The Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area – created in May 2022 after a long conservation campaign – protects** a rugged landscape of towering sandstone pagodas and deep canyons and valleys. There are infinite off-track walks you can do, but until recently no formed tracks that allow less experienced bushwalkers and families with younger children to enjoy this spectacular area. The NPWS has done a great job with the Lost City walking track, which descends from one lookout across a valley to another vantage point.
** A State Conservation Area permits “mineral and petroleum exploration and mining” hence this area is not fully protected. Existing coal mines have led to subsidence and the draining of swamps and creeks, and there is an ongoing campaign to prevent the expansion of existing mines. New threats are emerging in the form of commercialisation of the area, with proposals for cabins being built amongst the pagodas.
The Lost City walking track begins with a short walk down an unsealed road to the South Lost City Lookout.
A wide platform provides expansive views over “Lost City” – a set of pagodas above Marrangaroo Creek. You can see the walking track descending the ridge from here.
The descent is initially quite gradual, but exposed to the sun, and after 300m (from the lookout) a junction is reached. You can descend to the valley via the steeper but shorter Grade 4 “Miners Pass Link Track” or the main Grade 3 trail. The grades are pretty meaningless – both tracks are of equal quality (and the total ascent/descent is identical), but the miners track is slightly steeper. I’m taking the miners track down to create a loop.
The Miners Pass Track passes the remnants of a building with a fireplace, which is the remains of the State Mine Airshaft constructed in 1940/41 for air, water, power and access for the State Mine.
The track continues to descend, passing a fenced lookout over a small gully.
At the bottom of the valley the Miners Pass Link Track joins the main track; you could turn right to form a short (3km) loop back up to the carpark. But it’s worth turning left and continuing to the northern Lost City lookout.
The Lost City walking track meanders along Marrangaroo Creek, crossing it a couple of times. It’s a very easy and pleasant walk.
Soon the first of two dams comes into view: the dam was constructed in 1910 with a pipeline supplying water to Lithgow until 1987: “The Middle (Marrangaroo Creek) River Dams were built in 1910 and used until the 1980s. Water was supplied to Lithgow via a 10″ cast iron main. The condition of the pipes in later years limited supply to 1.6M litres per day. Platforms were built at the dams in the 1970s” (Bush Explorers).
The walking track now starts to ascend up to the North Lost City Lookout, providing a nice view of the Marrangaroo Creek Dam below. (If you’re not up for the ascent, this is a good place to have a break, before returning.)
There are some nice views from the walking track as it winds it’s way up through the pagodas.
The end of the Lost City walking track is the North Lost City Lookout, which provides a view back over Lost City and the starting point on the opposite side of the valley. (You could also start here, or do this as a one-way walk with a car shuffle – but the access road to the northern lookout as is not as well signoposted or as good condition as the main road in.)
On the way back, I detour slightly and clamber around to the back of one of the large pagodas, which offers a nice view over the large dam.
Although the walking track doesn’t go up to the water, a short off-track detour takes you to the sandy edge of the water, where I enjoy a quick swim on a warm afternoon!
From the dam I continue back the same way along Marrangaroo Creek to the junction with the Miners Pass Link Track, which provides the quickest way back. If you’ve come back this way, I’d recommend continuing along the main track. It passes more remains of the State Mine; above the track is an airshaft: “State Mine Airshaft located some three miles from the State Mine Pit Top. Built in 1940/1941 and used for air, water, power and access. Problems with rock falls in the shaft caused a second 6″ shaft to be sunk for a power assisted air supply” (Bush Explorers).
The walking track continues along Marrangaroo Creek, which it crosses a couple of times.
The track starts to ascend near a second dam; this one is badly silted, with the water depth only about a metre when full.
The ascent is initially fairly gradual, with some nice views of rock formations.
The track gets steeper as it climbs to the top of the escarpment, and back up to the Lost City carpark.
The 6km walk has taken me about 1.5 hours with only a short break for a swim; allow 2-3 hours to enjoy the views (and a swim if it’s warm enough).
Getting to the Lost City walking track
There is a maze of firetrails in the Gardens of Stone area… but access to the southern trailhead is well signposted. If you’re coming from Sydney, turn off Chifley Road at the Zig Zag Railway at Clarence, and follow the Old Bells Line of Road for 8.8km to the junction with the Glowworm Tunnel Road / State Mine Gully Road. Turn left onto State Mine Gully Road and after 2.5km turn right onto Lost City Road. After about 2km you’ll reach the end of Lost City Road, where there is a large carpark. It’s about 2 hours from Sydney.
From Lithgow it’s a short 20min drive, taking the State Mine Gully Road from the end of Atkinson Street, and turning left onto Lost City Road.
More information
- Gardens of Stones – Threats
- Bush Explorers – Lost City and more [PDF]
- David Noble – Walking in the Gardens of Stone 20 – 21 August 2022
- National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) – Lost City walking track
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