Bullio Road Tunnel

The Bullio Road Tunnel is a hand-carved, single-lane sandstone tunnel in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Wombeyan Caves Road near Nattai National Park. Built in 1899 to link the Southern Highlands to Wombeyan Caves, it stands as a unique piece of rugged Australian outback engineering.

History & Background:

1. Construction (1899): The 22-meter-long tunnel was blasted and hand-carved through a solid sandstone ridge by a gang of experienced men using ratchet drills and early excavation equipment
2. Official Opening: The surrounding tourist road was officially opened on January 29, 1900.
3. The "Duprez" Name: The road and tunnel were initially named "Duprez Road" to honor Adolphe Prosper Duprez of Bowral, who was the driving force behind the road’s construction. However, historical newspapers and modern maps almost universally refer to it as Wombeyan Caves Road