For years, unsuspecting commuters passing through Wynyard Station were in the dark about a sneaky network of tunnels lurking beneath their very feet. We finally got a sneak peek at the long-forgotten labyrinth during Vivid 2023, when the tunnels morphed into ‘Dark Spectrum’ – a multi-sensory experience decked out with bright lights, futuristic lasers, giant robots and electronic dance music. The light show itself was beyond spectacular, but what made it even more captivating was the incredibly intriguing entrance to access the tunnels. Forget secret passageways or magical buttons; all it took was a non-descript door casually hidden next to Wynyard’s Coles supermarket.
What's the story behind Wynyard’s underground tunnels?
Six decades have passed since Sydney’s secret train tunnels – stretching from the eastern side of the Harbour Bridge down to Wynyard – were last in use. They were initially constructed as part of city-building engineer John Bradfield’s grand plan for a train line connecting the harbour to Mosman and the Northern Beaches (wouldn’t that be nice?). The project was unfortunately scrapped, and from 1932 to 1958, the tracks instead became the only underground segment of the Sydney tram network, funnelling trams coming off the Harbour Bridge.
In the '60s, the tunnels that were originally meant to be platforms one and two (have you ever noticed that Wynyard Station’s platform numbers start from three?), were ripped up and converted into a car park to service the Menzies Hotel above. And that's pretty much where the story ends – until 'Dark Spectrum'.
Are there more abandoned tunnels in Sydney?
Turns out, Sydney has many secrets to hide and there are just as many unused tunnels as ones in use. Among them is St James Station’s abandoned tunnels, which were constructed in the 1920s as part of Bradfield’s grand transport route to the Northern Beaches. Like Wynyard, these tunnels were abandoned in the ’30s, but the NSW Government plans to reimagine them as a ghostly tourist attraction in the not-too-distant future.
There’s also NSW’s oldest railway tunnel in Darling Harbour, the Old Glenbrook Tunnel that dates back to the 1800s, and the historic tunnel in Helensburgh which is now one of the most incredible glowworm sites in NSW.
Speaking of: If you like adventures in the dark, then you can also spot thousands of glow worms from behind a waterfall on this magical bushwalk in the Blue Mountains.
And if you like to check out secret spots, check out our guide to Sydney's best hidden wonders.