Ten Tunnels Deviation 1910

Ten Tunnels Deviation is a railway tunnel system west of Lithgow built between 1908 and 1910 that extends roughly 9 kilometers through mountain rock. The route connects two railway stations and consists of ten separate tunnel sections of varying lengths, constructed with stone and later fitted with concrete beds.

The tunnel system was built to replace a steep railway section with sharp curves with a flatter and more direct route through the mountains. The new track reduced travel time and made it possible to carry heavier trains over the hills.

The ten passages show how railway builders worked through difficult mountain terrain in the early 1900s and adapted their approach. You can see how each tunnel opening fits into the landscape and how the original construction methods remain visible today.

Visitors can view the tunnel system by train or book rail excursions that travel the route and showcase the engineering. The site sits in hilly terrain, so the easiest way to see it is from the railway itself.

One of the tunnel sections digs deeper underground than any other railway tunnel in New South Wales. The engineered beds under the rails are made of poured concrete instead of traditional wooden sleepers, which was a modern approach for that time.