glowworm tunnel track and that is what we ended up doing.
Lush rainforest  area beyond the tunnel


What a fantastic day and an unforgettable experience!! Though the track was relatively short and not so challenging, it was highly rewarding.

It is quite dark inside the tunnel and the floor was wet and uneven. So if you plan to do this walk, sturdy shoes and some form of a torch are a must to take.

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