From glamping to glowworms: 8 unexpected things to do in the Lithgow region

Threaded by seven sweeping valleys, the Lithgow region is full of unexpected natural wonders. From tunnels home to flickering glow worms to mushroom foraging and even a Japanese bathhouse, a journey here may just surprise you.

Destination NSW

Oct 2024 -

min read

Get back to nature at a wilderness retreat

The Lithgow countryside is home to a roll call of Australian wildlife: you’ll find platypuses, wombats, echidnas, kangaroos, bush lizards and more. Discover the local fauna and plenty more when you check in to Turon Gates Mountain Retreat, sitting pretty amid 2,400 hectares of wild bushland – the perfect backdrop for cottages, log cabins and glamping tents. Binoculars are provided.

Couple enjoying the view from Turon Gates Mountain Retreat, Lithgow

Turon Gates Mountain Retreat, Lithgow - Credit: Turon Gates

Marvel at a glow worm tunnel

Inside a certain tunnel in Wollemi National Park, you’ll find yourself enveloped by silence and complete darkness. Turn your torch off and you’ll see a forest of electric blue orbs sparkling above you in every nook and cranny of the ancient rock: thousands of tiny glow worms – which are actually the larvae of a small fly. For a self-guided exploration of the 400-metre-long Glow Worm Tunnel – which is part of a historical disused railway line near Lithgow – tackle the 6km return Glow Worm Tunnel walking track. Due to the long length of the tunnel, it gets dark enough to see glow worms even during the day.

Glow Worm Tunnel walking track, Wollemi National Park - Credit: Daniel Tran | DPE

Indulge in field-to-fork foraging

It’s not just animals that thrive in the Lithgow region – herbs, vegetables and flowers also blanket the countryside. If you didn’t know better, you’d walk straight past them. But with forager Diego Bonetto you’ll gain a new appreciation for wild edibles. Time of year pending, join the environmental educator to seek out delectable pine mushrooms. His workshops are not only educational, but highly entertaining. Plus you get to eat just-picked produce.

Diego Bonetto Mushroom Foraging Workshops - Credit: Oberon Visitor Information Centre

Discover arts and crafts

The circa 1830s village of Hartley is a beautifully preserved slice of the past, but it’s also home to something very modern – the metal artworks of blacksmith and artisan Ron Fitzpatrick. At Talisman Gallery on the main street, you can admire his works – everything from jewellery and garden ornaments to glass sculptures – and may even spot Fitzpatrick himself at work in the forge. Afterwards, stop at the Hartley Historic Site Visitor Centre, housed in the former Farmers Inn, to check out its ever-changing exhibitions and admire contemporary Aboriginal artworks in the Kew-Y-Ahn Aboriginal Gallery.

Glass sculptures on display at Hartley Historic Site, Hartley

Hartley Historic Site, Hartley - Credit: Asha Constance/DCCEEW

Soak away your worries

A traditional onsen may not be the first thing that springs to mind when picturing regional NSW – but once you’ve visited the Japanese Bath House, you won’t be able to imagine Lithgow without it. Soak away your troubles as you ease into the steaming mineral-rich thermal waters; your outlook is the ripples of Lake Lyell and Zen-style Japanese gardens. If you arrived feeling distracted, you’ll leave in a state of bliss.

Private pool at the Japanese Bath House, Lithgow

Japanese Bath House, Lithgow - Credit: Japanese Bath House

Admire art on the big scale

Creativity can flourish in the most surprising places, and in Portland’s former cement works, this little town has a big attraction. Welcome to The Foundations, an industrial heritage space transformed with installations and large-scale murals by artist Guido van Helten, whose creations on the silos are arresting. Come here for monthly markets, pop-up galleries and festivals. 

Guido van Helten Silos, The Foundations Portland

Get some perspective

Australia’s version of the Grand Canyon, the Capertee Valley is wider (but just not quite as deep) as its American counterpart. It’s hard to fathom just how vast it is – unless you have a little aerial perspective, that is. Jump in a chopper with Capertee Valley Helicopters to soar over gorges and ridges for anywhere between 15 minutes and an hour. Eagle-eyed travellers may even be able to spot walking tracks to further explore when back on land.

Sun rising over Pantoneys Crown tableland in the picturesque Gardens of Stone National Park, Capertee Valley

Capertee Valley, Blue Mountains

Prepare for things to get cheesy

If you like your cheese with a side of earthiness, you won’t want to miss Jannei Goat Dairy. This award-winning, family-owned fromagerie produces artisan natural yoghurt, fresh curd, ricotta, chèvre, miette… and many other delicious semi-hard kinds of cheese. Visit for a free tasting and to meet the long-lashed “ladies” (i.e. goats) that will make your experience so tasty.