- Clarence Tunnel
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The Clarence Tunnel is a railway tunnel that was originally part of the Main Western railway line across the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia. It is approximately 494 meters (1,621 ft) long.
History and description
The tunnel -- located to the west of Clarence -- was built by William Watkins and opened on 18 October 1869. The tunnel is almost entirely straight apart from a curve at the Clarence end and is the highest railway tunnel in Australia. The tunnel was closed on 16 October 1910, after being by-passed by a new deviation. After the tunnel's closure, it was utilised for growing mushrooms. In 1944, during World War II, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) stockpiled chemical munitions in the tunnel. The facility was known as No. 4 Sub Depot of No. 1 Central Reserve RAAF and was vacated by the RAAF in 1946. The tunnel was reopened in 1974 and forms part of the Lithgow Zig Zag tourist railway.
See also
References
Blue Mountains topics Towns, suburbs
& localitiesBell • Berambing • Bilpin • Blaxland • Blackheath • Bullaburra • Faulconbridge • Glenbrook • Hartley Vale • Hazelbrook • Katoomba • Kings Tableland • Lapstone • Lawson • Leura • Linden • Little Hartley • Medlow Bath • Megalong • Mount Irvine • Mount Riverview • Mount Tomah • Mount Victoria • Mount Wilson • North Katoomba • Shipley • Springwood • Sun Valley • Valley Heights • Warrimoo • Wentworth Falls • Winmalee • Woodford • Yellow Rock • Yosemite
Mountain peaks Mount Banks · Mount Bindo · Mount Boyce · Mount Hay · Mount Irvine · Mount Piddington · Mount Solitary · Mount Trickett · Mount Wilson · Mount York · Narrow Neck PlateauTourist attractions Valleys Waterfalls Wentworth FallsHistory Clarence Tunnel · Glenbrook Tunnel (1892)National Parks Miscellaneous Categories:- Rail infrastructure in New South Wales
- Railway tunnels in New South Wales
- Tunnels in New South Wales
- Tunnels in Australia
- Blue Mountains, New South Wales
- Tunnels completed in 1869
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