Waterfall to Heathcote

Download & Print Map and Notes

5 hrs

10.8 km One way

467 m

Hard track

This walk explores the heart of Heathcote National Park, and is easily accessed with a train station at either end. Although relatively close to the start of the walk, Kingfisher Pool, next to Heathcote Creek, is a great spot to break and enjoy the park. Mirang Pool, at the northern end, also offers an opportunity to cool down before the last walk up the hill.

The bushtrack between the Talooma Servicetrails

At Int of Lake Toolooma Servicetrail and Heathcote Creek Track

Looking down at the creek from the track

A small picnic table at Battery Causeway

views from the pipeline track down to Heathcote Creek

Following the roads to Waterfall Station

(0km) Waterfall Station → End of Warabin Rd

730 m

14 mins

10m

-22m Very easy

From Waterfall Railway Station, this walk takes the ramp out of the station onto Kooraban St. The walk follows Kooraban St over the Princess Highway, then turns right into Warabin St. This is followed to the end, where it comes to the intersection with the service trail signposted as the 'Bullawarring Track'.

(1km) End of Warabin Rd → Int of Bullawarring Track and Warabin Servicetrail

90 m

2 mins

-4m Easy track

Veer left: From the end of Warabin St, this walk passes the large National Park gate and the sign saying 'Bullawarring Track - Heathcote National Park', heading along the service trail for a short while before coming to the signposted intersection of the Bullawarring Track at the top of the long set of wooden stairs.

(1km) Int of Bullawarring Track and Warabin Servicetrail → Int of Bullawarring Track and Lake Toolooma Servicetrail

280 m

9 mins

-52m Moderate track

Turn left: From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Bullawarring Trac Kingfisher Pool and Lake Eckersley' sign[1] down to the bottom of a long set of wooden steps. From here, the walk continues down the hill along the rocky bush track to the top of some short cliffs, where the walk follows the rock shelf for a short distance before continuing steeply down the rocky slope and down the hill to the intersection of the Lake Toolooma service trail.

(1km) Int of Bullawarring Track and Lake Toolooma Servicetrail → Int of Waterfall Gully and Lake Toolooma Servicetrail (west)

340 m

8 mins

-31m Moderate track

Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk heads west down off the service trail and onto the bush track. Soon the track bends right and continues along the narrow, cleared track for several hundred metres until coming to an intersection with a service trail, signposted as part of the Bullawarring Track.

(1km) Int of Waterfall Gully and Lake Toolooma Servicetrail (west) → Int of Lake Toolooma Servicetrail and Heathcote Creek Track

30 m

1 mins

-1m Moderate track

Turn left : From the intersection, this walk heads south for a very short period before crossing the creek and going up slightly, and then comes to an intersection with a bush track going off to the right.

(1km) Int of Heathcote Creek Bushtrail and Lake Toolooma Servicetrail → Kingfisher Pool camping ground

830 m

15 mins

15m

-15m Moderate track

Turn right: From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Bullawarring Track' signpost and the painted 'Heathcote Kingfisher' marker along the bush track, passing under the high-tension power lines and winding through the thick scrub, with the occasional view of the creek off to the right. This continues for a while before the track comes to an intersection with a 5m bush track on the right, leading to the Kingfisher Pool camping ground.

Kingfisher Pool camping ground

This campsite is located at a small clearing, just east of the junction of Heathcote and Kingfisher Creeks in Heathcote National Park. The campsite is above the creek on a flat clearing. The creek usually provides plenty of water (treat before use, and check with rangers before setting out) and an opportunity for a swim. At the campground, there is also a small pit toilet and picnic table. Open fires are not permitted, so bring your own fuel stove. Fees are payable in advance for the permit required to stay at this campsite.

(2km) Kingfisher Pool camping ground → Int of Bullawarring and Goanna Tracks

3.1 km

1 hr 13 mins climb

176m

-166m Moderate track

Continue straight: From the campsite, this walk follows the bush track behind the fireplace for a short distance before turning right at the bush track and continuing along to the rock platform above Heathcote Creek. From here, the walk turns left and follows the bush track, keeping the creek down to the right as the track drops down a short, steep rock surface. The walk turns right, following the bush track that the winds through the bush for a short while to a large open clearing. From the clearing, the track follows the track marker on the other side through the bush and down to the creek, which it crosses at the rocks and comes up to the signposted intersection of the 'Bullawarring Track'.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the bush track, heading north along the left-hand side of the creek. The track gradually rises up above the rock shelves lining the creek, and continues along through the bush for a while before the track comes back down to the signposted intersection of the 'Battery Causeway' track.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Battery Causeway' arrow on the Bullawarring Track signpost, heading along the bush track which steadily climbs up the side of the valley for a while before crossing the dried-up creek at Python Gully. From here, the track continues along the side of the valley, climbing up the side of the hill for a while before flattening out again high above Heathcote Creek - this can be seen from the occasional rock shelf on the side of the track. The walk winds along to the signposted intersection of the Goanna Track.

(5km) Int of Bullawarring and Goanna Tracks → Battery Causeway

1.3 km

30 mins

49m

-100m Hard track

Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the 'Pipeline Rd 1.0km' arrow on the 'Bullawarring Track' signpost[2], heading along the bush track which follows the side of the hill. The rocky bush track winds up and down through the thick bushland, with occasional views of Heathcote Creek down to the right. This continues for a while until the track drops steeply down a short rocky section and continues down the hill to the signposted intersection of the service trail at the Battery Causeway.

(7km) Battery Causeway → Int of Pipeline Track and Mirang Rd Servicetrail

1 km

21 mins

32m

-46m Moderate track

Veer right: From the intersection, the walk crosses the creek using concrete Battery Causeway and follows the management trail up the gentle hill, past a picnic table to soon cross the pipeline on a timber bridge. From here, the walk continues along the management trail, keeping the pipeline on the right for 750m until the trail bends left away from the pipeline and onto an asphalt surface. The trail winds down a hill to the intersection of the Mirang Road service trail.

Mirang Pool camping ground

This campsite is nestled in Heathcote National Park, with walk-in access from Heathcote Station. The campsite is near Mirang Pool on Heathcote Creek - there is a signpost at the top of the stairs, leading down to the pools from the management trail above. There are no facilities provided at the campsite, and you will need to carry in your own water and fuel stove.

(8km) Int of Pipeline Track and Mirang Rd Servicetrail → Int. of Mirang Track and Friendly Tracks

1.3 km

29 mins

74m

-56m Moderate track

Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk follows the asphalt management trail down the hill and through a gate, doing a large 'S' bend and crossing the pipeline twice. The surface of the trail changes to dirt and the walk continues, with Heathcote Creek on the left, to the signposted intersection with the Mirang Pool track.
Continue straight: From the intersection, this walk follows the management trail in the unsignposted direction, keeping the pipeline on the right and Heathcote Creek down the hill on the left. The walk heads along until it crosses a bridge onto an asphalt surface and heads up the long hill that winds to the intersection with another trail, opposite the metal platform crossing the pipeline.

(9km) Int. of Mirang Track and Friendly Tracks → End of Freeman Road service trail

420 m

10 mins

60m

-5m Moderate track

Continue straight: From the intersection, the walk heads up and over the large concrete pipeline at the metal platform and stairs. The track then continues up the long hill for a while before coming to an intersection with a rough track (heading up on the left, about 40 metres before the high tension power lines).
Turn left: From the intersection, the walk follows the rough bush track heading up the side of the hill, climbing steeply up along the sometimes-faint path. The track soon flattens out and bends around to the right, passing a burnt-out car shell before coming an the intersection with a management trail.

(9km) Freeman Rd and Friendly Track Int → End of Freeman Rd

310 m

6 mins

24m

-1m Moderate track

Turn left: From the intersection, the walk follows the management trail up the long hill. The walk passes a trail on the right and flattens out a little, continuing up and around to the right. This walk passes another management trail (heading behind some houses) as it flattens out more and crosses under the power lines to the road.

(10km) End of Freeman Rd → Heathcote Railway Station

1 km

17 mins

24m

-4m Very easy

Veer right: From the intersection, this walk follows Freemans Road all the way past the large scout camp facility, to the intersection of Boundary Road, where it turns left and continues along for a short distance to the intersection of Oliver Street. From here, this walk turns right onto Oliver Street, which it follows to the end, meeting the Princes Highway. From here, the track crosses the highway at the traffic lights and continues along the footpath, with the car park to the left, coming to the train station.

Maps for the Waterfall to Heathcote walk

You can download the PDF for this walk to print a map.
These maps below cover the walk and the wider area around the walk, they are worth carrying for safety reasons.

Port Hacking	1:25 000 Map Series	91294N PORT HACKING	NSW-91294N
Appin	1:25 000 Map Series	90291S APPIN	NSW-90291S
Campbelltown	1:25 000 Map Series	90291N CAMPBELLTOWN	NSW-90291N
Campbelltown	1:50 000 Map Series	90291 CAMPBELLTOWN	CW-90291
Port Hacking	1:100 000 Map Series	9129 PORT HACKING	9129
Wollongong	1:100 000 Map Series	9029 WOLLONGONG	9029

Cross sectional view of the Waterfall to Heathcote bushwalking track

Analysis and summary of the altitude variation on the Waterfall to Heathcote

Altitude analysis for Waterfall to Heathcote

Overview of this walks grade – based on the AS 2156.1 – 2001

Under this standard, a walk is graded based on the most difficult section of the walk.

		Length	10.8 km
		Time	5 hrs
		.
Grade 4/6 Hard track	AS 2156.1	Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
		Quality of track	Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
		Signs	Minimal directional signs (4/6)
		Experience Required	Some bushwalking experience recommended (3/6)
		Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)
		Infrastructure	Limited facilities, not all cliffs are fenced (3/6)

Some more details of this walks Grading

Here is a bit more details explaining grading looking at sections of the walk

Gradient

4.8km of this walk has gentle hills with occasional steps and another 3.6km has short steep hills. The remaining (2.3km) is flat with no steps.

Quality of track

3.9km of this walk follows a clear and well formed track or trail and another 3.8km follows a formed track, with some branches and other obstacles. Whilst another 1.8km follows a smooth and hardened path and the remaining 1.3km follows a rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely.

Signs

6km of this walk is clearly signposted and another 3.6km has directional signs at most intersection. The remaining (1.3km) has minimal directional signs.

Experience Required

Around 5km of this walk requires some bushwalking experience, whilst the remaining 5km requires no previous bushwalking experience.

weather

This whole walk, 11km is not usually affected by severe weather events (that would unexpectedly impact safety and navigation).

Infrastructure

Around 9km of this walk has limited facilities (such as not all cliffs fenced), whilst the remaining 2.3km is close to useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats).

Similar walks

A list of walks that share part of the track with the Waterfall to Heathcote walk.

Lake Toolooma Trail

6.4 km Circuit, 2 hrs 30 mins

This circuit around Lake Toolooma makes a lovely walk through Heathcote National Park. This walk mainly follows management trails and provides a few views of the lake. Although most of the walk is not in view of the lake, there are great views from the top of the western ridge.

Total climbing: 220m

Moderate track

Heathcote to Waterfall

10.1 km One way, 5 hrs

Spanning between Heathcote and Waterfall Railway Stations, this walk experiences many of the different environments that Heathcote National Park has to offer. From ridge tops to creek walking, this is a great way to enjoy a day, with a perfect spot for a break at the Heathcote Campsite. If the water

Total climbing: 481m

Hard track

Heathcote to Waterfall Overnight Walk

10.8 km One way, 2 Days

Following Heathcote Creek, this walk is a great overnight walk, often used to introduce new walkers to overnight hikes. A well-signposted and defined track leads you to a campsite with a reasonable level of facilities. There are great views of Heathcote Creek along the way, and many of Heathcote's v

Total climbing: 503m

Hard track

The Goanna Track Circuit

11 km Circuit, 4 hrs

The Goanna Track is a short but pleasant bush track with some good views down over Heathcote Creek. Mostly along management trail, this walk follows the pipeline from Heathcote out to the Goanna Track circuit. Be sure to go down to Lake Eckersley as this is arguably the prettiest part of the walk. I

Total climbing: 484m

Hard track

This pleasant walk takes you from Heathcote to Waterfall Station. This walk ventures into central Royal National Park along a well maintained bush track. The walk goes via a beautiful set of waterholes and rock flats at Karloo Pools. The walk continues to the peaceful campsite at Uloola Falls and t

Total climbing: 388m

Hard track