Newnes

PLEASE NOTE - ACCESS TO THE WOLGAN VALLEY IS CURRENTLY RESTRICTED. PLEASE CONTACT SEVEN VALLEYS VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE LITHGOW FOR DETAILS BEFORE PLANNING A VISIT

Established in 1906, Newnes was built around the mining and processing of oil shale, once Australia’s only indigenous source of petroleum. The industry operated here until the 1930s, before shifting over the mountain to Glen Davis and eventually closing in 1952. Since then, the town has gradually faded, with the former hotel now the last remaining building from Newnes’ industrial era. Today, the extensive oil shale refinery ruins are the main drawcard, their brick structures spread across multiple levels of the hillside around two kilometres beyond the hotel, on the opposite side of the river. Scattered mines and remnants throughout the surrounding bushland hint at the scale and ambition of what once stood here.

Nature now defines the landscape. Sheer cliffs encircle the valley, and much of the area, including the old works site, sits within Wollemi National Park. Glow worms inhabit the old railway tunnel, and tree ferns have reclaimed parts of the former rail corridor, quiet reminders of the bush steadily reasserting itself. The Glow Worm Tunnel can be reached via a walking track, commonly starting from the causeway off Wolgan Road for a nine-kilometre return walk. A torch is essential, and once inside, standing still in darkness reveals the soft blue lights overhead. The tunnel is also accessible from the Newnes Plateau via a separate road from Lithgow or Clarence, though this route does not connect through to the Wolgan Valley.

The old hotel, now de-licensed, operates as a kiosk from the former bar area, selling basic supplies, maps, books and souvenirs. Nearby, simple camping is available both within the national park and at the Newnes Hotel campground, which offers limited facilities including showers and toilets but no powered sites. Weekends and long weekends are popular, while weekdays remain peaceful and quiet.

Visitors come to Newnes for bushwalking, exploring the refinery ruins, following the old railway alignment, hiking along the Wolgan River into wilderness, or climbing local peaks such as Mystery Mountain and Donkey Mountain. The area’s varied habitats also make it well suited to birdwatching, flora studies and spotting nocturnal wildlife under dark, expansive skies. Remote, atmospheric and shaped by both industry and wilderness, Newnes offers a rare chance to experience a landscape where history and nature exist side by side.