Black Light Nights

Black Light Nights is coming to Glenrock State Conservation Area on the 12, 19 and 26 September, a limited series of night tours that let you see the bush in a way you normally can't. The whole thing is built around biofluorescence — the way some plants and animals glow under UV light. You'll be out with specialist UV equipment, hunting for fluorescent scorpions, lichen, spiders and insects that stay hidden during the day.

The walks run on Awabakal land and cover up to three kilometres of uneven, muddy ground, so you'll want to dress for it. They take around an hour and a half, with the guide explaining the science behind fluorescence as you go. It's a slow-paced way to spend an evening, with plenty of time to stop and look at whatever turns up in the beam.

Dr Karen Livesey leads the tours. She's an award-winning scientist and speaker who runs Glenrock Ghost Fungus Tours, the outfit behind the series. The name comes from the bioluminescent ghost fungus she first spotted on a night tour at the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens in 2024; she tracked it down in Glenrock in 2025 and started taking friends out to see it. This September edition doesn't include the fungus, which blooms in autumn, so the focus is on the scorpions and insects instead.

The tours are suitable for ages 8 and up. Tickets are A$49 for adults, A$39 for concessions and A$29 for children.