Hike at a Glance

Australia > New South Wales > Wollemi National Park

Quick overview: Discover the natural wonder of the Glow Worm Tunnel walking track, a short and family-friendly hike nestled in the lush Wollemi National Park, New South Wales. Starting and ending at Old Coach Rd, this 2km journey is a Grade 3 walk, ideal for moderate-level hikers. Along the walk, spot the stunning pagoda rock formations, tall forests, and of course, the thousands of glow worms that light up the 400m-long tunnel. It's a 1.25-hour trip that's well worth the 165km journey from the CBD, especially for those eager to see native wildlife like goannas, lyrebirds and maybe even a koala.

Length:

2km

Duration:

1.25 hrs

Grade:

Style:

Return

Max elevation: 0m

Min elevation: 0m

Total Ascent: 0m

Start: Old Coach Rd

End: Old Coach Rd

Wollemi National Park

New South Wales

Nearby town: Newnes Plateau

From state capital: 165km

Latitude: -33.23883667

Longitude: 150.2276967

8 Reviews

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Hike overview

Glow Worm Tunnel walking track is a short, easy walking track, only a 2.5hour drive from Sydney. It's popular with families and Sydneysiders keen to see glow worms in their natural environment.

The track starts from the carpark at the end of Glow Worm Tunnel Road. Enjoy the easy 1km walk to the tunnel entrance, past an impressive landscape of tall forests, lush tree ferns, narrow gorges and stunning pagoda rock formations.

The 400m-long tunnel was built in the early 1900s as part of the railway for the thriving mining industry at Newnes. It's now home to thousands of glow worms that cling to the dark, damp walls. Switch off your torch, keep quiet, and wait for the worms to light up the tunnel with pinpricks of blue light.
On your way back, look for goannas and lyrebirds. If you're lucky, you may spot a swamp wallaby or koala. During spring and summer, the walking track is dotted with yellow pagoda daisies, while banksias bloom in the cooler months.

You can also access Glow Worm Tunnel from Old Coach Road or from Wolgan Valley Road near Newnes. If you're up for a challenge, the 7.5km Wolgan Valley circuit is a 4hr loop that features pagoda and Wolgan Valley views.

For an extended version of this return walk, refer to the The Glow Worm Tunnel Walk (11.5km).

Track grade

Grade 3 (Moderate) - Walks for Most Fitness Levels: Grade 3 on the AWTGS represents moderate walking tracks. These are ideal for walkers with some fitness who are comfortable with some hills and uneven terrain. While suitable for most ages, some bushwalking experience is recommended to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Tracks may have short, steep hill sections, a rough surface, and many steps. The total distance of a Grade 3 walk can be up to 20 kilometers.

Practical information

Please take care in the tunnel as the ground is rocky, uneven and slippery.
It's completely dark inside the tunnel, so remember to bring a torch.
Try to keep noise to a minimum as glow worms are sensitive to sound.
It's best to visit during the week or in spring or autumn. It can be very busy and there's limited parking during summer, weekends, and holiday periods.
Please stay on the walking track to protect the fragile ecosystem in this World Heritage-listed national park.

Visit NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service for more information on this trail.

The longitude and latitude of the start and end points are approximately only and should not be used for navigation purposes. Please contact me if you know the correct coordinates.

Walk map and GPX file
Glow Worm Tunnel Walking Track (2km)

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Explore safely

Planning this hike? Most incidents develop before you even start. Safe outcomes depend on how navigation, hydration, environment, load and judgement work together. Small oversights can compound quickly in Australian conditions. See how it happens in the Hiking Safety Systems Foundations. Then use the Hiking Safety Systems, planning calculators, and make sure a trusted contact has your trip plan before heading out.

Leave a trip plan

Before you go, complete a trip intentions form and share it with a trusted contact. Agree on a Late-Back Time and ask them to call 000 (Police) if you have not checked in. A clear trip plan is one of the simplest and most effective safety steps you can take.

Planning checklists

Download the hiking preparation and safety checklists before leaving home to help you think through your plans. They help ensure important considerations are not overlooked and support safer decision-making on the trail.

Getting there

Getting to the trailhead: Wollemi National Park.

From Bells Line of Road via Newnes Plateau Turn off Bells Line of Road at Clarence (Zig Zag Railway).Follow the gravel road through Newnes State Forest for 39km. Continue on Glow Worm Tunnel Road until you reach the carpark. From here, it’s an easy 1km walk along the railway formation to the tunnel entrance.From Lithgow via Newnes Plateau. The route is signposted from the corner of Bridge St and Main Street.Turn left at Atkinson Street and after 750m, right at State Mine Gully Road.Continue on Glow Worm Tunnel Road until you reach the carpark. From here, it’s an easy 1km walk along the railway formation to the tunnel entrance.

Please drive slowly along the narrow gravel roads and look out for wildlife. Unsealed roads Vehicle access 2WD vehicles (no long vehicle access) Weather restrictions 4WD required in wet weather Parking The carpark is at the end of Glow Worm Tunnel Road, 1km south of the Glow Worm Tunnel. Car spaces are limited during peak times. You can also park at the Old Coach Road carpark and walk along the Pagoda walking track and connect with Glow Worm Tunnel walking track (4km return).

Need a rental car to get you to the hike? Find one here.

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Accommodation nearby

Find Accommodation

Find accommodation close to the trailhead including hotels, cabins, and campgrounds. Use the interactive map to explore available options in nearby towns.

Nearby towns: Bells Line of Road, Bilpin, Broke, Bulga, Bylong, Capertee, Cessnock, Colo, Colo Heights, Denman, Kandos, Kurrajong, Kurrajong Heights, Lithgow, Mount Tomah, Mount Wilson, Putty, Rylstone, Sandy Hollow, Singleton

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Trail statusThis trail is OPEN.This trail is permanently CLOSED.Please only report permanent closures and provide evidence in the edit box below.

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Reviews
Glow Worm Tunnel Walking Track (2km)

8 Reviews on “Glow Worm Tunnel Walking Track (2km)”

Overall rating

Meggie Anderson

Daniel Holman

24/03/2022, 05:13

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Acknowledgement of Country

Glow worm tunnel walking track (2km) trail hiking australia

Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia

Last modified:

February 25, 2025

Hike at a Glance

Hike overview

Track grade

Practical information

Walk map and GPX file
Glow Worm Tunnel Walking Track (2km)

Glow Worm Tunnel Walking Track (2km)

Explore safely

Leave a trip plan

Planning checklists

Getting there

Accommodation nearby

Similar walks nearby

The Glow Worm Tunnel Walk (11.5km)

Wolgan Valley Rail Trail Walk (11km)

Newnes Industrial Ruins Walk (2.5km)

Deep Pass Split Rock (3km)

Gallery

Suggest an edit

Reviews
Glow Worm Tunnel Walking Track (2km)

Glow Worm Tunnel Walking Track (2km)

8 Reviews on “Glow Worm Tunnel Walking Track (2km)”

Leave a Review. Cancel reply

Acknowledgement of Country

Curated by: Darren Edwards | Trail Hiking Australia

Last modified:

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