This three hour walk is like no other. Turn off your torch as you entered an old railway tunnel and let your eyes adjust to the magical sparkle of thousands of glow worms
It’s time to turn your torch off and embrace the darkness with this epic 6k walk in the pitch black. Abandoned railway tunnels in the UK may be filled with graffiti, gangs of teens playing music from speakers, and floors littered with cans of cheap booze – but down under, things are a little different.
A train hasn’t passed through the the Wollemi National Park, some two and a half hours from Sydney, since the 1940s. Metal tracks can still be seen running into the 3.7 mile long tunnel, which now attracts swathes of tourists from around the world. That’s because the Aussie tunnel has been overtaken my thousands of glow worms, which provides a uniquely illuminated walking guide. The tunnel curves almost 180 degrees, giving you amazing views of the gnat larvae that live on its roof and walls.
The walk takes around two-three hours, starting from the carpark at the end of Glow Worm Tunnel Road. You’ll stroll through lush tall forest and pagoda rock formations for around 1.5km before reaching the tunnel entrance.
Turn your torch off and let your eyes adjust to the darkness. It won’t be long until you then start to see the glow worms in all their glory. Keep your noise to a minimum though as glow worms are very sensitive to sound, and avoid using flash. If you’re walking in the day, when there is still light, you should still be able to see the worms due to the length of the tunnel creating stretches of darkness.
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“Once you reach the end of the tunnel, follow the track for another 1.5km though lush forests of eucalyptus, broad-leaved hickory and tree ferns in the wet gully environment of Penrose Gorge,” said National Parks NSW. “Take a break at the lookout to see expansive views of Donkey Mountain and Wolgan Valley. As you walk back the way you came, look out for goannas and lyrebirds. During spring and summer, the walking track is dotted also with yellow pagoda daisies, while banksias bloom in the cooler months.”
You can listen and learn about the railway’s heritage and glow worms as you see them along the walk with the national park’s self guided audio tour. Just make sure you download it before you leave home to listen to the tour offline as there isn’t any mobile reception along the walk.
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