Glen Davis

Glen Davis is a hauntingly beautiful ghost town in the Capertee Valley, about 200 km north-west of Sydney. Once a bustling oil-shale mining settlement in the 1940s, today it's a quiet, almost eerily still place where crumbling ruins stand against a backdrop of dramatic sandstone escarpments. The drive in is an adventure in itself, winding through Wollemi National Park, and the reward is a glimpse into a fleeting piece of Australian industrial history, combined with superb birdwatching and bushwalking.

Highlights & What to See

• Glen Davis Ruins: Explore the skeletal remains of the shale-oil works, including the massive retort buildings, a power station, and the old mine entrance. The site feels like an open-air museum of industrial decay.
• Capertee Valley Lookouts: The valley is one of the widest in the world (second only to the Grand Canyon). Head to the Birdcage or Blackman Park lookout for jaw-dropping panoramas of the sandstone cliffs and eucalypt forests.
• Birdwatching: The Capertee Valley is a birding hotspot, home to the endangered regent honeyeater, superb lyrebird, and flocks of gang-gang cockatoos. Bring binoculars.
• Glen Davis Walking Track: A gentle 2 km loop from the car park leads past the ruins and along the river, with interpretive signs explaining the site's history.
• Wollemi National Park: The surrounding wilderness offers bushwalks, canyoning, and the chance to see the rare Wollemi pine (though the secret groves are off-limits).

Suggested Time to Spend

You can see the main ruins and enjoy a short walk in about 1–2 hours. However, given the remote location and the beauty of the Capertee Valley, it's best to set aside at least half a day, combining the visit with a picnic lunch and a longer walk. If you're a keen birder or photographer, you could easily spend a full day here. Most visitors come as a day trip from Lithgow or the Blue Mountains, but staying overnight in nearby Glen Davis (there's a basic campground) lets you catch sunrise over the valley.

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Capertee: A tiny village 30 km south with a historic pub and access to the Capertee Valley loop.
• Lithgow: 50 km south, a historic railway town with the Zig Zag Railway, Eskbank House, and excellent bushwalking in the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area.
• Blue Mountains National Park: About 90 km south-east, offering iconic lookouts, waterfalls, and the Three Sisters at Katoomba.
• Mudgee: 100 km north-west, a thriving wine region with cellar doors, gourmet produce, and heritage streetscapes.
• Wollemi National Park: The vast wilderness surrounding Glen Davis, with remote camping, canyoning, and the famous Wollemi pine.

Please check official sources for current details.