Bells Line of Road

Bells Line of Road is the scenic northern alternative to the Great Western Highway, winding through the Blue Mountains’ rugged wilderness and historic apple-orchard country. This 100-kilometre route from Richmond to Lithgow offers a quieter, more intimate journey with breathtaking lookouts, lush gardens, and a palpable sense of frontier history. It’s a must for self-drive enthusiasts who want to escape the crowds and discover the mountains at their own pace.

Highlights & What to See

• Bilpin – The apple-growing heart of the region, where you can pick your own fruit, taste fresh ciders, and visit rustic farm gates selling pies and preserves.
• Mount Tomah Botanic Garden – A cool-climate branch of the Royal Botanic Garden, perched at 1,000 metres with stunning views across the Grose Valley and curated collections of conifers and rhododendrons.
• Zig Zag Railway – A heritage steam-train experience that descends through sandstone cuttings and viaducts near Lithgow, offering a nostalgic ride through engineering marvels.
• Bells Line of Road Lookouts – Pull over at Pierces Pass or Bells Lookout for sweeping panoramas of the Blue Mountains’ escarpment and eucalypt forests.
• Historic Villages – Explore the hamlets of Kurrajong and Berambing, where antique shops, country pubs, and community halls tell stories of early settlement.

Suggested Time to Spend

Devote a full day to driving the entire route from Richmond to Lithgow, allowing at least 3–4 hours of driving time plus stops. Better still, take an overnight trip: spend the morning at Mount Tomah, linger over a cider in Bilpin for lunch, then continue to Lithgow for the Zig Zag Railway. If you’re based in Sydney, you can easily do the drive as a long day trip, but you’ll appreciate the slower pace and fewer crowds that come with an overnight stay in the mountains.

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Blue Mountains National Park – Extend your trip into the heart of the park for walks to the Three Sisters and the iconic Scenic World cable cars.
• Lithgow – The road ends here; explore the city’s industrial heritage, including the Eskbank House Museum and the nearby Hartley historic site.
• Wollemi National Park – A vast wilderness of pagoda-like rock formations and deep gorges, accessible via the Bells Line of Road for adventurous bushwalkers.
• Mudgee – Continue west for a wine-country detour, with cellar doors and gourmet dining just over an hour from Lithgow.
• The Hawkesbury Region – Before or after the drive, explore the river towns of Windsor and Richmond for colonial architecture and riverside cafés.

Please check official sources for current details.