Blue Mountains City Council is inviting the community to step inside one of the City’s great hidden heritage treasures, with the historic Lapstone Hill Tunnel opening to the public for one weekend only.
The Lapstone Hill Tunnel Open Weekend will be held on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July, giving residents and visitors a rare opportunity to explore the tunnel, learn more about its history and see the vision to return it to the community as a safe, accessible place for walking, cycling, recreation and events.
A program of activities will run across the Open Weekend, giving people different ways to experience the tunnel and surrounding precinct.
The weekend will include a trail run and a breakfast ride-through, showcasing the tunnel’s future potential as part of a safe and scenic walking and cycling connection between the Blue Mountains and Western Sydney.
Mayor Mark Greenhill (pictured) said the program was designed to help people see the tunnel not just as a historic structure, but as a future community destination.
“The Open Weekend gives people a chance to experience the tunnel in different ways — whether they are interested in heritage, walking, cycling, running or simply seeing inside this remarkable place,” Cr Greenhill said.
“That is exactly what this project is about. We want to make Lapstone Hill Tunnel and the surrounding precinct safe, accessible and welcoming, so it can support more community use, more activity and more reasons for people to visit the Lower Mountains.”
Council is seeking funding and investment to complete the works needed to safely reopen the tunnel and surrounding precinct. This includes remediation works, pathway connections, lighting, safety treatments, amenities, car parking, landscaping and accessible links.
“This open weekend is about inviting the community to step inside, experience the tunnel for themselves, and help us build support to reopen it permanently.”
Constructed in 1892, the heritage-protected tunnel sits within a high conservation bushland setting at the eastern gateway to the Blue Mountains. Once part of the region’s railway history, the tunnel has long been dormant and is usually closed to the public.
Council first opened the Lapstone Hill Tunnel to the community in 2024, attracting more than 1,500 visitors in one day.
“The community interest is real and the benefits are clear,” Cr Greenhill said.
“What is needed now is the investment to complete the job and return this extraordinary public asset to the community.”
After the open weekend, the tunnel will close again until the necessary infrastructure and remediation works are funded and completed.
Registrations are essential.
Event: Lapstone Hill Tunnel Precinct Open Weekend
When: Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July 2026
Where: Lapstone Hill Tunnel, Glenbrook
Register: bmcc.nsw.gov.au/lapstone-tunnel
