Newnes, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids NewnesNew South Wales |
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Newnes_Hotel-1.jpg)
Newnes Hotel in the 1980s
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 Newnes
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 4 (2016 census) |
| Postcode(s) | 2790 |
| Elevation | 516 m (1,693 ft) |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | City of Lithgow |
| State electorate(s) | Bathurst |
| Federal Division(s) | Calare |
Newnes (/nuːnz/) is an old, abandoned mining town in the beautiful Wolgan Valley of New South Wales, Australia. It's in a region called the Central Tablelands. This place used to be busy with oil shale mining in the early 1900s. Now, it's mostly ruins and is surrounded by the amazing Wollemi National Park. The Commonwealth Oil Corporation first built Newnes.
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Exploring Newnes: A Ghost Town's Story
Newnes was once a busy place where people mined oil shale. This shale was used to make oil. The main mining work started on the south side of the Wolgan River. Workers built a large factory area here. It had special machines called retorts to process the shale. There were also places to store oil, refine products, and even a power station.
Building these works took a long time. Construction began in 1906, but the factory didn't start working until 1911. Today, you can still see many strong ruins of these old buildings. They show how well they were built.
How Newnes Got Its Name
The village near the mines was first called Wolgan. But in 1907, it was renamed Newnes. This was to honor Sir George Newnes, who was the head of the Commonwealth Oil Corporation at the time.
Newnes' Changing Population
The number of people living in Newnes changed a lot over the years. When it first started in 1906, about 100 people lived there. By 1907, the population grew to 800! But then it dropped to just 96 people by 1914. It grew a bit again to 200 by 1924. However, by 1940, only four families remained. In the 2016 census, only four people lived in Newnes, making it almost a ghost town.
The Newnes Railway Line
To transport the oil shale, the company built a special railway line. It was about 50 kilometers (31 miles) long. This line connected Newnes to the main government railway. Building it was very hard because the land was so difficult, especially going down into the Wolgan Valley.
This railway line is no longer used, and the tracks have been removed. But one part of it is still famous: the Glowworm Tunnel. This old railway tunnel is now a popular spot for tourists. You can walk through it and see thousands of glowworms!
The Newnes Hotel
The Newnes Hotel was an important building in the town. It served the miners and their families. However, when mining moved to Glen Davis, the hotel's business slowed down.
The hotel was also close to the Wolgan River, which meant it often flooded. In 1986, a big flood damaged the building's structure. Volunteers worked together to physically move the hotel in 1987 to a safer spot. The hotel's license was sold in 1988. Today, the former Newnes Hotel is open as a kiosk on most weekends.
Camping Adventures in Newnes
Newnes is a great place for camping! You can camp on both sides of the Wolgan River. There are pit toilets available for campers. Most of the camping spots are inside the Wollemi National Park. Camping here is free, but remember that pets are not allowed in the National Park. Also, please don't collect wood for campfires.
There is a small amount of private land left in Newnes. You can camp here for a fee, and pets are allowed. You can get more information about this from the former Newnes Hotel kiosk.
Exciting Walks and Hikes
Newnes offers many amazing walks and hikes. Besides exploring the old ruins, you can try these trails:
- Pipeline Pass: This is a challenging walk that goes from Newnes all the way to the old oil shale operations at Glen Davis. It usually takes about 10 hours, so most people do it as an overnight trip. On this walk, you might see lyrebirds, cycads, Banksia plants, and different types of Eucalyptus trees. As of 2015, this pass is closed due to private property issues near Newnes.
- Wolgan River to Rocky Creek: This path follows the Wolgan River downstream to Rocky Creek. The route can be a bit hard to find in some places. But the walk itself is fairly easy for most people and can be done in a full day.
- Wolgan River to Annie Rowan Creek: This is a longer trip, usually taking two or three days. You can camp overnight at Annie Rowan Creek. The track beyond Rocky Creek is mostly on the north side of the Wolgan River.
Wildlife You Might See
The Newnes campground area is home to many native animals. If you're lucky, you might spot some of these:
Images for kids
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The ruined coke ovens at Newnes
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More ruins at the original Newnes Industrial Section
