Wollemi National Park's favourite resident glow-worms are now more accessible than ever because of recent upgrades to the historic railway tunnel where they live.
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The popular Glow Worm Tunnel precinct, on the Newnes Plateau opened to visitors on June 1.
An official opening to celebrate the $4.3 million upgrade will be held in coming weeks.
Major upgrades to the site by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service include improvements to the walking tracks, tunnel pathway and carpark. Work was also done on the site's drainage after flooding affected the area.
The Glow Worm Tunnel precinct upgrade was jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund.
Visitors are reminded to check the alerts notifications on the NPWS website to check for the latest information and advice ahead of visiting.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Blue Mountains has invested months into improving access to the Glow Worm Tunnel and surrounding areas.
Bathurst MP Paul Toole praised the upgrade on a social media post on June 1.
"The Glow Worm Tunnel Precinct is [now] open with new parking and amenities plus a refurbished walking track making it easier for visitors to experience the tunnel and beautiful surrounds," Mr Toole said.
"It's an easy walk through a 120-year-old railway tunnel lit by glow worms to picturesque views of the Wolgan Valley."
The new path was developed to protect the cultural and historic heritage of the tunnel and minimise the impact on the glow worm population.
The exit area where visitors gather to take photos also received an upgrade that reinstated the surface area that collapsed due to flooding in 2021 and 2022.
During the initial stages of the upgrades in January 2023, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Blue Mountains Branch director David Crust said the developments will support regional tourism and benefit the 50,000 visitors who travel to the Newnes Plateau each year.
The tunnel is home to thousands of glow worms
"Visitors love to view the thousands of glow worms in the historic railway tunnel," he said. "But walking inside is difficult as the surface is eroding, very uneven and can be wet and slippery."
"The upgraded precinct will offer an improved experience to the many visitors who are attracted by the area's beauty spectacular glow worms," Mr Crust said.
