The Picton Mushroom Tunnel: NSW’s Most Haunted Railway Hole
Echoes in the Dark: The Redbank Range "Mushroom" Tunnel
Ask any local for the most mysterious places near Sydney and Picton is usually the first name mentioned. The whole town has a reputation as one of the most haunted in Australia, and the Redbank Range Railway Tunnel, better known as the Mushroom Tunnel, is at the centre of its ghost stories.
Find this and dozens more in Supernatural Sydney: directions, access notes and safety tips. Printed guides include 12 months of the Explorer app free. Get the guide →
Built in the 1800s, it's regarded as the first railway tunnel in New South Wales. After the trains moved to a new line, it was used for defence storage during World War II and later for growing mushrooms, which gave it its nickname. Today it's a heritage site cared for by Wollondilly Shire Council.
The Legend of Emily Bollard
The most persistent ghost story in Picton is about Emily Bollard. In 1916, Emily was reportedly struck by a train while taking a shortcut through the tunnel to visit her brother.
- The sighting: Visitors have reported a white, flowing figure gliding through the darkness, often with a sudden gust of wind on an otherwise still day.
- The soldier: Others claim to have seen the shadow of a soldier, a reminder of the tunnel's wartime use.
Unexplained Phenomena
Paranormal investigators often report "anomalies" around the tunnel's old brick and stonework:
- Electrical interference: stories of camera batteries draining and torches flickering out.
- Phantom sounds: recordings that some say capture breathing or the faint, distant whistle of a steam train.
How to Visit the Picton Mushroom Tunnel
The tunnel is at 229 Argyle Street, Picton, about an hour's drive south-west of Sydney.
- View it from the outside only. The tunnel has deteriorated and walking through it is no longer safe, so it's closed for internal access. Please don't enter, even if it looks open.
- Viewing hours: weekdays 8am to 2pm; closed weekends and public holidays (check with Visit Wollondilly before you go, as times can change).
- No night visits. Ghost tours no longer visit the tunnel because of safety concerns, so enjoy the stories from the outside, in viewing hours.
- This is a place where a young woman lost her life, so please visit respectfully.
Picton Mushroom Tunnel FAQs
Can you go inside the Picton Mushroom Tunnel?
No. The tunnel has deteriorated and is closed for internal access, so it can only be viewed from the outside.
When can you visit the Mushroom Tunnel?
Weekdays from 8am to 2pm. It's closed on weekends and public holidays, and times can change, so check with Visit Wollondilly before you go.
Where is the Picton Mushroom Tunnel?
At 229 Argyle Street, Picton, about an hour's drive south-west of Sydney.
Is the Picton Mushroom Tunnel haunted?
It's at the heart of Picton's ghost stories. The best known is Emily Bollard, who was reportedly hit by a train in the tunnel in 1916, and visitors report a white figure, a shadowy soldier and phantom train whistles.
More Haunted Places Near Picton
- Studley Park House Camden: The Haunting of the "Waiting Woman"
- The Legend of Fisher's Ghost: Campbelltown's Most Famous Resident
- The Haunting of Camelot Camden
- Ultimate Guide to Haunted Sydney & NSW
Get the Full Supernatural Map
Picton is just one stop on a much darker journey. For the stories, access rules and locations of dozens more haunted sites across NSW, get the Supernatural Sydney guide.
