The best rockpool on the Central Coast - and one of the best in all of NSW - can be found in Catherine Hill Bay. The crystal clear water varies from a deep indigo to turquoise blue and the setting is simply spectacular. And this is not one of those picturesque plunge pools, this is a rockpool so big you could train for the Olympics! We’ve never seen one quite like it.
The walk to reach the pool is relatively easy, though you need to be mindful of the tide and swell, which we’ll detail below.
Here’s how to find the Catherine Hill Bay rockpool.
The tide and swell
The rockpool at Catherine Hill Bay can be visited on a low to mid tide. We have never seen it on a high tide, but we wouldn’t recommend going at this time as the rockpool sits close to the ocean and you are likely to experience waves crashing in. In terms of swell, we always swim in rockpools on a slight swell as this is the safest time to visit.
It minimises your chance of rogue waves crashing into the pool and makes the whole experience much safer and more serene.
The pool is large and set slightly further back from the water’s edge than many rockpools, which is why it’s ok to visit on a mid tide, but overall, we’d recommend a low tide with slight swell as optimum conditions. Don’t go when the swell is rough.
The walk to the Catherine Hill Bay rockpool
The stats
Distance: 3.1km return
Elevation gain: 50m
Difficulty: Easy, but not flat
Trailhead: Catherine Hill Bay Beach North Car Park
Summary: Although there is no set trail to the rockpool, the terrain is good the entire way. It’s very exposed though so you’ll want to be mindful on a really hot day.
The rock platform you need to cross to reach the rockpool is very wide, so you don’t ever have to get too close to the ocean. There’s a short section which is uphill, but the majority of the route is flat.
Starting the trail: along the beach
From the parking area (full details below) you have two choices for starting the track: you can either head straight down onto the beach, or you can begin on the bush track that runs parallel to it. The beach is more scenic, but more exposed.
If you start on the bush track it passes several old gravestones before cutting down to the beach after 220m.
At this point you head along the beach and after 330m meet a creek crossing.
At low tide this is almost dry at the closest end to the ocean. At mid tide it’s still shallow at one end and you can hop across easily enough.
After crossing the small channel head left towards the stony road leading uphill.
You might wander why you can’t continue along the beach and onto the rock platform without diverting uphill, but there’s a large inlet in the way. Unfortunately it can’t be safely navigated on foot, so you need to climb up and around it.
It’s a little scrubby at first, but after 100m heading uphill you’ll meet the proper gravel road.
Along the rock platform
Continue heading steeply uphill on the gravel road for just under 200m at which point you’ll see a worn path leading into the bush on the right.
Small sections of the dirt track can get muddy after rain, but there are some logs to help and the patches are really very small.
After 180m the path begins descending towards the rock platform (50m away). Towards the very end there are one or two steps of loose soil, but generally it’s in good condition and not slippery.
You’ll then reach the wide rock platform and begin heading left. You can either stay high or head down to the lower rock shelf if preferred - the lower shelf is very wide and you don’t need to venture close to the water.
The rockpool is 400m away from the point at which you reach the rock platform and you couldn’t possibly miss it!
There are other small rockpools around too, but you can’t beat the big one!
The Catherine Hill Bay rockpool
If there’s a better rockpool for swimming anywhere on the Central Coast we haven’t found it yet! I’m used to rockpools being places for a quick plunge or a very limited swim, but this one couldn’t be more different.
It’s huge and there are almost two separate pools.
They do join, but the shape makes it feel like two separate pools, as well as the colour difference in the water. The first section is deep indigo and the second, turquoise, all of it is spectacular.
I couldn’t believe I could actually swim lengths! The view is also stunning, out to the ocean in one direction and back over the rocky cliffs in the other. Simply sensational.
Entering the water is very easy at both sides. For the indigo pool you can just step off the rock and into the pool at the shallow end on the right.
The turquoise pool is best entered from the opposite side to the one you’ll come to first.
On the far side there is shallow sandy bottomed access and no rocks or plants to negotiate. It quickly becomes deep enough to swim off.
As long as you have picked the correct tide and swell there should be no current or waves inside the pool, making it a sublime place for a swim.
I’m personally not a fan of swimming in the ocean, so to find a rockpool where you can actually have a proper swim was the dream!
When you’re ready to leave the rockpool you simply retrace your steps back to the car park.
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the area, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
Parking for the Catherine Hill Bay rockpool
The closest parking for the rockpool is at the northern end of Catherine Hill Bay beach, which you can see here on Google maps. It’s a gravel parking area and requires driving very briefly on a gravel road.
There are a couple of potholes, but unless it deteriorates, it’s suitable for any car. However, if preferred you can park a few minutes further away at the Catherine Hill Bay cemetery and miss it altogether.
The parking area is 35km and a 50 minute drive from Newcastle and 130km and a 1 hour 40 minute drive from Sydney.
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