That’s right, it’s not just Newnes that has it’s very own glow worm tunnel. Just outside of Byron Bay you’ll find a truly secret glow worm colony in an abandoned railway tunnel. There’s no official hiking trail or manicured path, but that means you’re very likely to get the whole place to yourself. Just you and a magical glow worm colony, oh and a few micro bats too!
It’s an easy walk to get there and the fact it’s a long tunnels means you can see the glow worms even in the middle of the day, which makes quite a change from our glow worm adventures in the Blue Mountains!
Here’s exactly how to find this hidden gem.
Where to find glow worms near Byron Bay
How to find the trailhead
Edit for 2023: Due to the new Northern Rivers Rail Trail opening, the path to the tunnel has changed. You are no longer walking along old train tracks; instead it’s a smooth surface shared use path. We no longer recommend visiting the tunnel during the day. High visitor numbers have sadly changed the experience here and a night time visit would now be preferable.
The route to the abandoned railway tunnel is unmarked and there are technically two entrances. You want to take the one at Stokers Siding because the other side is completely overgrown and would be a nightmare to walk from.
The Stokers Siding side of the walk starts at the junction between Tunnel Road and The Bloodwoods Road. You can see the exact spot on Google Maps by clicking this link.
Once you’ve parked on the grassy verge opposite the ruins of the old bridge you need to walk up the narrow trail on the left-hand side. It is right next to the grassy clearing where you park - don’t start walking down the road as this won’t take you to the trail!
There is long grass covering the track for a few strides, but then it gives way and it’s a clear path. This is the only very slightly tricky part of the walk as the path is steep and a little slippery. It only takes a couple of minutes to get up though and heading up it is fairly easy, it’s on the way back that it is a bit slippery.
I would wear shoes with some grip if you can, I didn’t and did wish I had done for this short section.
The walk to the abandoned tunnel
From the start of the trail to the beginning of the tunnel is just 2.6km. As you are following the old railway line it is entirely flat, but for those first few minutes getting up on to the train tracks.
Edit December 2022: the railway lines have now been cleared from the track as it has become part of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. The route is otherwise unchanged.
Beginning the walk along the tracks definitely gives you that sense of adventure. It reminded me of some of the railway walks in Sri Lanka, and with the hot tropical air, wet foliage and constant background noise of birds and insects, it really could be in Asia!
The tracks are surrounded on both sides by jungle, but the path itself is almost entirely clear of any obstructions. A couple of big branches have fallen over the track in a couple of places but it’s really easy to get round them.
There’s a short overgrown stretch at the 2.4km mark but it doesn’t last long. We did this walk after weeks of heavy rain and I was expecting it to be quite muddy, but there were only one or two spots of mud, so you can do it in any weather.
I would recommend wearing trousers if you can bear it though, despite the trail not being overgrown there is some long grass that brushes your legs along parts of it and it did get a bit itchy with bare legs!
Other than that, it really is a very easy walk and I really loved it, just the feeling of being off the beaten track and about to see something that few people know about. It takes around half an hour to get there, or less if you’re really going for it.
Arriving at the abandoned tunnel
You’ll arrive at the tunnel after 2.6km and we were really surprised at just how long it is at 600m! That’s perfect for glow worm spotting because it means the middle of the tunnel is pretty dark so you get the full effect.
As we walked through at first we only saw one or two glow worms and were a little disappointed that there didn’t seem to be many.
We weren’t thinking about the fact that our eyes hadn’t adjusted yet, it usually takes a good 5-10 minutes to start to see the majority of glow worms. And there are loads of them!
Their favourite patches are the really damp spots and there were some big clusters of twinkling blue lights in the alcoves along the sides of the tunnel and of course across the ceiling.
You’ll see way more glow worms as you pass back through the tunnel on the way out, because you will be nicely adjusted.
Keep stopping to look up and make sure you turn your torch off. You’ll find you’re standing under what feels like a brilliant night sky.
Not the whole way along the ceiling, but in big clusters of up to 100 at a time. The best effect is definitely in the middle of the tunnel where less light is coming through.
Since our visit a lot of the foliage from the tunnel entrance has now been cleared, so it’s lighter inside than it used to be. Going later in the day will help with the light, or go at night for the absolute best results.
We’ve seen a lot of glow worms recently and it never loses its magic. There’s just something about it which always feels really special. It was easily one of our favourite things to do in Byron Bay.
Just make sure you give yourself a decent amount of time to adjust and walk slowly through the full length of the tunnel, it would be easy to get inside and assume there are no more than a handful at first, when in fact there are many, many hundreds.
Once you’re at the other end of the tunnel you’ll see just how overgrown it is and why we don’t recommend going from the other side!
The one other thing to note is that the tunnel is also home to a colony of micro bats which may flit around you from time to time. I found them cute but I know it might freak some people out! Even if they get close they never knock into you so don’t worry about them.
If you love this adventure and you want to see more glow worms close to Byron, we have another secret spot for you here.
Taking care of the glow worms
Please don’t shine light on the glow worms, they don’t like it and will turn their lights out. You can shine your torch at the ground to walk through and then stop at the densest patches and turn it out to see them better.
You’ll see so much less if you keep a light on. Bringing a torch with red light is even better, although still don’t shine it on the glow worms directly. If visiting in the day there will be light coming through the tunnel at either end, so a phone torch is more than adequate, or it was for me anyway. I didn’t use mine much because the sleepers were evenly spaced so I could walk through easily in the dark.
Also if you’re keen on getting a photo, bring a tripod which will allow you to capture the glow worms without shining a light on them. If you need any tips, please feel free to ask! You don’t need light to photograph them if you have a tripod and the right settings.
Getting to the tunnel from Byron Bay
The railway tunnel is 37km and just over a 30 minute drive from Byron Bay, in the hinterland. You will need your own car to visit.
Facilities nearby
As this is an off the beaten track adventure there are no facilities. Please remember to pack anything you take with you, out again.
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