Walk 22A:- Waterfall Circuit via Mt. Westmacott On Track
At A Glance
Route Summary :- This walk goes about 0.7 km on Waterfall streets to the track head, then takes the Bullawaring Track to Lake Toolooma fire trail, then goes along this fire trail to Camp Coutts where it crosses Heathcote Creek and takes a poorly developed walking track to the top of Mt. Westmacott, crossing a service road on the way up; it then returns down to this service road and takes it north to re-intersect the Bullawaring Track and follows this to a junction with the Mooray Track and takes the Mooray Track back to Waterfall.
RQI:- 70
Highlights:- Camp Coutts scout camp; views from Mt Westmacott; Heathcote Creek and Kingfisher Pool; pristine bush on Mooray Track
Negatives :- Approx 1.5 km. walk along public vehicular road at Waterfall too and from start of track; Mooray Track poorly maintained and hard to follow in parts
Length:- 10.2 km
Grade:- Easy to medium
Weather:_All weather excepting when Heathcote Creek in flood
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops:- 3 hrs 20 mins.
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 1 hr. 0 mins; trains every 30 mins.
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 1 hr 0 mins. Trains every 30 mins.
Total Climb :- 220 meters
Total Descent :- 220 meters
Water:- Waterfall Station
Toilets:- Waterfall Station
Café/Kiosk :- single shop at Waterfall
lished 1:25,000 Map :- Appin and Campbelltown
Walk No 22 A Track Notes
Waterfall Circuit via Mount Westmacott On Track Option
Sunday 8 June 2014; updated Sunday 8 March 2015
Km./Hrs.min Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0/0.00 At Waterfall Station, walk up the ramp and turn right; follow the road along bridge over Princes Highway to a T intersection with Warrabin Street
0.15/0.02 At Warrabin Street turn right and follow Warrabin St to the end turning circle.
0.69/0.08 At the end of Warrabin St, sign indicating Heathcote National Park, Bullawaring Track; Turn left, walk around locked gate and follow this fire trail for about 50 metres to another sign
0.73/0.09 Sign indicating Bullawaring Track, Kingfisher Pool 1.6 km; Heathcote 8.6 km; take this track on left of fire trail, initially down on timber fronted steps
0.78/0.10 Top of first cliff line- follow irregular sandstone steps down to a second cliff line.
0.89/0.12 Above second cliff line ; there are two ways down from here; look for a vertical steel rail just left of track ;the Bullawaring Track on maps goes straight down approx. 4 metres from the steel rail and is marked by purple and yellow paint on rocks; follow this down to a T junction with the Lake Toolooma Fire Trail at arrowed post.
0.96/0.15 At T intersection with Lake Toolooma Trail, turn left and follow this south
1.04/0.18 Continue to follow Toolooma Trail south, noting profuse Gymea Lily, Banksia and stunted gums
2.02/0.31 Locked gate, walk around this
2.07/0.32 T intersection with sealed access road-turn right and follow this through entrance gateway of Camp Coutts to a caretaker’s cottage and covered sign board both on left next to a and street lamp on right of road;
2.50/0.48 At caretaker’s cottage turn right and follow track down to Heathcote Creek, cross creek on concrete foot pads on small weir, follow middle track on other side ignoring tracks to right and left for about 30 metres to a camping clearing, cross clearing, veering slightly to the left (south) to find track and follow this for about 30 metres to another clearing where two white arrows at right angles painted on rock at foot level; turn right at right arrow.
2.73/0.54 Start of narrow foot pad uphill following white dots.
2.89/0.59 At high tension power line pylon next to service road
Note interesting bare sandstone outcrop next to service road with cave and opening at rear; White dots on western side of service road near pylon continue up a sheer sandstone outcrop; ignore these and follow the service road north towards a locked gate
2.97/1.02 About 5 metres before the gate Mt Westmacott painted on rock; turn left and follow white dots uphill.
3.02/1.04 Well marked track on massive bare sandstone outcrops; follow white dots and red/white striped bunting tape.
3.37 /1.17 On top of Mt Westmacott; final climb on rock not too difficult; note deep grooves made by aborigines sharpening spears; note ironstone concretions and iron cemente joints- may explain local resistance to erosion; spectacular 360 degree views to CBD skyline, ocean, Helensburgh, Waterfall and Blue Mountains
After viewing, back track down to the service road and locked gate
3.78/1.31 Back at locked gate; walk around gate and follow service road north
4.23/1.37 Concreted section on service road
4.92/1.47 Old washed out service track joins on left
5.16 /1.52 Service road crosses Heathcote Creek; just before crossing look for sign on left marked Bullawaring Track; turn left and follow this foot track
5.94/2.05 Track T junction; Kingfisher Pool and Recreation Area approx. 20 metres on right towards Heathcote Creek; toilets and bench; continue straight on after viewing
6.21/2.08 Kingfisher Creek crossing on large boulders; cross at right angles, track continues on other side.
6.89/2.19 Major track junction; Painted wooden sign indicating start of Mooray Track on right- 2.5 km to Waterfall; take Mooray track across Heathcote Creek
6.97/2.21 Middle of Heathcote Creek on bare flat sandstone; veer slightly left (downstream) while crossing to find Mooray track on other side
7.28/2.29 Only two white arrows mark track to this point; no other markings but track fairly clear
7.36 /2.32 Cross small creek at right angles approx. 10 metres upstream of small waterfall/cliff; white line on rock indicates track direction.
7.54/2.37 Track T junction at white arrow on rock ledge; ignore faint track on right closed off with a line of rock pieces; go left along rock ledge following white markings; track improves from here.
8.07/2.47 Top of wide flat ridge; very attractive bush setting; follow track gently down.
8.12/2.49 Special area with large purple stemmed Angophera, 6-8 metre Banksia and Gymea Lilies
8.30/2.51 Track widens; first timber log steps to decrease track erosion
8.40/2.53 Under high tension cables adjacent to pylon; service road starts uphill, but sign indicates Mooray Track to Waterfall right and back to Heathcote Creek on left; small bright green/yellow car wreck.
8.45/2.55 Track overgrown and hard to follow through curves
8.53/2.58 Cross two small creeks at right angles; rocks slippery
8.84/3.03 Track still poor and partly overgrown
8.88/3.04 Short timber bridge over small gully.
9.01/3.08 T intersection with sevice road; sign indicates Mooray Track 2.5 Km (back) to Bullawaring Track; turn left onto service road and head uphill towards gate.
9.08/3.09 At gate
9.12/3.10 Approx 30 metres beyond gate road split; take right hand road marked with white arrow and W on rock.
9.41/3.14 Back at sign indicating start of Bullawaring Track
10.16/3.22 Back at Waterfall Railway Station
Route Quality Index
On public vehicular roads:- 1.38km/ 14%
On locked service/fire trail:- 3.45km/ 34%
On walking tracks:- 5.33km/ 52%
RQI= 52+17+0= 69
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