Ardglen Tunnel, Railway tunnel in Liverpool Range, Australia
Ardglen Tunnel is a single-track railway passage that cuts through the Liverpool Range, connecting Newcastle to Werris Creek. The tunnel runs beneath rocky mountain terrain and forms a critical section of the historic rail line serving the region.
Work began in 1874 and finished in 1877, transforming how trains could cross difficult mountain terrain in New South Wales. The completion opened a continuous rail route through a region previously hindered by geography.
The tunnel represents early Australian railway engineering achievements and remains listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register since 1999.
Trains must travel slowly through this section due to steep terrain on the approach grades. Visitors can only view the tunnel from a safe distance, as it remains an active railway line in regular use.
It was built using 19th-century hand tools and explosives to bore through solid rock, an achievement that demonstrates early Australian mining and engineering skills. The tunnel shows how workers tackled challenging geology with limited technology.
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