Heathcote NP. Circuit.

[kanangra]

Thursday morning before work I parked at the end of Oliver St Heathcote and made my way down to the pipeline track which I followed down the Battery Causeway. Once up the other side I detoured down to Lake Eckersley. Very pretty spot although I couldn't realy see anywhere suitable to camp. I notice that the NPWS web site has a small camping area here but it must be elsewhere than where the track joins the lake?

Back up at the pipeline I continue to follow it up and along past Sarah's Knob to the Woronora Dam Rd which I followed out to the dam. All was quiet as I walked out along the dam wall. At the far end my way is barred by large fences but I manage a way. Continuing on I cross the river at the causeway and then uphill to pick up the pipleline track again which I retrace completeing a very pleasant short circuit.

K.

[michael_p]

Thanks Kanangra.

I've always been a fan of Heathcote NP. Very nice little park that has lots of very pretty locations if you are prepared to get off the main tracks.

Cheers,
Michael.

[kanangra]

Michael,

I totally agree. Despite being so close to civilisation and having the water infrastructure through it the park still has quite a remote feel and the water quality is not too bad particularly on the Woronora Side.

k.

[narikki]

sounds great!

Im going there this easter holiday for my first overnight walk. looking forward to it.

Ive read that water is drinkable from heathcote creek after filtering of course. is this true? what about all the other creeks that flow off it, id assume it would be the same.

[Solohike74]

There are 2 places to camp near the Mirang pools. Ones in my photo.

I've drank untreated creek water there with no problem.
There's also a leak in the pipeline where water may be colllected, near the step bridge at the bottom of the Goanna Trail.

[narikki]

There are 2 places to camp near the Mirang pools. Ones in my photo.

I've drank untreated creek water there with no problem.
There's also a leak in the pipeline where water may be colllected, near the step bridge at the bottom of the Goanna Trail.

Thanks for that! =D im camping at the kingfisher pool. but we will be passing the mirang pools on the way there looks good!

[puredingo]

I drank it my whole life and I'm finnneee....oh wait, um...maybe you better not.

Nah, it's cool to drink. You may even get some super- human powers out of the run off from lucas heights nuclear power plant that's just up the hill!

[michael_p]

Ive read that water is drinkable from heathcote creek after filtering of course. is this true?

On one walk we stopped at Kingfisher Pool for morning tea and a couple camping there were taking water out of Heathcote Ck and I have to say it did not look good. Very cloudy and smelly. I decided that day that I wouldn't drink out Heathcote Creek without filtering. Once filtered it should be OK.

I've drunk water out of Kingfisher Ck, Myuna Ck and had a mouth full from Girronba Ck without treating it and never had a problem. Each to their own of course.

Cheers,
Michael.

[Pteropus]

Nice. I like Heathcote NP but haven't walked there in ages, and despite several visits to the RNP each time I am in Sydney, I seem to neglect Heathcote. I recall in the early 90's when I was a teenager, I camped under an over-hang just above the Battery Causeway. We used a tarp over us to protect us from water dripping on our sleeping bags. I also used to ride my mountain bike up the pipeline service road to the dam, then over to Helensburgh and down into the RNP. In spring the wildflowers were always amazing!

[narikki]

So i did the walk over the weekend and it was great! saw a few people but was expected as it was a long weekend. the mirang pool was pretty nice, same with lake erkersley. Had a group of ppl trying to find the campsite at lake erkersley and couldnt find it so they left (unless its just the place at the end of the walk down there). We stayed at king fisher pool and we refilled out water there as well off the stream coming off rocks. water was pretty yellowish ahah but i used my sawyer filter and it became real clear, used it for cooking and drinking and im still here so yep water is perfectly fine =D.

[Swampy460]

Hey Guys , is there any info available about the tracks in Heathcote NP. This sounds like an area I'd like to explore.

Thanks
Swampy

[michael_p]

Hey Guys , is there any info available about the tracks in Heathcote NP. This sounds like an area I'd like to explore.

Thanks
Swampy

Wild Walks website has a number of walks listed for Heathcote NP. This is a good place to start. If you are happy to get off the beaten track then there are other walks in the area but the tracks are indistinct/overgrown or you can just go scrub bashing.

I really should write up some of the walks I've done in this area.

[Swampy460]

Thanks for that, quite a few in that area as well as RNP.

I like the look of the heathcote to waterfall overnighter , but I read in the trek notes that no fires are allowed.
Would this be correct even in the cooler months with no fire bans ??

Swampy

[Allchin09]

Swampy,

In both the Royal and Heathcote NPs fire bans apply year round. I guess it's due to their easy access.

Alex.

[narikki]

Thanks for that, quite a few in that area as well as RNP.

I like the look of the heathcote to waterfall overnighter , but I read in the trek notes that no fires are allowed.
Would this be correct even in the cooler months with no fire bans ??

Swampy

this is an awesome walk, i just did this two weeks ago for my first overnighter =D

yep no fires at all, but when we went to kingfisher camp, there were two other groups who both had fires. lol