Zig Zag to Bungleboori Picnic Area
Bungleboori Picnic Area to
|
The Newnes Plateau and South Wolgan area is riddled with fire trails, and the first
time you head out there it is easy to get lost. With the exception of the Upper
Wollangambe (Dumbano) fire trail, pretty much all destinations go via the Bungleboori
Picnic Area, and there are a couple of ways to get there. The shortest by distance is via
the Newnes Forest Rd, which runs between the Zig Zag railway at Clarence, and the Glowworm
Tunnel Rd. The Newnes Forest Rd to Bungleboori Picnic Area is currently (02 Dec 2007) in moderate condition. It deteriorates after rain and with the impact of
4wd vehicles, logging trucks and mining trucks. The other route is via Lithgow, and then
up State Mine Gully Rd, which becomes the Glowworm Tunnel Rd. This is nearly twice as
long, but not much slower, as the road condition is generally more consistent,
particularly after rain.
The routes listed below are generally suitable for 2wd cars with plenty of clearance.
Low clearance vehicles may have difficulty on some roads, particularly to the Natural
Bridge and Deep Pass.
In current conditions, I take about 14 mins via Newnes Forest Rd, and 18 mins via
Lithgow.
The Glowworm Tunnel Road past Bungleboori Picnic Area is in moderate-to-good
condition (16 Nov 2007).
Zig Zag to Bungleboori Picnic Area via Newnes Forest Rd
| 0.0 |
Turn off Bell's Line of Road at Zig Zag railway turnoff. Head right, cross the railway
tracks, and keep right as you head up the hill |
| 4.8 |
At a sharp left hand bend the Upper Wollangambe fire trail turns off to the right. |
| 8.8 |
Turn right at the junction with the Glowworm Tunnel Rd. |
| 11.1 |
You reach the Bungleboori Picnic Area on your right. |
Zig Zag to Bungleboori Picnic Area via Lithgow
| 0.0 |
From Zig Zag, continue along Bell's Line of Road (actually the Chifley Hwy at this
point) into Lithgow. Turn right at the traffic lights at Bridge St and and then right
again into Inch St immediately after you cross the railway tracks. Turn left into Atkinson
St, just after a right hand bend. After crossing a level crossing and a bridge, this
becomes a dirt road (State Mine Gully Rd) as it heads steeply up a hill, and then becomes
the Glowworm Tunnel Rd. |
| 15.5 |
Pass a junction with the Newnes Forest Rd on your right |
| 17.8 |
You reach the Bungleboori Picnic Area on your right. |
Bungleboori Picnic Area to Waratah Ridge car park
(Hole-in-the-Wall car park)
| 0.0 |
From Bungleboori Picnic area continue straight ahead |
| 3.1 |
Turn right at Waratah Ridge Rd (signposted) |
| 7.1 |
Turn right at Two Trees Rd intersection (signposted) |
| 9.1 |
Keep right at a Y intersection |
| 10.1 |
Keep straight ahead at a 3-way intersection |
| 10.7 |
You reach the Waratah Ridge car park |
Bungleboori Picnic Area to Galah Mountain car park (Rocky
Creek car park)
| 0.0 |
From Bungleboori Picnic area continue straight ahead |
| 3.0 |
Keep straight ahead at Waratah Ridge Rd (signposted) |
| 13.4 |
Turn right at Galah Mountain Rd (signposted), as the double fire trail ends |
| 13.7 |
Pass Barcoo Swamp camping area on your right |
| 13.8 |
Veer left at a Y intersection |
| 18.5 |
Turn right at a locked gate (the starting point for a number of canyons such as
Surefire and Heart Attack) |
| 18.8 |
Pass a locked gate on your left (the starting point for a number of canyons such as
Breakfast Creek, Closet, Galah etc) |
| 19.9 |
Reach the Galah Mountain car park |
Bungleboori Picnic Area to Old Coach Road car park
| 0.0 |
From Bungleboori Picnic area continue straight ahead |
| 3.0 |
Keep straight ahead at Waratah Ridge Rd (signposted) |
| 13.4 |
Keep straight ahead at Galah Mountain Rd (signposted), as the double fire trail ends |
| 17.9 |
Turn right at a Y-intersection on to the Old Coach Road. |
| 22.0 |
Reach the Old Coach Road car park on your right. |
Bungleboori Picnic Area to Glowworm Tunnel car park
| 0.0 |
From Bungleboori Picnic area continue straight ahead |
| 3.0 |
Keep straight ahead at Waratah Ridge Rd (signposted) |
| 13.4 |
Keep straight ahead at Galah Mountain Rd (signposted), as the double fire trail ends |
| 17.9 |
Keep straight ahead at a Y-intersection (Old Coach Road) |
| 24.6 |
Reach the Glowworm Tunnel car park |
Bungleboori Picnic Area to Deep Pass
| 0.0 |
From Bungleboori Picnic area continue straight ahead |
| 3.1 |
Pass Waratah Ridge Rd (signposted) on your right |
| 9.4 |
Turn right at the end of the pine plantation into Boundary East Forest Rd. This is
just after the double road starts, and a large cleared area runs along side the road for
the next 4km |
| 10.0 |
Turn left at the second intersection at a large clearing |
| 10.5 |
Veer right at a Y-intersection |
| 12.6 |
Keep straight ahead as a fire trail turns off to the right |
| 13.1 |
Turn right at a Y-intersection. A sign points left to Mt Cameron, right to Deep Pass. |
| 14.0 |
Keep straight ahead as a fire trail turns to the right. A sign points straight ahead
to Deep Pass. |
| 14.1 |
Keep straight ahead where a road heads left |
| 15.2 |
Reach the Deep Pass car park |
Bungleboori Picnic Area to Natural Bridge
| 0.0 |
From Bungleboori Picnic area continue straight ahead |
| 3.1 |
Pass Waratah Ridge Rd (signposted) on your right |
| 9.4 |
Turn right at the end of the pine plantation into Boundary East Forest Rd. This is
just after the double road starts, and a large cleared area runs along side the road for
the next 4km |
| 10.0 |
Turn left at the second intersection at a large clearing |
| 10.5 |
Veer right at a Y-intersection |
| 12.6 |
Keep straight ahead as a fire trail turns off to the right |
| 13.1 |
Turn right at a Y-intersection. A sign points left to Mt Cameron, right to Deep Pass.
Note that while you can take the Mt Cameron trail at this point, it crosses Dinner Gully,
a 60m descent and ascent, and it is better (particularly if you have a 2wd car) to take
this detour. |
| 14.0 |
Keep straight ahead as a fire trail turns to the right. A sign points straight ahead
to Deep Pass. |
| 14.1 |
Turn left on to a fire trail. |
| 15.5 |
Turn right as you rejoin the Mt Cameron fire trail. This is just after a steep rocky
downhill, the most difficult section of the route. |
| 16.4 |
Pass the park boundary sign. A closed fire trail branches off to your right. |
| 16.8 |
Reach the Natural Bridge car park. There are a couple of steep water bars in this last
section, and 2wd cars are likely to bottom out on these. You can park in a number of
places before the actual car park. |
Tom Brennan : website@ozultimate.com
: updated 2007-12-03 |