Goburra Pool

Heathcote National Park, New South Wales

Goburra Pool is the most picturesque pool in the Heathcote National Park, and one of the most accessible. A low sandstone wall surrounds the pool on three sides, whilst beautiful lilies float in the water on the opposite bank. I love the contrast of colours here from the grey rocks to the orange submerged sandstone to the deep blue-grey water and the vibrant yellows, greens and whites of the floating vegetation. Above: View from the cliff top at Goburra Pool (Order this image)

The pool itself is huge at over 120 metres long and about 20 metres across. Because this long pool is curved, you can't view it all at once, giving you the opportunity for a swimming exploration around the bend to the elevated rock shelves that mark the pool boundary downstream. In dry conditions, the pool length can however contract considerably, as it is quite shallow in parts after you hit the bend. Above: The water lilies in Goburra Pool (Order this image)

Getting into the water was relatively easy for me after carefully climbing down onto a pool side rock ledge, but might be difficult for very young children. The water depth increases in sharp, vertical drops, so you need to swim almost immediately after getting in. Whilst the middle of the pool is very deep, there are few places where you can dive or jump safely into the water from the wall around the pool due to those submerged rock shelves. The walls do however offer good protection from any wind running along the Heathcote Creek Valley.

The track down to the pool is unsignposted, but reasonably visible if you follow the directions below, with wooden steps clearly marking the start of the steep descent from the Pipeline Track. The track itself is narrow, but was free of encroaching vegetation when I travelled along it. Open space beside the pool is limited near the end of the track, but if you wander upstream or downstream along the length of the pool, there are plenty of open rock shelves around.

Here is a video of my swim at the pool, which was one of my favourite swims in the Heathcote National Park.

Before you head out, make sure to read the swimming safety information and check with the managing authority for any current change of conditions. The marker indicates the approximate location of the pool. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can sometimes occur when loading, simply click or tap on "View Larger Map" below.
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