Join your Coach Holidays & Tours luxury coach for a compelling four-hour heritage journey through the Blue Mountains and Lithgow at War, guided by expert historian and storyteller Sue Collins.

This immersive coach tour explores lesser-known locations and wartime legacies stretching from Glenbrook to Lithgow—highlighting the region’s vital role in both World Wars.

Discussion highlights include:

• The legendary Cooee March and the poignant story of Private Field

• The impact of war on local communities, as Sydney residents sought refuge in the Mountains

• Returning servicemen, their contributions to tourism, and symbolic legacies like the Giant Stairway and a seed in a pocket

• Fears of Japanese invasion during WWII, and the strategic storage of military and civilian supplies

• The incredible wartime story of Lithgow’s Small Arms Factory, supplying weapons for both Australia and New Zealand

• Who worked in the factory, how it was protected, and how the weapons were shipped to the frontlines

• Wartime tourism—including Sue’s personal family story of a honeymoon during wartime

• Reflections at modern-day memorials, including the ANZAC Hospital, opened by a future Queen

Featured locations include the Corridor of Oaks, Lone Pine Memorial, WWII gun emplacements at Bowenfels, and a stop at the Small Arms Factory (currently closed to the public but visible). Sue provides laminated photo packs and brings each story vividly to life from the comfort of the coach. All stops are flat and accessible for guests with walkers or mobility aids.

Lunch will be enjoyed at the Lithgow Workers Club, a fitting conclusion to your wartime journey.

After the tour, return via the Bells Line of Road—originally constructed as a strategic wartime route in case the main Western Highway was bombed.