[Part 1 of 5]

The Hume Freeway is one of the busiest interstate routes in Australia, linking the countries two most populous cities, Sydney and Melbourne. Stretching for 840 kilometres, the Hume is part of the Auslink National Network, providing a vital connection for freight and transit between the two major East Coast cities.

In 2013, the creation of the Holbrook bypass marked the completion of an extensive overhaul of the roadway, with Sydney and Melbourne now linked by a continuous dual-lane freeway unrestricted by the traffic lights and speed restrictions of passing townships.

But it wasn’t always this way. Prior to the upgrade, the Hume Freeway was the Hume Highway. Those navigating the Old Hume had to drive through a vast number of urban and rural townships, traffic lights, and intersections. Despite the bypass upgrades that occurred throughout the years, one aspect of the Hume has remained the same – it is the only road providing access to the Belanglo State Forest.

Entrance to Belanglo is gained via the Hume, 16 kilometres south of the Southern Highlands town of Bowral, where a sealed road quickly gives way to rocky dirt roads, steep hills, and creek crossings impossible to navigate without an off-road vehicle. Fire trails and a complex network of tracks and paths criss-cross throughout the forest, which is so large and isolated that it is rare to encounter another person whilst visiting.

Despite its splendour and distinctively Australian landscape which continues to attract nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world, those who venture to the secluded forest note the vast space is enveloped by an eerie silence. As visitors turn to the forest entrance, a large ominous sign surrounded by a wall of towering trees warns:

‘Welcome to Belanglo State Forest – Please Be Careful.’