Garland Road Reserve (Glow Worm Glen Track)

Bioluminescence at Bundanoon

One of the best things to do in Bundanoon once the sun sets is to take a trip down to Glow Worm Glen in Morton National Park.

There - with a bit of care - you can catch the glow worms' sparkling light show while minimising impact on some luminescent little locals.

Found only in Australia and New Zealand, these insects are actually not worms but the larvae offspring of a primitive fly called the fungus gnat. They can be found in dense rainforests and caves or rocky structures and thrive in wet habitats.

During the day the fungus gnat larvae are inconspicuous, but in the darkness they sparkle with blue-green light.

Why do glow worms glow?

The light is produced by a chemical reaction between certain body fluids and oxygen.

At a glance

Grade: easy/steep
Time: 1 hour + viewing time
Distance: 2 km return
Conditions: A torch is necessary
Special note: Watch for leeches

Where are the glow worms?

William Street, on the right on the Moss Vale side of town. Park at the top end of William Street. From here a steep track descends towards the glen. Please remember it will be pitch dark (especially if you turn off your torches).

Things to remember

Be respectful to the local residents, only park at the top end of William Street
Visit the glen in small groups as loud noisy groups may cause the glow worms to retreat into their crevices
Hold your torches down on your approach to the viewing platform then switch them off – if the glow worms sense the lights, they will ‘switch’ off, as they will think it is daytime
Do not touch the glow worms as they are sensitive to touch and will retreat into their crevices.
Do not wear insect repellent or smoke near the glow worms

Walking trails

Start your walk down to the glen at sunset so it will be dark by the time you reach the glen. The best time of year to see the glow worms is from December to February.

The return trip will take about 1 hour.

Add your glow worm viewing time onto this.

On this walk, you may also be lucky enough to see glowing fungi on trees.

Even during the day Glow Worm Glen is a lovely place to visit, with nice walks close by such as Fairy Bower Falls and Erith Coal Mine.

Glow Worm Glen reopened in early 2023 following reconstruction of the walking track, stairs, and viewing platform after the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, after the fire-damaged infrastructure was demolished and removed from the remote site via helicopter.