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Route Description

From the Zig Zag Railway on Chiey Road

(part o the Botanists Way), the Discovery

Trail travels down into Lithgow and past the

State Mine Heritage Park on the north side o

the town. From here you drive up the StateMine Gully Road onto Newnes Plateau where

it joins the Glow Worm Tunnel Road.

The Glow Worm Tunnel Road passes through

extensive areas o pine plantation with many

cross-roads, beore entering native eucalypt

orest. The road then enters national park

(Gardens o Stone on the let, Wollemi on the

right) and ollows parts o the abandoned

Newnes railway alignment past the junction

o the Old Coach Road to No. 1 Tunnel.

Drive through the tunnel and around a

sweeping bend to the road end and carpark.

From the carpark you can walk one kilometrealong the old railway through a erny gorge

to the Glow Worm Tunnel. Lyrebirds are oten

seen here.

The 400m No. 2 Tunnel curves to create a

dark zone where star-like glow worms (the

larvae o a ungus gnat) hang their webs rom

the dripping walls.

A battery-powered light is needed. An

alternative walk to the tunnel is via the

Pagoda Track, which starts rom the carpark

at the Old Coach Road gate. Overnight

travellers can camp along the way at

Bungleboori in Newnes State Forest.

Drive summary

44kmoneway,1hrtodrive(oneway)

Narrowunsealedroads

Start:ZigZagRailway

Finish:GlowWormTunnel

Alerts!:Watchoutforkangaroos,otherwildlifeandloggingtrucks.Slowdownon

narrow sections and beware o oncoming trac on bends. Check road conditions

ater rain.

This is a trail rich in both cultural

heritage as well as varied

scenery as you drive through

escarpment country, pine

orests and into native eucalypt

orests o the Monundilla sector

o the World Heritage Area en

route to the Glow Worm Tunnel.

This latter section o the trail

ollows part o the alignment o

the old Newnes railway.

Newnes Plateau DISCOVERY TRAIL

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