Walk 30:- Waterfall to Engadine via full length of Kangaroo Creek
At A Glance
Route Summary :-This walk follows Kangaroo Creek from its source at Waterfall to its tidal interface where it is crossed by the Engadine Track;
It then goes up along the Engadine Track to Engadine Station
RQI:- 100
Highlights:- This is a truly classic bushwalk the follows Kangaroo Creek from its source to its tidal interface ; No part of this walk is on public road or fire trail- it is off-track, or on faint track, or in rocky creek bed ; it passes large pools, mini canyons and diverse ecology.
Negatives :- Nil
Length:- 14.6 kilometers
Grade:- Hard
Weather:_Do not attempt this walk after heavy rain when Kangaroo Creek is in flood
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops and 18 minute lunch stop:- 6 hours 20 minutes
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 1 hr. 0 mins T4 Line, every 30 minutes
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 52 minutes T4 Line, every 30 minutes
Total Climb :- 185 meters
Total Descent :- 215 meters
Water:- Waterfall Station
Toilets:- Waterfall Station; Engadine Station, but probably locked
Café/Kiosk :- Engadine shops
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Appin , Otford and Port Hacking
Walk No 30 Track Notes
Waterfall to Engadine via full length Kangaroo Creek
21/05/2013; partly updated 30/10/16
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.
0.18/0.03 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
1.39/0.25 Creek joins from right; beautiful location with small gorge and waterfall in Kangaroo Creek
1.56/0.28 Still on clear footpad with K. Creek on right; a few strategic yellow painted arrows on rock indicate track
1.79/0.30 as above; yellow bunting on tree
2.03/0.32 Now level with K. Ck bed; crossing small ck. gully; enters from right
2.24/0.38 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.
2.31/0.40 Substantial creek joins from right; cross at right angles on yellow arrow and cairn.
2.37/0.42 Main waterfall in K. Ck; about 10-12 m drop with substantial pool below; track deteriorates from here with no more painted yellow arrows
2.38/0.43 Walking pad leads uphill from waterfall with pool in K. Ck. on l
2.44/0.50 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
2.79/0.58 On walking pad beside pool and K. Ck on left; pristine location
3.00 /1.05 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
3.26 /1.11 No track; rough progress over boulders and thick scrub on right bank, K. Ck on left
3.41 /1.15 Creek on left; hint of walking pad, very clear in sections
3.57/1.18 Creek (gully) joins K. Ck from right; still on walking pad;
3.80/1.22 Walking pad continues along right bank, K. Ck on left but is lost when it passes over rocks.
3.84/1.23 Walk downstream for about 50 m on rock outcrop in or beside K. Creek bed
3.89/1.24 Creek (gully) joins from right; on clear walking pad
3.99/1.27 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
4.02/1.28 On right bank; walking pad lost or faint; reasonably easy walking
4.21/1.31 Now on clear walking pad; large pool in K. Ck on left
4.43/1.39 Track lost on long outcrop in K. Ck bed/bank; walk on outcrop; follow downstream
4.54/1.40 Resume on right bank beside K. Ck.; no track
4.60/1.42 Another approx. 100 m continuous rock outcrop in/beside K. Ck bed; follow this downstream
4.70/1.44 K.Ck now on small gorge; stay above this on right bank; hint of track
4.71 /1.45 Small cairn of stones under low cliff; clearer foot pad resumes here; still on right bank, K. Ck on left
4.74/1.49 Foot pad now back at K.Ck. level, crosses creek (gully) entering from right.
5.14/2.07 Substantial creek (gully) joins K. Ck. from right
5.21/2.10 On right bank of K. Ck., opposite confluence with Cridland Brook;
5.30/2.13 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
5.40/2.15 On rock outcrop in K. Creek bed, then resume on right bank, K. Ck. on left; thick scrub and boulders as above
5.62/2.22 Clear walking pad for several hundred meters fairly high on right bank, K Ck. on left
5.95/2.29 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
6.12/2.36 In K. Ck. bed; cross to left bank, K. Ck on right to avoid cliff on right bank and walk on the inside of the Creek meander (bend)
6.23/2.39 Cross back to right bank, K.Ck on left and walk through thick scrub fairly high above K. Creek; tough walking here
6.48/2.49 On right bank of K. Ck. opposite confluence with Goondera Brook on opposite side
6.57/2.53 Next to and on right bank of K. Ck; tough walking over boulders, flotsam and thick scrub
6.88/3.03 Track junction; Heathcote- Uloola Falls Track crosses Kangaroo Creek here; signage; Karloo Pool is about 25m downstream of the track crossing; 18 mins time out
6.88/3.21 Resume walking; now follow good walking pad along the left bank of Kangaroo Creek, Creek on right;
7.96/3.48 Track junction with Bottle Forest Track; continue on current bedded outcrop along left bank; large extended pool on right; hint of walking track; track goes above low creek overhang; track at rapids with wide outcrop
8.29/3.57 Good Creek crossing on wide outcrop; cross to right bank and continue over boulders with large pool on left.
8.41/4.02 At end of large pool on left; continue along right bank; track then either on current bedded outcrop or on walking track about 15 m. from Creek all on right bank
9.20/4.15 Cross to left bank on wide outcrop near the apex of Yalla Ridge to a clear walking track; after some rapids, faint track is less clear as it goes along Creek flood channel; right bank looks inhospitable
9.37/4.22 Easy crossing here of K. Ck but staying on left bank; hint of track; large pool on right; squeeze around overhang.
9.56/4.28 Cross to right bank on wide outcrop; hint of walking track visible on rt. Bank; track obscure over rocks but reappears, generally 10-15 m. from Creek; stay on right
9.80/4.37 Track continues on right bank above overhang now marked with bunting
10.26/4.47 Right bank track reaches wide sandstone outcrop Creek bed at bend; cross to left bank and follow track; note cliff with rope over pool on right bank
10.59/4.54 Track goes down to Creek for easy but slippery crossing to right bank; hint of walking track visible on right bank; marked with bunting; climb to top of low cliff and follow clear track to Engadine Track
10.81/5.02 Signage:- ‘Engadine Track’ on left; 21 minutes time out for lunch
10.81/5.23 Leave Kangaroo Creek and resume walk uphill on the Engadine Track
11.88/5.43 Top of steeper climb on Engadine Track; now more gentle climb on open spur
12.09/5.46 Signage:- ‘Audley’ and arrow beside track; no track junction here- continue along this gentle spur with laterite underfoot and open undergrowth with numerous Gymea Lillies and large trees
12.47 /5.49 Track junction with fire trail and signage:- ‘Audley’ track back; ‘Heathcote’ crosses fire trail at right angles; no directions for Engadine; take the Heathcote track, walk past the ‘no bicycles’sign
12.57 /5.53 Track junction with fire trail and signage:- ‘Engadine’ track crosses firetrail at right angles to ‘No bicycles’ sign
12.77 /5.56 Track crosses prominent creek on sandstone outcrop
13.44 /6.04 Track junction with fire trail; cross at right angles and follow walking track with ‘No Bicycles’ sign
13.69 /6.08 Track crosses minor creek
13.92/6.11 Track junction with bicycle track and signage:- ‘Audley 5.3 km’ on track back; ‘Engadine 0.7 km’ straight ahead but turn right and follow bike track for about 25m to a walking track on the left with signage:- ‘Walkers Only’
14.05 /6.13 Track junction with firetrail and signage:- ‘Engadine’ on timber post; cross fire trail at right angles
14.38 /6.18 Multiple track junction with signage:- ‘Audley 5.8 km’ back; track on left is ‘closed’ ;track on right ‘bicycles’; go straight past sign:- ‘Engadine 0.2 km’ past stormwater dam beside railway line on left
14.48 /6.19 Track junction with signage :- ‘Audley’ back; turn left here with Engadine Station straight in front
14.60/6.21 Engadine Railway Station; end of walk
Route Quality Index
Off track or on walking track:- 99%
TQI= 100
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