Badgerys Creek: A Ghost Town

Typed on Saturday 26th March 2016:

Hi all.

Today, Saturday 26th March 2016 i went for a drive to Badgerys Creek near Bringelly South West Sydney.

As most of you may know the suburb of Badgerys Creek will soon be levelled to make way for a new Domestic & International Airport.

There are very few residents in Badgerys Creek as they have been told to leave as construction of the new airport will begin at the end of 2016.

Street after street, emptyness.

Countless driveways, letterboxes and white picket fences yet no houses to complete the picture.

A majority of the houses have been demolished yet a couple remain.. Abandoned and left to decay.

An abandoned school which has seen better days.

One of the school buildings has been mostly burnt out.

An old bus stop which once saw kids waiting to get their bus home.

A car sits on a gravel road.. Gutted.

A Cemetery which will soon be relocated.

A rusted gate lock.

It was good driving through the area taking plenty of photos to document everything before the airport is operational.

The airport is due to open in the mid 2020's.

I had a rather scary experience while being in the area.

While driving around taking photos of the abandonments there was an angry looking person in a silver car.

I decided to make my way towards Elizabeth Drive just incase he was to try run me off the road.

When he pulled up beside me i realised he had kids inside the car so i thought "he is just a family man, nothing to worry about".

Not likely.

About half an hour later while exploring another one of Badgerys Creek's deserted streets i see the same car.

This time the guy meant business.

He was yelling at the top of his lungs F*ck off! F*ck off!

Thats when i thought it would be a good time to abort the exploration.

I don't know if he was a random angry guy, neighbourhood watch or someone trying to protect Badgerys Creek.

In the end id never do anything to damage anything in the area.

Anyway.. That was my day!

Thank you for reading.

I filmed a lengthy video which will be uploaded to Abandoned Oz on Sunday 27th March 2016.

Phil,

Sydney Trains Vlogs.

Old Helensburgh Station & Metropolitan Tunnel

OLD HELENSBURGH STATION & METROPOLITAN TUNNEL:

Old Helensburgh Station and Metropolitan Tunnel were part of the Old Illawarra Railway.

OLD HELENSBURGH STATION:

The Old Helensburgh Station Opened in 1889 and was closed in 1915.

It has been closed for 100 years this year (2015).

Photo (right):

Old Helensburgh Station

The old station use to be covered in earth until recent times.

It was uncovered for historic purposes.

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Photo (left):
The original station sign has been restored and preserved.
This sign was taken down for a period of time due to vandalism.






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The old station is a great place to explore.

METROPOLITAN TUNNEL:

Metropolitan Tunnel (AKA Glowworm Tunnel) is located approximately 30 metres from Old Helensburgh Station.
This tunnel is also known as Glowworm Tunnel due to Glowworms seen on the roof of the tunnel at night time or deep inside the tunnel.
Metropolitan Tunnel is 624 metres in length.
The northern entrance to Metropolitan Tunnel is adjacent to Old Helensburgh Station.
There is no access to the southern entrance to the tunnel as it has been plugged (wall blocking the southern entrance to the tunnel).
Metropolitan Tunnel was used as a dam which explains why the southern entrance to the tunnel has been plugged.
You can walk through and explore the tunnel but only to a certain distance as the water inside the tunnel gets too deep at approximately 200-300 metres into the tunnel.
Its said that the water reaches the roof near the end of the tunnel.
Train tracks to lead into the tunnel however only by 40-50 metres.

Photo (left):
The dark and gloomy northern entrance to Metropolitan Tunnel.






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Photo (right):
The beginning of Metropolitan Tunnel.





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Photo (left):
The black and whit of the roof is soot from steam trains that ran the line 100 years ago.




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Photo (right):
Eerie writing on the wall of the tunnel saying:
"She told me all the inhuman pain and suffering she had endured was worth it as it finally led her to me"

"Skunk"



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Photo (left):
More eerie writing on the wall of the tunnel saying:
"The point reached again...
Uninspired... Time better spent nowhere else really then again ... Glow worms crawled overhead.
(un) - Aspire"



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Photo (right):
With all flashlights off you can't see a thing.





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Photo (right):

This one takes the cake.
"Serial Killers Unite"

As soon as i saw this i turned around quickly and ran as fast as i could out  of Metropolitan Tunnel...
What i didn't mention is that i slipped and landed in sloppy mud!




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I filmed a Youtube mini series about The Illawarra's Lost Railway.
This mini series doesn't just include Old Helensburgh Station.
It also includes: Helensburgh Tunnel, Cawley Tunnel and lets not forget the infamous Otford Tunnel.
The link to the Youtube mini series is below:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-OFdIVf0YcZKYlJ4-rVl2FjGtcYajIL6

Thank you all for reading.
Please share.

Phil, Sydney Trains Vlogs.