The Lost City Walking Track - Gardens of Stone National Park

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Route: South Lost City Lookout, Lost City Walking Track, Miners Link Track, Marrangaroo Creek, North Lost City Lookout, Lost City Walking Track

Date: 23/12/2024
From: State Mine Gully Road

Parking: Lost City Parking
Start Point: South Lost City Lookout
Finish Point: South Lost City Lookout
Region: Gardens of Stone National Park / State Conservation Area

Route length: 6.0 km
Time taken: 01:54
Average speed: 3.9 km/h
Ascent: 330m
Descent: 324m

Points of Interest: Miners Link Track, Marrangaroo Creek dams, The Lost City

Brand new for 2025 is the Lost City Walking Track, located in the Gardens of Stone National Park close to the town of Lithgow. And when I say new, I mean brand new. Unlike the Grand Cliff Top Walk (which recycles a host of existing tracks around Katoomba and Wentworth Falls), the National Park Service has constructed a new track linking two existing, but previously hard to reach lookouts, creating an interesting route through the pagodas of the Lost City.

The work comes as part of a multi-million dollar investment programme to build a new ecotourism and adventure destination, part of which includes gazetting the new Gardens of Stone National Park (formerly State Conservation Area) and creating hundreds of kilometres of new trails. As a sneak preview, the new walking track was temporarily opened over the Christmas period, so I laced up my shoes and set off in search of the Lost City.

Turns out it's not hard to find. Just 400m along a fire trail is an upgraded lookout which has a sweeping view of the rock towers that make up the Lost City. The unusual pagoda structures resemble an old, decaying city n the midst of the Australian bush — its name is very apt. 

An information board near the car park outlines the route of the Lost City Walking Track

A fire trail links the car park to the lookout

Approaching the Lost City Lookout

The view from the Lost City Lookout

The Lost City

The Lost City

The Lost City

The hike begins from the lookout, descending into the valley of Marrangaroo Creek down a series of steps and sloping rock slabs. In essence, the hike is an-out-and-back between the southern and northern lookouts on either side of the valley, with two options to reach Marrangaroo Creek. The first is the Miners Link Track and the second is the Lost City Walking Track. Both lead to the same location at the creek, and you can decide to tackle both over the course of the hike.

The new track at the beginning of the Lost City Walk

There are ever-changing views of the Lost City

At the top of the Miners Link Track

Some interesting rock formations along the route

I opted for the Miner's Link Track first, which descends steeply through the bush until it reaches a narrow gap between some large rocks. There is a short, easy scramble to get down through the gap before the path continues, emerging at Marrangaroo Creek.

The Miners Link Track

Some carved steps help with the steeper sections

Looking back up the Miners Link Track

Miners Link Track

You'll pass the remains of a dwelling on the Miners Link Track

The path follows Marrangaroo Creek for a short distance before branching off along a small tributary leading to an old dam and pond. The dam, built in the 1900s, once provided water to the settlements of Marrangaroo and Lithgow before falling out of use in the 1980s. The entire region surrounding the Lost City is dotted with remnants from its mining past, including winching gears, wire cables, an air shaft, and a narrow gauge railway trolley.

Lost City Walking Track

Lost City Walking Track

Crossing Marrangaroo Creek

Marrangaroo Creek

Lost City Walking Track

Lost City Walking Track

The first dam

From the dam, the path starts to climb, providing some wonderful views of the pagodas that tower over the creek. New steps built by the national park tackle the steeper sections before a more gentle zigzag rounds out the climb as the path meets one of the 4WD tracks that crisscross the area. It's a short distance to the Lost City North Lookout, tucked away behind one of the pagodas. It has a beautiful view across the Lost City and Marrangaroo Creek.

Lost City Walking Track

The dammed water sits below a particularly prominent pagoda

New steps lead away from the creek

More climbing

The views of the valley become more and more impressive as you climb

The Lost City

Heading along the rim of the valley

Up close to one of the smaller pagodas

Lost City Viewpoint

Geologically speaking, the Lost City is formed by sheets of ironstone sandwiched between layers of sandstone, laid down by a vast river delta some 250 million years ago. The two rock types weather at different rates, leaving behind the dramatic, conical rock pagodas, each with its own unique character. 

The Lost City

The Lost City

The Lost City

The Lost City

The Lost City

From this northern lookout, the hike returns all the way to the foot of the Miner's Link Track before continuing on (this is the alternative route I mentioned earlier). The track follows Marrangaroo Creek to another old dam. Some metal steps take you up alongside the dam wall, where you'll get some nice views of the rocky Marrangaroo Creek gorge.

Starting back towards Marrangaroo Creek

There are some views of the new path which give the pagodas some scale

The Lost City

Back at the first dam

Signage along the track

Marrangaroo Creek

Marrangaroo Creek

At the bottom of the Miners Link Track

Marrangaroo Creek

The second dam

Steps lead you above the dam wall

The second dam

Marrangaroo Creek valley

The path quests further along the valley, twisting and turning along the valley until it begins a more serious climb up some beautifully constructed sandstone steps — you'll get some more views of the interesting valley and pagodas of the Lost City. After the climb, the path emerges at the top of the Miner's Link Track and one final effort is required to reach the lookout, the fire trail and ultimately, the car.

Below the Lost City

Lost City Walking Track

Interesting shapes can be found around every corner

New steps tackle a steeper section

Lost City pagoda

The Lost City

A superb view into the creek valley

More discreet signage

The Lost City

The Lost City

The Lost City

Back at the top of the Miners Link Track

The climb back to the new lookout

The Lost City is a great spot for hiking — the perfect place to enjoy the unique landscape of the Newnes Plateau. The area is surrounded by stunning rock formations and lush vegetation, making it an ideal hiking destination. Don't forget to bring your camera to capture the beauty of this hidden gem!