Name: Karloo Pools
Where: Royal National Park, Sydney
How to get there: Park at Heathcote train station, walk a little bit south until you see the signs to Karloo walking track.
Tips: It can be pretty isolated, so take a friend if you feel more comfortable.
Pools of the Sea number: 11/100
How to get to Karloo Pools and walking track in the Royal National Park
Tucked away in the middle of the the Royal National Park, hides this little oasis that is Karloo Pools. It’s not that easy to get to, but it’s a great Sydney hike none the less.
The best way to get there is to aim for Heathcote train station which is around an hours drive south of Sydney. From the train station walk south and you’ll soon see the signs to head to the Karloo walking track.
It’s a nice hike and it’s around 10km return which is roughly 3 hours worth of walking. So you’d definitely want to be prepared for a few hours. Because of the distance there it can be pretty quiet out there and when I did this trek, I didn’t see another soul on the walk out or even when I made it to the pool and had a great swim.
So if you’re looking for a bit of me time then this is the track for you.
Once you get to the Karloo pool, this it’s quite amazing. I’ve also included it in my Pools of the Sea list too, even tho it’s a little inland I’m claiming it as it’s too cool not too.
The surrounding rocks give you a great place to sit down and if you’re prepared you can have a picnic too it’s that nice. The swimming hole is great for a swim too and the access in was pretty easy as well.
It made for some great pictures too, so I really enjoyed this hike and photoshoot. So if you’re looking for hikes in Sydney or the Royal National Park, this one is perfect.
As long as you have the time for the hike it’s definitely worth it and I’ll be back again once summer hit. So add it to the list and enjoy the great outdoors that Sydney has. Also in the beautiful national park and not too far from here lies the stunning Figure 8 pools and if you have half a day I’d definitely recommend a trip there too.
Til next time!
Chris Lane
Chasing Light by Chris Lane 