Sydney is renowned for its scenic coastal walks, but the city is also home to some incredible bushwalks. With a train station at each end and a natural swimming spot and waterfall along the way, this Sydney bushwalk is one of the best.
The Karloo Pool and Uloola Falls Walk follows an 11km section of the Karloo walking track and Uloola walking track between Heathcote and Waterfall.
Located in Royal National Park about an hour south of Sydney CBD, this day walk is a rewarding way to experience Australia’s oldest national park.
| Distance: | 11km |
| Start: | Heathcote |
| End: | Waterfall |
| Public Transport: | Train at Heathcote and Waterfall |
| Water: | Take what you need with you |
| Toilets: | Uloola Falls campground |
| Top Tip: | Walk on a sunny day so you can enjoy a dip in Karloo Pool. |
Karloo and Uloola Track Overview
The Karloo and Uloola walking tracks take you through a section of Royal National Park. The walk takes you through bushland via Karloo Pool and Uloola Falls.
The walk can be completed in 3-4 hours as a day walk, or you can make it a two day walk, camping overnight at Uloola Falls campground. NSW Parks describes the walk as ‘moderately challenging’ and that feels accurate.
The walk has a train station at each end, and you can walk in either direction. This article describes the Karloo and Uloola walk starting at Heathcote station and ending at Waterfall station.
When you arrive at Heathcote, you’ll walk through the car park to Wilson Parade. Just beyond the NSW Rural Fire Service building you’ll see a NSW National Parks sign for the Karloo Track. That’s your starting point.
The walk starts by taking you on a track that skirts around the NSW Rural Fire Service building and some homes that back onto the National Park. Before too long, a sign on the right of the track points the way into the bush itself. From here, it’s a 2km walk down to Karloo Pool. The track is natural surface, with some parts seeing you navigate around tree roots and over rocks underfoot.
Karloo Pool is a natural pool on Kangaroo Creek and is a great spot to stop for a swim and a picnic lunch. The track through to Uloola Falls continues on the other side of Kangaroo Creek, with a NSW Parks sign marking the way.
The bushwalk between Karloo Pool and Uloola Falls climbs through the bush, and again, you’ll come up over areas of rocks and boulders.
Before reaching Uloola Falls you’ll find yourself on a rock platform that on a clear day provides a view of Sydney CBD in the far distance.
Continuing on it’s not long until you come to Uloola Falls, the approximate mid-point of the walk. It is here that you’ll find a small unpowered bush campground where you can stay if you’re doing this walk as an overnighter. You can book your campsite via NSW Parks.
Uloola Falls is another great spot to stop and enjoy a lunch or snack break. There’s a few vantage points at the top of the falls that give you a good view of the falls and surrounding bushland.
As you carry on past Uloola Falls, you’ll follow the track toward Waterfall station via the toilets which are located approximately 150m beyond the Uloola Falls campground.
At this point, the track becomes a wider firetrail for the remaining 5.5km through to waterfall. The more challenging the parts of the walk — up and down boulders, over rough and rocky natural surfaces — are behind you.
If you do this walk in the afternoon of a sunny day, you’ll enjoy golden hour light through the bushland along the firetrail.
As you get closer to Waterfall, you’ll pass the turn off to the Couranga Track which goes to the Bola Creek Picnic Area. You’ll also pass a memorial to five young firefighters who lost their lives responding to a fire here in November 1980.
As you continue, the firetrail comes to a locked gate and then opens up to a clearing with helipad. Walking around the gate, to your left is a road for vehicles – don’t take that. If walk across the clearing you’ll come to a narrow track through the bush. In less than 10 minutes you’ll be at Waterfall station where you can get the train back to the city.
Karloo and Uloola Track Map
The walk between Heathcote and Waterfall train stations follows two tracks in Royal National Park: the Karloo walking track and the Uloola walking track. You can download the the Uloola Falls via Uloola and Karloo Tracks map to your phone from the AllTrails app and preview the route below.
How to get to the Karloo and Uloola walk
Because this is a point to point walk, the best way to access the Karloo and Uloola walk is by public transport.
The Karloo and Uloola walk has train stations at each end, and the train from Sydney Central station to Heathcote takes just under an hour.
Facilities
The Karloo and Uloola walk is a bushwalk through Royal National Park, which means beyond there are limited facilities or amenities beyond the train stations.
There are toilets at both train stations, and a non-flush drop toilet at the Uloola Falls campground (about halfway through the walk).
For everything else, you should come prepared carrying sufficient water and food for the entire walk.
Karloo and Uloola Track Highlights
The highlights of the walk between Heathcote and Waterfall on the Karloo and Uloola tracks are Karloo Pool, Uloola Falls, and the bushland of Royal National Park.
Karloo Pools
Karloo Pool is a natural swimming spot on Kangaroo Creek in Royal National Park. The pool is located on a bend where Heathcote Brook meets Kangaroo Creek.
Karloo Pool is surrounded by bushland and there are plenty of shaded spots to sit on the rock platforms at the water’s edge.
Uloola Falls
Uloola Falls is a waterfall on Uloola Brook in Royal National Park. It is a scenic spot to picnic or spend the night at the bush campground.
