A major upgrade has boosted capacity at the popular Glow Worm Tunnel Precinct car park to meet demand from visitors eager to experience the unique glow worm colony in Wollemi National Park.
The 50,000 visitors who travel to the Newnes Plateau site each year will now enjoy expanded parking capacity and new toilet facilities.
The next stage of the $2.7 million project will see upgrades to walking tracks and the pathway through the tunnel.
National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Blue Mountains Branch director David Crust said work on the walking tracks and pathway is expected to begin after the Easter school holidays.
'Visitors love to view the thousands of glow worms in the historic railway tunnel but walking inside is difficult as the surface is eroding, very uneven and can be wet and slippery,' Mr Crust said. 'This work will create a safe and proper pathway through the tunnel.
'We will also be improving the existing walking tracks to the tunnel and into the Wolgan Valley.'
The upgrade will include improvements to the surface and drainage of Glow Worm Tunnel Walking Track and improvements to the trailhead.
Visitors will also be able to learn about the history of the Wolgan Valley Railway – which closed in 1932 – and the tunnel's transformation into a stable home for glow worms – via new signage.
The upgrade work is funded by the Australian and NSW Government's Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund and will support regional tourism.
'This is a popular location and the upgraded precinct will offer an improved experience to the many visitors who are attracted by the area's beauty and of course, the spectacular glow worms,' Mr Crust said.
'In more good news, Glow Worm Tunnel Road, which runs through the new Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area to Glow Worm Tunnel, and the Deep Pass Trail, has also been repaired and upgraded, which means visitors with two-wheel drive cars can safely use these key access routes during dry weather.'
Over the coming year, NPWS will also be upgrading other visitor access routes within the Gardens of Stone area including the Sunnyside Ridge and Mount Cameron Trails.
The revamped and enlarged car park opened to the public on 10 December 2022.
Visitors are reminded to check the alerts notifications on the NPWS website before visiting for information on closures.
