Jingga Pool is one of the best wild swimming spots in Sydney. At the end of the Jingga Track in the Dharawal National Park, you’ll reach this magnificent natural attraction. Not only is Jingga Pool one of Sydney’s best natural swimming holes but it also features a breathtaking waterfall. So, by doing the Jingga Track, you’re really getting two for one!
In this guide, we’ll cover all of the important details about visiting Jingga Pool.
Read about the best waterfalls in Sydney
Table of Contents
About Jingga Pool, Dharawal National Park
When it comes to chasing waterfalls and wild swimming spots, we know many Sydneysiders will head to the Royal National Park and or even the Blue Mountains. But, what about Dharawal National Park? Located near Campbelltown, this national park features loads of great walks to beautiful natural rock pools, including Jingga Pool (AKA Jingga Pools).
Fed by O’Hares Creek, Jingga Pool is a large waterhole with a collection of gorgeous cascades. Surrounded by bushland, the swimming hole has a wondrous natural setting. Interestingly though, near the waterfall, you’ll find a concrete weir, which was once used to gauge the water flow at O’Hares Creek.
This spectacular natural place lies in the traditional country of the Aboriginal Dharawal People. Jingga Pool is one of several sacred sites in this area of the Dharawal National Park, which also includes Minerva Pool. In the Dharawal language, when talking about water, the word ‘Jingga’ means ‘nice and sweet’.
So, where is the natural gem located?
Where Is Jingga Pool?
Jingga Pool is located in Wedderburn in the Dharawal National Park in New South Wales.
How to Get to Jingga Pool
By walking the Jingga Track (AKA the Jingga Walking Track), you’ll reach the outstanding natural attraction. Below, we’ll look at some trail specs and a link to a map for the Jingga Track.
Jingga Track Details
- Type: Out & Back
- Distance: 3km
- Time: 1 hour
- Accumulated elevation gain: 130 metres
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Trailhead: Victoria Road Car Park
- Map: AllTrails
The Jingga Track is a short yet physically challenging bush walk in the Dharawal National Park. Despite its short distance, you’ll need to descend fairly sharply to reach O’Hares Creek en route to Jingga Pool. So, that means a steep and physically demanding walk to leave the creek. But, it’s all worth the effort!
Jingga Track Highlights
The Jingga Track is more than just Jingga Pool. Featuring dense eucalyptus bushland and epic orange-coloured sandstone formations, there are many natural delights to enjoy along the Jingga Track. Below, we’ll talk you through the main points of interest along this walking track.
Victoria Road Trail
From the car park at the end of Victoria Road, you’ll join Victoria Road Trail. After 100 metres or so, you’ll pass a small hut containing a drop toilet and the turnoff for the 10B Management Trail (AKA the Minerva Pool Walking Track). At this turnoff, you’ll find informative signage about walks in the area. At this point of the walk, simply continue straight along Victoria Road Trail.
Surrounded by eucalyptus trees, the wide and open trail gently winds its way to the trailhead of the Jingga Track.
Jingga Track
After walking 500 metres along the Victoria Road Trail, you’ll arrive at the start of the Jingga Track. You’ll turn right to join this walking track, which soon descends towards O’Hares Creek. Along the trail, there are waves of relatively sharp descents. Bear in mind, that the trail consists of lots of loose rocks, so mind your step as you descend.
After 400 metres along the Jingga Track, the trail bends to the left, making its way around the foot of the escarpment. Soon, you’ll reach a side trail that takes you down to O’Hares Creek. Simply ignore this side trail and continue straight along Jingga Track.
Soon, you’ll reach an immense rock overhang to your left. The vibrant orange-coloured sandstone is an amazing part of the landscape. Once you pass this amazing rock feature, you’ll soon arrive at Jingga Pool.
Jingga Pool
The Jingga Track leads you to the impressive pocket of waterfalls at the mouth of Jingga Pool. A little further downstream, you’ll reach the calmer waters of the pool. Yes, it’s time for a swim!
Next to the large body of water are several flat rock platforms where you can place your belongings or even a towel. These rocky ledges create safe and easy entry points into the pool.
Even further downstream, past Jingga Pool is another natural swimming pool formed by O’Hares Creek. Truth be told, the main pool as well as this extra pool are both great places for a wild swim. Otherwise, simply walking to this extra section of the creek helps you explore more of the amazing natural scenery.
Jingga Pool Waterfall
For sure, one of the main attractions at Jingga Pool is its impressive waterfalls. We purposely visited after heavy rainfall to ensure the cascades were following optimally. And, our decision paid off. In photos we had previously seen of the waterfall, it was usually appearing to flow fairly minimally. But, when we visited the waterfall, it had come to life, thundering and plummeting into the pool.
Certainly, time your visit after decent rainfall to ensure the waterfall at Jingga Pool is at its finest.
What’s Near Jingga Pool
Other than Jingga Pool, there are other excellent swimming holes in this area of the Dharawal National Park. These include Minerva Pool and The Weir.
Minerva Pool
Minerva Pool is another brilliant natural pool and wild swimming spot in Dharawal National Park. By following the nearby Minerva Pool Walking Track, you’ll reach this awesome swimming hole, fed by Stokes Creek.
Albeit, Minerva Pool is a lot more well-known compared with Jingga Pool. So, you can expect a lot more people at Minerva Pool. Additionally, given Minerva Pool is a sacred site for Aboriginal Dharawal women, the Tharawal Local Aboriginal Land Council ask that only women and children swim in Minerva Pool. Whereas, at Jingga Pool, there are no restrictions regarding swimming.
Read more: Minerva Pool Walking Track – The Ultimate Visitor’s Guide
The Weir
The Weir is another nearby place where you can enjoy wild swimming. It’s located near Minerva Pool, along the 10T Management Trail. Personally, Beck and I didn’t have time to visit The Weir. But, we’ve heard it’s a decent swimming hole. Sure, it isn’t as nice as Jingga Pool or Minerva Pool for that matter. But, if the other natural pools are busy, The Weir is a good choice for a quieter dip. Similar to Jingga Pool, there aren’t any cultural restrictions for swimming at The Weir.
Location: Google Maps
Maddens Falls
If you’ve explored Jingga Pool, Minerva Pool and The Weir, and are looking for another nearby natural attraction, you’ll be happy to know there is another excellent waterfall to see.
Located on the other side of the Dharawal National Park, in Darkes Forest, you’ll find the stunning Maddens Falls. By following the Maddens Falls Walking Track, you’ll arrive at a well-constructed viewing platform, which offers lovely views of the waterfall. But, if you want to truly explore Maddens Falls, you’ll need to use a side trail near the viewing platform to access the base of the main falls.
Otherwise, there are plenty of great spots to paddle near the waterfall along Maddens Creek.
Read more: Maddens Falls – How to Get to the Bottom of the Falls
How to Get to Dharawal National Park
The only way to get to the Dharawal National Park is by driving there. You’ll simply park at this car park, which is located at the end of Victoria Road in Wedderburn. There are enough roadside parking spots for around 15 vehicles or so. You can park there for free.
If you don’t have a car and want to visit Dharawal National Park, we recommend hiring one for the day.
Car Hire
If you don’t have your own car, you should hire one using Discover Cars. Personally, we use Discover Cars and highly recommend them for finding your ideal car hire at an affordable price. Booking online is super easy and the free cancellation policy is great.
To find out more about renting a car with Discover Cars, read our Discover Cars review and Discover Cars Insurance review.
It isn’t possible to use public transport to get to Jingga Pool. Unfortunately, Dharawal National Park isn’t serviced by any public transport.
What to Pack
Make sure to pack plenty of water and snacks for the walk. Of course, you’ll want to pack your swimmers and a towel too. To stay sun safe, we also recommend wearing a hat, long sleeves, sunglasses and sunscreen. Otherwise, here are some of our hiking gear essentials.
Osprey Skarab 30
The Osprey Skarab 30 is our go-to hiking backpack for day hikes. This well-designed unisex backpack is comfortable and spacious, so you’ll have plenty of space to pack everything without feeling the strain on your upper back.
Osprey Ultralight Raincover
A waterproof backpack cover is an absolute must when you’re adventuring outdoors. The Osprey Ultralight Raincover Medium is a high-quality waterproof cover that’ll keep your backpack bone dry.
GRAYL Reusable Water Bottle
The GRAYL GeoPress is the best water filter bottle that allows you to purify 710mL (12 ounces) of water. This bottle will make water safe to drink wherever you’re hiking.
BUFF Original Ecostretch
The BUFF Original Ecostretch is a great option when it comes to multifunctional headwear. We use the Ecostretch as a neck gaiter to keep the sun off our necks and it helps us keep warm in cooler climates.
Sony Cybershot RX100 VII
Capture epic photos and videos with the Sony Cybershot RX100 VII. This is hands-down the best compact camera. We love using this simple point-and-shoot camera when we’re hiking as it’s lightweight and durable.
To find out more about all of the gear that we use and recommend, read our guides about our favourite hiking gear, travel gear and camera gear. Otherwise, read our comprehensive travel packing checklist.
Read about natural pools in Sydney: Mermaid Pools and See Thru Pools and Karloo Pools and Olympic Pool.
We acknowledge and respect the First Nations people as the Traditional Custodians of the land/water that we visited and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.
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