Lithgow

Postcode: 2790

Lithgow is situated in New South Wales, Australia and is the centre of the local political division City of Lithgow. It is located in a mountain valley named Lithgow's Valley by John Oxley in honour of William Lithgow, the first Auditor-General of New South Wales. Lithgow is located on the Great Western Highway, about 150km or two hours drive west of Sydney, or via the old mountain route "Bell's Line of Road" from Windsor.

Surrounded by the wonders of World Heritage listed National Parks, Lithgow features tranquil vistas and serene landscapes. Wollemi National Park is home to the Jurassic aged tree the Wollemi Pine, which is secluded in the canyons of the park.

The mountainous terrain of the Blue Mountains and the expense of building long tunnels required the construction of the Zig Zag Railway between 1866 and 1869. The line was opened as far as Bowenfels, just to the west, in 1869, but Lithgow station was not opened until 1877. Although it was superseded in 1910 by more modern engineering methods, including ten tunnels, the Zig Zag remains a popular tourist attraction.

The town is the centre of a coal mining district and there are a number of coal-powered power stations nearby. It is the site of Australia's first steel mill, the ruins of which are open for inspection at "Blast Furnace Park".

Due to the abundance of coal and relative proximity to Sydney, Lithgow is the site of one of the largest power stations in NSW, the Mount Piper and Wallerawang Power Station. It is operated by Origin Energy.

Tourism Attractions in Lithgow Surrounded by the wonders of World Heritage listed National Parks, Lithgow is an adventurer's playground. Special places to visit include the Glow Worm Tunnel, Newnes and the Capertee Valley, the second largest canyon in the world.

For more information about this town, click here