The secret Woy Woy waterfall became a bit of a Tiktok sensation and we started to get lots of emails asking where to find it. It’s a pretty cool spot where a trough has been made at the bottom of a small waterfall, creating the perfect little plunge pool in the bush - a great place to cool off on a hot day.
Whilst we don’t think it’s anywhere near as good as Kariong Brook Waterfall nearby, it’s a fun place to head for a dip. It’s not a difficult walk but the path does deteriorate towards the end.
We’ll detail exactly what to expect on that section as well as take you through the route step by step.
How to find the secret Woy Woy Waterfall
Where to park
You need to park in front of the gate that leads to the Tunnel Fire Trail - it’s a turning off Woy Woy Road. There is probably room for around six cars which shouldn’t be a problem as it’s still not widely known.
It’s not far from the Staples Lookout, which is another possible start point, but it’s a slightly longer walk from there.
How to get to the waterfall
The length of the walk is 5.4 km return. The total elevation gain is 118m.
The majority of the route is flat and easy, along a well maintained fire trail. The final 250m down to the waterfall is on a narrow bush track. It can get a little muddy after rain and there is one scramble.
Tips before you go
Go early: This place is very small, and you really want to avoid going when others are here. We visited at 8.30am when no one was there, we bumped into people at 9.30am on the way back.
Be careful: The ledge beside the pool is narrow and gets very wet (with a drop to the boulders below) and there isn’t really anywhere to wait safely if it’s busy. If you are unlucky and it’s crowded, we recommend walking to nearby Kariong Brook Waterfall instead.
Wear good shoes: Some parts of this trail are muddy and there is one scramble, so you’ll want good shoes, or some people opt to go barefoot!
The best light is in the morning: Whilst the trough does get the full brunt of the sun in the morning, it is better if you want to take photos or are visiting on a cooler day. It’s in full shade in the afternoon.
The step by step guide
The Tunnel Fire Trail
The majority of the walk is on a wide stony fire trail which is quite flat for much of the way. After just over 1km you’ll need to climb around the gate and continue along the fire trail (don’t worry, it’s not private property!).
Roughly 700m later you will come to a junction. Directly ahead of you are some powerlines and you’ll reach a sign post for the Tunnel Track, Rocky Ponds and a couple of other trails. You want to turn left along the unmarked trail that follows the powerlines downhill towards the bay.
Whilst the fire trail is downhill it’s not overly steep, which is great as you will have to hike back up after your dip!
After 600m (which is at the 2.3km mark) you’ll reach a dead end and a pylon in front of you with a graffitied cartoon ghost. At this point it looks like there is nowhere to go, but look to the right of the pylon and you’ll see a worn down path.
You need to take the little overgrown path, which only takes a minute, and you will be at the creek.
The creek
You need to follow the creek downstream, heading left after leaving the overgrown bush path.
There are rocks you can use to rock hop and even after heavy rain any bits you had to walk in were shallow, so you don’t have to get wet if you don’t want to.
After just 100m you’ll reach a dead end and you can see the trough pool below if you peer over the edge (be careful as it’s a big drop!). You need to take the path on the right.
The final bush track
The first 50m of the narrow bush track are easy and take you along a dirt path and over a couple of rocks. You then come to a steeper section which is the hardest part of the trail (but still not too bad).
There is one long rock that constitutes the only scramble of the walk. There are a couple of ledges which make foot holds so it’s not hard to get down.
From that point if there has been a lot of rain it will be quite muddy.
You only have a couple of minutes left to go before you can see the trough.
To get there involves walking a few steps along a fairly narrow ledge which is probably going to be a bit wet and muddy. There is a sheer drop to the right of it.
Personally I didn’t find it slippery or unnerving, but thought it was still worth a mention.
We visited when there was no one else around which was ideal because this whole area is really small. Not just the ledge, but the pool too. You wouldn’t really want to be standing around with lots of people and a sheer drop!
The pool feels big for one or two people, but four or more would feel very crowded. As this spot becomes more popular it’s probably worth heading here early to get it to yourself.
The waterfall
The waterfall drops from the creek into the trough at the bottom and it’s a great spot for a dip and a waterfall shower (it’s too shallow for a proper swim).
But you should know that while it is in the bush, this is no wilderness setting. You can hear trains running by and there are power lines.
It’s the kind of place that’s cool because it’s unusual, but the spot itself in my opinion, is a bit overhyped.
That’s why I definitely recommend going early to get it to yourself, otherwise I think you could find it very underwhelming.
I don’t want to knock it because we had fun, but when Kariong Brook is a short walk away I wouldn’t be racing back to the trough!
The walk back
The walk back is easy except for that one rock to scramble up which has a narrow gully and then you have the tiniest bit of uphill on the fire trail.
If you have the energy I’d highly recommend going to check out Kariong Brook on the way back. To do this make a left onto Tommos Fire Trail which you’ll pass on the way back and then follow our instructions in this guide, as it is also not signposted. It is an extra 2.3km each way from the turn off but it’s so worth it!
Another must do nearby
Directly on the route back and just 5.6km from the Tunnel Fire Trail car park you’ll find the Bulgandry Aboriginal engraving site. The engravings were made by the Guringai People who have lived in the area for more than 60,000 years.
The engravings are some of the very best we have seen in NSW. Given how exposed they are it’s incredible how well preserved they look. The vast majority are incredibly clear and there are such a variety of depictions from wallabies to the Bulgandry man for which the site is named.
It’s only a few hundred metres each way from the car park and a must do for anyone interested in Aboriginal art.
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