Kingfisher Pool Campground

Kingfisher Pool Campground sits in the middle of Heathcote National Park, 50 metres above the pool that gives it its name. The park has no internal roads and no vehicle access whatsoever, which keeps it genuinely quiet. There are six sites with a maximum of 18 campers. You are allowed one night only. These constraints together produce one of the more memorable overnight experiences within reach of Sydney.

The six sites are unmarked and unpowered, positioned above Kingfisher Pool in bushland. Access is via the Bullawarring Track: 1.5km and about an hour’s walk from the Warabin Street carpark at Waterfall. There is also a longer 5.5km approach from the Warabin Street carpark via an alternate route, and the campground is accessible by train from both Waterfall Station and Heathcote Station. If you come in from Waterfall and out via Heathcote, it makes a clean one-way overnight trip. Bring a topographic map or download the offline NPWS app before you leave phone coverage.

Facilities are minimal: pit toilets and picnic tables. No drinking water on site. Heathcote Creek runs near the campground and the water can be treated or filtered for drinking, but bring your own to be safe. No BBQs, no fires, no bins. Pack out everything. Fuel stoves only. No generators, no mobile reception.

The pool below the campground is a pristine freshwater swimming spot fringed by Gymea lilies, tea trees, and waxflowers. On a hot day it’s the reason most people are here. The Bullawarring Track connects to the Mooray Track and the Pipeline Trail, giving you options for a loop route back to Heathcote Station via Goburra Track and Oliver Street. The park is known for excellent birdwatching, particularly in spring when the Gymea lilies are flowering and the gullies glow scarlet.

Booking is essential via NPWS. One night maximum stay is strictly enforced. No pets. The park opens at sunrise and closes at sunset. Check NPWS local alerts for any closures before travelling.