arrow_back In Bowral New South Wales · Attraction

Box Vale Walking Track

Tunnels, gorge, and history

directions Directions
Best for Walkers History Adventure Photographers

schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026

The Box Vale Walking Track near Mittagong follows the bed of a nineteenth-century coal tramway through dense bushland, sandstone cuttings, and an 84-metre hand-hewn tunnel to reach lookouts above the Nattai Gorge. It is one of the Southern Highlands' most rewarding and accessible heritage walks.

The track opened as a public walking trail in the 1980s after the old Box Vale coal mine and its associated tramway fell out of use. Today the well-maintained path passes through dramatic rock cuttings, over timber trestle formations, and through the long dark tunnel that was originally bored to carry coal wagons to the surface. A spur track leads to Forty Foot Falls, a tiered waterfall tucked into a ferny alcove.

The main return walk covers approximately 4.4 kilometres and takes around three hours at a comfortable pace, including time at the Nattai Gorge lookout where views extend across an almost entirely undisturbed wilderness. The track is rated easy to moderate, though a steep optional incline section, clearly signed as dangerous, should be avoided. Picnic tables and a car park are available at the trailhead off Boxvale Road near Welby.

The track is free to enter and open year-round. Walkers should carry water and wear sturdy footwear, particularly if visiting after rain when sections can be muddy.

Scenic views

Lookouts near Box Vale Walking Track.

All New South Wales lookouts east

You may also like

Suggestions

Quick jump

travel_explore

Nothing found for “”.

Try a shorter or more general term.

Themes

Destinations

Experiences