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For an otherworldly experience, locum tenens in New South Wales can check out the alien luminescence of the insects that make their home in the Newnes glow worm tunnel.
Located within Wollemi National Park, the 2,000-foot sandstone tunnel was originally bored out in 1907. For two and a half decades, it served as part of the Newnes railway line built to carry people and products to and from the local oil shale mines. In 1932, however, the rail closed and the tracks were removed.
Although the tunnel no longer serves its original purpose, it has taken on new life as a tourist attraction thanks to its unusual wildlife. Inside the cavern, visitors will find countless larvae of a local variety of fungus gnat. During their larval stage, these worm-like insects emit an eerie bioluminescent glow, turning themselves into sparkling spots scattered throughout the dark environment of the tunnel.
To get to the Newnes glow worm tunnel, travelers can drive on a 15-mile dirt road from Lithgow or Clarence, after which they must walk around half a mile to the cave's entrance. More adventurous visitors can reach this attraction by going for a 14-mile hike along the path of the old railway line.