Walk 29:- Waterfall Circuit via Upper Kangaroo Creek
At A Glance
Route Summary:-The key feature of this walk is that follows Kanagaroo Creek downstream from its source to Karloo Pool where it is crossed by the Karloo Track. The walk to this point is a combination of off track, faint track and along the rocky creek bed with waterfalls, rock pools and mini canyons. The walk then goes along the Karloo track up to Uloola Falls, then along the Uloola fire trail back to Waterfall
RQI:- 83
Highlights:- Pristine Kangaroo Creek in Hawkebury Sandstone with long rock platform, pools, small waterfalls and mini canyons with diverse ecology; Uloola Falls.
Negatives :- The 5 km walk on the Uloola Fire Trail along the ridge is reasonably boring
Length:- 15.5 kilometers
Grade:- Hard to Medium
Weather:_Avoid this walk after heavy rain when Kangaroo Creek is in flood
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops:- 4 hrs 40 mins
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 1 hr 0 mins; T4 Line, every 30 mins.
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 1 hr. 0 mins. ; T4 Line, every 30 mins
Total Climb :- 190 meters
Total Descent :- 190 meters
Water:- Waterfall Station
Toilets:- Waterfall Station
Café/Kiosk :- Single shop at Waterfall
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Otford and Appin
Walk No 29 Track Notes
Waterfall Circuit along upper Kangaroo Creek
04/03/2012
Km./Hrs.min Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 Waterfall Station; walk up ramp, turn left, walk across middle of car park to fence opening and steps down to signage
0.09/0.01 At base of steps beside car park, two signs:- ‘Royal National Park’ in timber and new metal ‘Uloola Falls Track’ ; follow this for about 80 m.
0.17/0.03 After crossing two small rock outcrops on Uloola Falls Track and just before a third rock outcrop (actually two outcrops about 1 m apart), look for a faint track or foot pad, at right angles on the left; (note there is another clearer track on the left about 40 m further along the Uloola Track- this is the wrong track and leads within 50 m to a strange seemingly abandoned camp site; do not take this track)
0.36/0.08 Track (foot pad) junction on left; go straight, gently downhill
0.72/0.15 Track (foot pad) junction; go right and follow track down low cliff line to headwater of Kangaroo Creek; follow track on left bank downstream (K creek on right)
0.89/0.18 Track at indistinct crossing of K. Creek; find clear walking pad on other side and resume downstream, with K. Creek now on left
1.16/0.23 Still on good clear walking pad with K. Ck. immediately on left; gently down hill
1.49/0.28 K. Ck widens here to substantial creek bed, still on left
1.51/0.29 Track at open area on rock with K. Ck bed wide, rocky and in small gorge
1.63/0.31 On track; crossing small ck. gully; enters from right
1.88/0.35 as above
1.99/0.37 as above; yellow bunting on tree
2.13/0.40 Now level with K. Ck bed; crossing small ck. gully; enters from right
2.17/0.47 Still on clear track; K. Ck about 10 m on left
2.24/0.48 No visible track but walk on rock outcrop in/next to K.Ck bed for about 20 m where track resumes right next to K Ck.
2.32/0.51 Track crosses larger creek entering from right; track unclear at crossing over rocks but resumes on other side with large pool in K. Ck on left
2.37/0.53 Waterfall in K. Ck; about 10-12 m drop with substantial pool below
2.38/0.54 Walking pad leads uphill from waterfall with pool in K. Ck. on left
2.44/0.56 End of clearly defined and continuous walking pad,; continue downstream along the right bank with K. Ck on left or along Creek bed; fairly easy walking
2.79/1.06 On walking pad beside pool and K. Ck on left; pristine location
2.86/1.08 Still on just recognizable walking pad; K Ck. about 1 m on left
3.00 /1.11 Walking pad emerges at 4-5 m waterfall in K. Ck. at open rocky area and open valley; from here walk downstream on rocks in or beside K. Ck bed
3.17/1.15 Leave Ck. bed but stay on right bank
3.30/1.19 No track; rough progress over boulders and thick scrub on right bank, K. Ck on left
3.36/1.21 Creek still on left; slightly easier walking
3.45/1.22 Creek on left; hint of walking pad, very clear in sections
3.61/1.25 Creek (gully) joins K. Ck from right; still on walking pad;
3.80/1.29 Walking pad continues along right bank, K. Ck on left but is lost when it passes over rocks.
3.84/1.30 Walk downstream for about 50 m on rock outcrop in or beside K. Creek bed
3.89/1.31 Creek (gully) joins from right; on clear walking pad
3.97/1.33 Walking pad ends at wide and continuous sandstone outcrop; follow this downstream for about 100 m in or beside Creek bed; approx. 6 m high cliff along right bank
4.02/1.34 On right bank; walking pad lost or faint; reasonably easy walking
4.21/1.39 Now on clear walking pad; large pool in K. Ck on left
4.43/1.44 Track lost on long outcrop in K. Ck bed/bank; follow downstream
4.54/1.47 Resume on right bank beside K. Ck.; no track
4.60/1.50 Another approx. 100 m continuous rock outcrop in/beside K. Ck bed; follow this downstream
4.64/1.51 K.Ck now on small gorge; stay above this on right bank; hint of track
4.66/1.52 Small cairn of stones under low cliff; clearer foot pad resumes here; still on right bank, K. Ck on left
4.74/1.54 Foot pad now back at K.Ck. level, crosses creek (gully) entering from right
4.78/1.46 On rocks in K. Ck. bed; low cliff on right bank; (time out)
4.86/2.01 Resume walking; now back on right bank on hint of foot pad.
5.13/2.10 Substantial creek (gully) joins K. Ck. from right
5.21/2.12 On right bank of K. Ck., opposite confluence with Cridland Brook;
5.30/2.15 Off track; fairly tough walking over large boulders and thick tough scrub in or near K. Creek bed; sporadic hint of foot pad on right bank
5.40/2.18 On rock outcrop in K. Creek bed, then resume on right bank, K. Ck. on left; thick scrub and boulders as above
5.62/2.27 Clear walking pad for several hundred meters fairly high on right bank, K Ck. on left
5.81/2.32 Still on foot pad to this point, now back at K.Ck level; now walk on rock outcrop downstream in or beside K. Ck. bed for 100-150 m.
Note:- For the next 400 m before and after the confluence of Goondera Brook with Kangaroo Creek walking is hard, through tough scrub, flood debris and over boulders; average walk speed down to around 1 km/hr; it helps to briefly cross to the left bank of K. Creek then back to the right bank, all before the confluence of Goondera Brook
5.95/2.36 In K. Ck. bed; cross to left bank, K. Ck on right to avoid cliff on right bank
6.03/2.39 Cross back to right bank, K.Ck on left and walk through thick scrub fairly high above K. Creek; tough walking here
6.28/2.49 On right bank of K. Ck. opposite confluence with Goondera Brook on opposite side
6.37/2.53 Next to and on right bank of K. Ck; tough walking over boulders, flotsam and thick scrub
6.88/3.03 Track junction; Karloo track crosses Kangaroo Creek here; metal arrowed post on right; walk downstream along the right about 25 meters to Karloo Pool and metal signboard on right:- ‘Uloola Falls 2.0 km’ take the track on right up the ridge and away from Kangaroo Creek; this track is a little obscure at the start, but then becomes easy to follow, assisted by lines of white paint and older red and yellow paint on rocks.
8.88/3.35 Track crosses Uloola Creek just upstream of Uloola Falls; about 15m after crossing, signboard:- ‘ Heathcote via Karloo Pool 4.5 km’ backtrack and ‘ Waterfall 5.8 km’ straight on; continue straight for about 15 m to a clearing with multiple signage and toilets; continue straight through clearing to a walking track gently uphill
9.07/3.40 After climbing over a low cliff, walking track emerges at a turning circle and service road on right with signage– ‘Uloola Fire Trail’ and ‘Waterfall 5.5 km’; follow the fire trail uphill
11.36/4.05 Abundant laterite on trail
13.80/4.29 Fire trail junction with walking track on right and signage:- ‘ Couranga Track’ on left, ‘Waterfall 1 km’ straight on, and ‘ Uloola Falls 5.8 km’ backtrack; continue straight.
14.28/4.34 Fire trail ends at locked gate and oval/ playing field; continue straight across this grassy field to an arrowed post and walking track on the other side
14.38/4.35 At arrowed post and walking track
15.00 /4.38 Faint track on right; ignore this
15.12/4.39 Walking pad on right goes to Upper Kangaroo Creek; ignore this; continue straight
15.19/4.40 Waterfall Station car park; cross the car park by veering left, then right to Waterfall Station.
15.34/4.41 Waterfall Station
Route Quality:-
On public vehicular road:- 0.24 km/ 1%
On locked service/fire trail:- 4.83 km/ 33%
On walking track or off track:- 9.67km/ 66%
RQI= 66+17+0= 83
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