Walk 34:- Heathcote Circuit via Bottle Forest and Karloo Pool At A Glance
Route Summary:- This walk follows a fire trail at the rear of houses from Heathcote Station to the end of Bottle Forest Road, then right past locked gate into Bottle Forest, still on fire trail for about another 1.5 km. to the start of a walking track steeply down to Kangaroo Creek, then upstream along a faint walking track to intersect the Karloo Track at Karloo Pool, then uphill on the Karloo Track back to Heathcote
RQI:- 81
Highlights:- Rustic descent to Kangaroo Creek, pools in Kangaroo Creek including Karloo Pool
Negatives :- About 3 km. on fire trail or public road
Length:- 6.9 km
Grade:- Easy to medium
Weather:_All weather
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops:- 1 hr. 40 mins.
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 55 mins, every 30 mins
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 55 mins, every 30 mins.
Total Climb :- 135 m.
Total Descent :- 135 m.
Water:- Heathcote
Toilets:- Heathcote Station but probably locked
Café/Kiosk :- Heathcote shops
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Port Hacking
Walk 34 Track Notes
Heathcote Circuit via Bottle Forest and Karloo Pool
11/08/2013
Km./Hrs.min Kilometers in bold are shown on map
0.00/0.00 Leave Heathcote Station on the National Park side, cross car park and turn right onto sealed public road and walk past Heathcote Rural Fire Service buildings past a lockable gate to a signboard on left.
0.15/0.02 At signboard :- ‘ Karloo Track’ ; ‘ Karloo Pool 2.5 km’ and ‘Audley 9.0 km’; turn left and follow walking track over rocks- it becomes a service trail within a few meters.
0.37/0.04 Track junction and signboard on right:- ‘ Karloo Track’ on right; ignore this but continue straight on service trail, about 50 m behind houses; ignore any minor tracks on right
1.37/0.14 Three-way gated service road junction with sealed public road on left; turn hard right, walk past locked gate to signboard:- ‘ Audley 4.5 km’ and ‘Kangaroo Creek 2.2 km’; follow this service road
1.63/0.17 Service road Y junction; go right, then ignore any minor tracks on left
2.18/0.22 Service road Y junction with signage:- ‘Audley’ track on left, ‘ Heathcote’ back track; turn right onto unsignposted service road and follow this to its end at a turning circle; ignore minor track on left; note abundant Gymea Lillies
2.83/0.32 At service trail turning circle; go hard right onto walking track down to Kangaroo creek
3.14/0.38 Track at prominent lookout above low cliff; track turns right down cliff; follow arrows painted on rocks.
3.36/0.44 Track at kangaroo Creek and track T junction with track along Creek; turn right and follow track upstream, with Kangaroo Creek on left; this track is reasonably clear all the way to Karloo Pool; in places it goes along massive sandstone next to the Creek and may be less obvious; the track is rarely more than 10 m away from the creek
4.39 /1.02 Track T junction with Karloo Track just upstream of Karloo Pool; Karloo/ Uloola Falls Track crosses Kangaroo Creek here; turn right to signboard:- ‘ Heathcote 2.5 km’; follow Karloo Track uphill, away from Kangaroo Creek; this is a well used track and easy to follow; sporadic paint markings and arrows on rocks assist.
5.20/1.17 After reasonably steep climb along ridge, track flattens and goes more gently up, in parts over massive outcrops of sandstone.
5.90/1.25 Track Y junction just before Heathcote Creek crossing; both tracks go to Heathcote; track on right crosses creek- this is the main track; it intersects the service road at signboard passed earlier at 0.37 km; the present walk takes the track on left along minor Heathcote Creek to intersect a sealed road
6.67/1.36 At junction with sealed road next to rail lines; turn right and walk past first signboard noted at start of walk.
6.76/1.37 At ‘Karloo Track’ signboard; walk past lockable gate, past Heathcote Rural Fire Service buildings on right to Heathcote Station
6.86/1.38 At Heathcote Railway Station
Route Quality Index
On public vehicular road:- 0.34 km; 5%
On locked service/fire trail:- 2.68 km; 49 %
On walking track:- 3.84 km; 56%
RQi= 56+25+0=81
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