Walk 37 A:- Heathcote (or Waterfall) to Loftus via Audley At A Glance
Route Summary:- This walk from Heathcote follows the Karloo Track down to Kangaroo Creek and Karloo Pool , then, still on the Karloo Track, goes up to Uloola Falls where it joins the Uloola Track. If coming from Waterfall, the walk follows the Uloola Track, mostly on fire trail along the ridge to Uloola Falls. From this point, both walks follow the same route along the Uloola Track to Audley via the Robertson Roundabout. At Audley, the Hacking River is crossed twice, then up to Audley Station via the Honeymoon Track. After a short section along the rail line, the walk goes for several kilometers along Temptation Creek almost to its junction with Saville Creek, then along Saville Creek and gently up, crossing the Princes Highway to Loftus Station
RQI:- 92 from Heathcote; 78 from Waterfall
Highlights:- Karloo Pool in Kangaroo Creek; Uloola Falls; Audley Recreation Area ;Hacking River; beautiful valley of Temptation Creek
Negatives :- The walk from Waterfall to Uloola Falls is less interesting and 1.1 km further than the alternative from Heathcote but is almost entirely on fire trail
Length:- 16.6 km from Heathcote; 17.7 km from Waterfall
Grade:- Medium
Weather:_All weather except when Kangaroo Creek and Hacking River are in flood
Continuous walking time with a few 3-4 min. stops and 22 mins. At Audley for morning tea:- 4 hrs 30 mins
Train Time from Central to Start :-. 1 hr to Watertfall; 55 mins. To Heathcote; every 30 mins.
Train Time from finish to Central:-. 47 mins. ; every 30 mins.
Total Climb :- 295 m.
Total Descent :- 390 m.
Water:- Waterfall, Heathcote, Audley, Loftus
Toilets:- Waterfall; Heathcote and Loftus, probably locked; Audley
Café/Kiosk :- Heathcote shops; Audley; Loftus shops
Published 1:25,000 Map :- Campbelltown, Port Hacking
Walk No 37 A Track Notes
Heathcote (or Waterfall) to Loftus via Audley
12/12/2013
Commencing Walk at Waterfall
Km./Hrs.min
0.00/0.00 Waterfall Station; walk up station ramp, turn left and walk across car park following walk signs to start of track at the bottom of stairs .
0.11/0.02 At track start and signage board ‘Uloola Falls 5.8 km’ ‘Audley 10.5 km’
0.59/0.08 Track emerges at oval; walk straight ahead across oval to a gated gravel service road; ignore sealed road on right of oval
1.11/0.13 Track junction and signage with Couranga Track head on right; continue straight on service road; note memorial sculpture about 80 m back to commemorate death of five volunteer firefighters in the 1980 bushfire.
2.44/0.26 Laterite on track for the next 2.5 km along ridge around RL 210; indicates ancient weathering surface, possibly of a shale bed in Hawkesbury Sandstone;
5.88/1.00 Service road ends at turning circle ; take walking track on left of turning circle indicated by arrowed post
6.05/1.03 Walking track emerges at Uloola Falls clearing and track junction with toilet facilities and signage ‘Audley 4.6 km’ on right; turn right and follow Audley track
This point coincides with 4.93 km/ 1 hr. 14 min for the walk commencing at Heathcote; follow Heathcote track notes from here.
Note that the Waterfall walk is 1.12 km longer but 11 minutes faster because it is along a ridge line and mostly on fire trail
Commencing Walk at Heathcote
Kilometers in bold are shown on map
Km./Hrs.min.
0.00/0.00 Heathcote Railway Station; leave platform on eastern (National Park) side; cross car park to Wilson Parade; turn right and follow Wilson Parade for about 100 meters to a sign board indicating Karloo Track on left; (On sign:- Uloola Falls 5 km; Karloo Pool 2.5 km, Audley 9 km) take this track that initially follows the rear fence line of the Rural Bushfire Depot and houses; there are several sub-parallel track that merge into one.
0.21/0.05 After about 200 meters another (new) sign board indicates Karloo Track ; veer right to leave main track; follow Karloo Track
0.57/0.13 Creek Crossing
2.69/0.39 Kangaroo Creek/ Karloo Pool; at metal sign cross Kangaroo Creek at right angles and walk downstream for approx. 25 meters to a another metal sign indicating ‘Audley 6.3 km’ on right where Karloo track continues uphill.
3.07/0.47 Track junction; ignore track on right; continue straight up on rubbly track
4.89/1.13 Uloola Creek crossing
4.93/1.14 Clearing with track intersections and new metal signs; turn left where sign indicates ‘Audley 4.6 km’
Track Notes for both Waterfall and Heathcote commenced walks are the same from here
5.23/1.20 Track junction; wrong track on right indicated by small logs placed across track; veer left
5.77/1.26 Elephant rocks and city skyline
7.61/1.51 Track junction and sign board; right track goes to Audley via Wattle Forest and boring walk along sealed road; continue on track straight ahead
8.82/2.09 Robertson Roundabout signage– take right track to Audley; left track goes to Engadine
9.43/2.20 Other side of Robertson Roundabout; take right hand track to Audley
9.50/2.23 Western edge of Audley Recreation Area and Hacking River
9.59/2.24 Middle of timber bridge over Hacking River
9.71/2.27 Audley Café- time out for morning tea; avoid on Sundays.
9.71/2.49 Resume walk
9.90/2.52 Middle of Audley Weir; take service road on right after crossing weir
10.03/2.54 Sign board for Honeymoon Track on left just before toilet block; take Honeymoon Track uphill
11.10/3.11 Top of Honeymoon Steps at NPWS Offices; continue straight parallel to Audley Road on your left and NPWS buildings and car parking area on your right; walk to entrance road to car park.
11.27/3.14 Cross entrance road to car park at right angles and take the footpath straight on to Audley train/tram station
11.33/3.15 At Audley Station platform, veer right onto service road parallel to rail line and follow this straight on for 0.43 km to a track junction just past a small timber railway hut on left
11.76/3.19 Track junction at NPWS post; walking track crosses rail line and service road almost at right angles; turn right here, leaving the service road and follow this good walking track down hill
12.16/3.26 Track junction; main walking track crosses Temptation Creek just ahead, but turn right here onto clear walking pad along the Creek on left and leave the main walking trail;
Note:- This single width walking pad is shared with mountain bike riders; take care!
12.29/3.30 Old dam wall on left; possible remnant of steam age.
12.64 /3.35 Track crosses tributary of Temptation Creek at right angles; track T junction immediately after crossing; ignore faint track on right and continue straight on main track
13.03/3.40 Track crosses Temptation Creek; easy crossing on rocks; Creek now on right
13.30/3.44 Track crosses tributary creek entering from left; Temptation Creek till on right; extensive Gymea Lillies
13.64/3.48 Walking track intersects service road where service road crosses Temptation Creek; turn left here and walk along service road for about 40 meters to a galvanized metal pole on the right; turn right at the pole onto a walking track that still follows the left bank of Temptation Creek, Creek on right
14.05/3.54 Track deviates to the left of Temptation Creek to cross rocky spur between Savilles and Temptation Creeks
14.24/3.59 Track junction and galvanized metal pole at top of spur; veer right; after about 40 m. there is another metal pole beside track near large boulder and faint track uphill on left; continue straight
14.74 /4.03 Several tracks leave the main track here on the right to cross Savilles Creek to public road and houses on the other side; continue straight along left bank of Savilles Creek.
15.04/4.07 Track crosses minor creek entering from left; track junction and stone cairn about 20 meters after crossing; turn left here and take a partly washed out track gently uphill, leaving the main track
15.12/4.09 Track veers to the left of a low cliff line
15.18/4.10 Track junction; ignore faint track on right along cliff top; continue straight on main track
15.31/4.12 Track junction; again ignore faint track on right; continue straight.
15.57/4.15 Track junction ;ignore a seemingly well used track on right; continue straight
15.64/4.16 Track junction; ignore faint track on left; continue straight on main track
15.68/4.17 Major four way X track junction; continue straight over this well entrenched old track
15.71/4.18 Minor creek crossing; cross at right angles or if flowing, cross a few meters upstream
15.74/4.19 Walking track intersects service road; turn right and follow service road to a gate next to a major public vehicular bypass road.
15.96/4.21 At gate and major road; turn left and walk along major road on wide bicycle/ pedestrian lane; turn right and cross to wide median nature strip when safe, taking care with traffic behind you; when safe from oncoming traffic, cross again onto another wide bicycle/pedestrian lane and turn left, continuing gently uphill to a point where the concrete culvert and earth cutting on your right end.
16.20/4.24 At end of concrete culvert, turn right, cross a ditch and then turn left to follow a paved service /recreation road to the mid-point of a broad curve to the right.
16.30/4.25 At mid point of right hand curve in service road, turn left walk over grassy area and cross Rawson Avenue at right angles; turn left and follow Rawson Ave. to a T junction with Pitt St. on the right.
16.33/4.26 At Pitt St., turn right and follow it to Loftus Station
16.59/4.28 Loftus Station
Note:- The walk commencing at Heathcote is not only 1.12 km shorter than the one commencing at Waterfall, but is much more picturesque, though a little harder
RouteQuality Index
Waterfall to Loftus
On public vehicular road:- 0.86 km/ 5%
On locked service/fire trail:- 6.00 km./ 34%
On walking track:- 10.76 km/ 61%
RQI= 78
Heathcote to Loftus
On public vehicular road:- 0.96 km./ 6%
On locked service/fire trail:- 0.82 km./ 5%
On walking track:- 14.72 km./ 89%
RQI= 92
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