South Wolgan Fire Trails (A3)

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. The directions below should make for easier navigation to the various canyon trackheads in the area. All distances are in kilometres.

The directions are designed for use with the map at right (updated 2024). Routes referred to below are in dark brown on the map. Other fire trails, of which there are many, are in orange. Not all are navigable by car.

Most canyon trackheads are accessed from fire trails off the Glowworm Tunnel Road. There are two main ways of getting to the Glowworm Tunnel Road.

The first route - via Old Bells Line of Road is best if you are coming from the east - from Sydney, or the main part of the Blue Mountains. This runs between the currently closed Zig Zag railway at Clarence, and the Glowworm Tunnel Rd. This route used to deteriorate a lot after rain, but for the past 10 years or so has been kept fairly well maintained for mining and logging trucks. Note that it can be busy with trucks during weekdays.

The second route is from Lithgow, via State Mine Gully Rd, which becomes the Glowworm Tunnel Rd. This route makes more sense if you are already at Lithgow, or are coming from west of the Blue Mountains.

These routes both lead to the junction of the Glowworm Tunnel Rd with the Old Bells Line of Road from Clarence/Zig Zag - a place I’m going to refer to as Paddys Creek Corner for brevity, since it is right at the head of the Paddys Creek drainage. This can be found at MGA398984 (Lithgow map). Most of the remaining directions below start from there.

The routes listed below are generally suitable for 2wd cars with plenty of clearance. Low clearance vehicles may have difficulty on some roads if they have not been graded recently. Many of the roads have been upgraded in recent years with the declaration of the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area, so 2wd access is more reliable. That said, use common sense at all times, regardless of your vehicle.

Zig Zag to Paddys Creek Corner via Old Bells Line of Road

0.0Turn north off Bells Line of Road at Zig Zag railway turnoff. The turnoff is opposite the junction of Bells Line of Road and Petra Ave at Clarence.
0.1Turn right, signposted Newnes Forest Rd, following the railway tracks
0.5Turn left across the tracks
0.6Keep right at a Y-intersection to avoid entering the sawmill
4.8Turn left at a sharp bend - the Dumbano Fire Trail (currently unsignposted) turns off to the right.
8.8You reach Paddys Creek Corner, at a T-junction with the Glowworm Tunnel Rd.

Zig Zag to Dumbano Fire Trail via Old Bells Line of Road

This route is generally not suitable for 2wd vehicles at around the 7km mark, and possibly at any time after turning off Old Bells Line of Rd. This road is useful for accessing the upper reaches of Dumbano and Yarramun Creeks, as well as parts of the upper Wollangambe River.

0.0Turn north off Bells Line of Road at Zig Zag railway turnoff. The turnoff is opposite the junction of Bells Line of Road and Petra Ave at Clarence.
0.1Turn right, signposted Newnes Forest Rd, following the railway tracks
0.5Turn left across the tracks
0.6Keep right at a Y-intersection to avoid entering the sawmill
4.8Turn right at a sharp bend on to the Dumbano Fire Trail (currently unsignposted) - Old Bells Line of Road heads left
6.0Turn left at a clearing
7.2Turn right as the main trail goes straight ahead. About 700m along here is a steep rocky ascent, probably the most rugged
11.1Keep left at a Y-intersection
14.1You reach a locked gate at the end of the trail

Lithgow to Paddys Creek Corner

0.0Start at the intersection of Main St and Bridge St in Lithgow, and head north to cross the bridge over the railway tracks
0.1Turn right on to Inch St immediately after you cross the bridge over the railway tracks
1.3Turn left into Atkinson St, as Inch St goes around a right hand bend
2.0Turn right on to State Mine Gully Rd, which immediately crosses a level crossing and a bridge. It then becomes a dirt road as it heads steeply up a hill, and becomes the Glowworm Tunnel Rd at the top of the hill
8.3You reach Paddys Creek Corner, at the junction with Old Bells Line of Road (on your right)

Paddys Creek Corner to Waratah Ridge car park (Hole-in-the-Wall car park)

0.0Continue north on Glowworm Tunnel Rd
2.3The Glowworm Tunnel Rd swings to the right at the old Bungleboori Picnic area - avoid a turnoff to the left on to the Blackfellows Hand Trail
5.4Turn right at Waratah Ridge Rd (currently signposted)
9.0Keep left on Waratah Ridge Rd at the intersection with Eastern Boundary Rd (currently signposted)
9.4Turn right, still on Waratah Ridge Rd, at Two Trees Rd intersection (signposted?)
11.4Keep right at a Y intersection
12.4Keep straight ahead at a 3-way intersection
13.0You reach the Waratah Ridge car park at the locked gate

Paddys Creek Corner to Rocky Creek car park

0.0Continue north on Glowworm Tunnel Rd
2.3The Glowworm Tunnel Rd swings to the right at the old Bungleboori Picnic area - avoid a turnoff to the left on to the Blackfellows Hand Trail
5.4Keep straight ahead at Waratah Ridge Rd (signposted)
15.7Turn right at Galah Mountain Rd (signposted to Rocky Creek)
16.0Pass Barcoo Swamp camping area on your right
16.1Veer left at a Y intersection
20.8Turn right at a locked gate, on to the Rocky Creek Trail. The gate is across the Deanes Lookout Track, and is the trackhead for a number of canyons, including Surefire and Heart Attack
21.1Pass a locked gate on your left - hard to see. The gate is across the Rocky Creek Downstream Exit Track, and is the trackhead for a number of canyons, including Breakfast Creek, Closet and Galah
22.2Reach the Rocky Creek car park (aka Galah Mountain car park)

Paddys Creek Corner to Old Coach Road car park

0.0Continue north on Glowworm Tunnel Rd
2.3The Glowworm Tunnel Rd swings to the right at the old Bungleboori Picnic area - avoid a turnoff to the left on to the Blackfellows Hand Trail
5.4Keep straight ahead at Waratah Ridge Rd (signposted)
15.7Keep straight ahead following signs to Glowworm Tunnel at Galah Mountain Rd (signposted)
20.2Turn right at a Y-intersection on to the Old Coach Road (signposted).
24.3Reach the Old Coach Road car park on your right.

Paddys Creek Corner to Glowworm Tunnel car park

0.0Continue north on Glowworm Tunnel Rd
2.3The Glowworm Tunnel Rd swings to the right at the old Bungleboori Picnic area - avoid a turnoff to the left on to the Blackfellows Hand Trail
5.4Keep straight ahead at Waratah Ridge Rd (signposted)
15.7Keep straight ahead following signs to Glowworm Tunnel at Galah Mountain Rd (signposted)
20.2Keep straight ahead at a Y-intersection (Old Coach Road, signposted)
26.9Reach the Glowworm Tunnel car park

Paddys Creek Corner to Deep Pass (North)

0.0Continue north on Glowworm Tunnel Rd
2.3The Glowworm Tunnel Rd swings to the right at the old Bungleboori Picnic area - avoid a turnoff to the left on to the Blackfellows Hand Trail
5.4Pass Waratah Ridge Rd (unsignposted) on your right
11.7Turn right at the end of the pine plantation into Eastern Boundary Rd (unsignposted).
12.3Turn left at the second intersection at a large clearing. Note that another route - the Deep Pass Trail - continues straight ahead from here. This leads to Deep Pass South. Deep Pass South can also be used to access Deep Pass.
12.8Veer right at a Y-intersection
14.9Keep straight ahead as a fire trail turns off to the right
15.4Keep right at a Y-intersection.
16.3Keep straight ahead as a fire trail turns to the right. A sign points straight ahead to Deep Pass.
16.4Keep straight ahead where a road heads left
17.5Reach the Deep Pass car park

Paddys Creek Corner to Natural Bridge

0.0Continue north on Glowworm Tunnel Rd
2.3The Glowworm Tunnel Rd swings to the right at the old Bungleboori Picnic area - avoid a turnoff to the left on to the Blackfellows Hand Trail
5.4Pass Waratah Ridge Rd (signposted) on your right
11.7Turn right at the end of the pine plantation into Eastern Boundary Rd (unsignposted).
12.3Turn left at the second intersection at a large clearing
12.8Veer right at a Y-intersection
14.9Keep straight ahead as a fire trail turns off to the right
15.4Keep left at a Y-intersection. This crosses Dinner Gully, which used to be difficult even for 4WD vehicles, but the track has been upgraded (2023) to 2WD standard.
16.9Keep straight ahead where a fire trail comes in from the right. This was the old route.
17.8Pass the park boundary sign. A closed fire trail branches off to your right.
18.2Reach 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.