If someone were to dream up the perfect natural infinity pool, it would look something like the one at Yerranderie. The water is an iridescent blue green and the surrounding gorge walls and waterfall create a swimming hole to remember.
The fact it’s located deep in the Aussie bush, just outside the fascinating ‘ghost town’ of Yerranderie only adds to its allure. Not everyone will venture out this far to reach it, but those that do will be well rewarded.
Here’s how to find it.
Visiting the Yerranderie Infinity Pool
The access road
I don’t normally start an article with driving details, but in the case of Yerranderie it makes sense to. Reaching Yerranderie requires driving for 63km down an unsealed road (via the Oberon-Colong stock route). It takes around 1.5 hours to drive the unsealed road.
It is not a 4WD road unless it’s wet or there has been very severe weather. However, not everyone will feel comfortable taking a 2WD along this road. There are some ups and downs - though no very steep sections - and the road surface is generally quite good. Occasionally there is an unfenced drop to the left, but the road is not narrow. There are four fords to cross and a few rocky puddles and potholes along way.
My advice is to ring the Oberon branch of the NSW Parks Service if you’re planning to visit in a 2WD or you’re not sure about unsealed roads in general. I rang them twice before visiting (the first time our plans fell through) and they were brilliant. They know the current conditions of the road and can give you an accurate assessment to help you plan.
If concerned, you could try to aim for when the road has been recently regraded.
For us the road was so much better than I’d been expecting, with no difficult terrain at all. It’s not too dissimilar to the road out to Walls Lookout in Kanangra, but with a few hills thrown in as well as the odd rocky patch.
Although the majority of cars we saw out at Yerranderie were SUV/4WD’s, we also saw a van and they didn’t have trouble. But as I said earlier, a call to the Oberon office will be by far your best way to understand current conditions on the road.
If you’re not staying the night, it’s a long day trip from anywhere, taking around 2 hours from Oberon, 3 hours 10 minutes from Katoomba and 4.5 hours from Sydney. If you’re going all that way, we’d recommend spending the night in the campground or one of the rustic NSW Parks Service cabins and making a weekend of it.
The walk to the Yerranderie Infinity Pool
The stats
Distance: 400m each way
Elevation gain: 40m
Difficulty: Easy - moderate
Trailhead: Ford on Scotts Main Ridge Road
Summary: There is no trail and no signposts for the infinity pool; you are basically walking up the creek until you reach the pool. Despite this, unless the water levels are very high (in which case you shouldn’t go) the walk is quite easy.
It involves rock hopping or walking along the sides of the creek and then along a rock platform to the top of the falls.
If you’re not worried about wet shoes you could also walk through the creek and therefore have to do less rock hopping.
Getting into the pool requires a bit of a scramble. If you’re used to scrambling, it’s by no means a difficult one, but if you’re not, you might want a hand from someone that is.
The walk
For the quickest route, drive to the pull out at these coordinates: -34.112898, 150.202697 and make sure to pull fully off the road so you don’t block the fire trail. The pull out is just before the ford and you’ll see a locked gate ahead.
Although you could walk from the campground at Yerranderie private town, it will add on an extra 1.3km each way to the distance and some of this is uphill.
From the parking area, head to the ford and climb down the rocks to the creek, the easiest point to do so is right at the start of the ford, so no need to cross it.
After this, it’s a creek walk. It can be done with dry boots, but there’s a bit more rock hopping involved. Water levels in the creek are low and if you did end up in the water, it’s generally not above ankle height.
After 80m there’s a fair bit of debris that’s built up right across the creek. You will want to bear left and briefly climb into the bush to avoid it before cutting back down into the creek again - it’s easy and takes less than a minute.
Following this, it’s a very easy walk along the stony riverbank for about 100m before it gets a little rocky. The rocky section is brief and then it’s a straightforward creek walk again.
After you’ve been walking for 350m (from the pull out) you’ll reach the rock platforms. You’re now just 50m from the pool. You’ll have to climb over a few rocks, but when dry, it’s nice and grippy.
You’ll arrive at the top of the falls and can see down into the pool after another 50m.
Climbing down into the pool
There are a couple of ways of getting down into the pool, but I think the safest route with the least slip risk is on the true right of the creek (left side as you look at the photo below).
To start with, you climb down into the first tiny pool, which has two good footholds to get you down. The gravelly bit on the bottom of this pool is grippy, the rock is a bit slippery so tread carefully. You could also walk on the far right side all the way down the rock, avoiding this pool, it’s just a bit steeper.
You then need to climb down the second section of rock which the waterfall flows down.
The rock is tiered nicely and isn’t slippery when you stick to the dry right hand side. Still if in doubt go down on your bum. There are little indented sections which mean you can climb down quite easily.
There are then two natural rock steps on the very far right of the pool. They allow you to climb down into the pool and also offer a good exit point too (pictured above).
Swimming in the Yerranderie Infinity Pool
The little infinity pool is a dream and the perfect place for a refreshing plunge. The water is so clear and shimmers a gorgeous shade of blue green in the sunshine. The waterfall cascades down into the pool and the surrounding rock walls enclose it beautifully.
It’s one of those places that seems so perfect it could be in a high end resort, but it’s even better because it’s made by mother nature.
The pool isn’t huge for swimming and a large rock on the right means you can only really swim up the left side, but for a bit of a swim and then a long leisurely float, it’s paradise.
Obviously the water levels need to be relatively low and the waterfall calm enough to not produce a current as it does go over the edge of the cliff and into the pool below.
There is a large and sturdy lip to hem you in, but as with any infinity pool, water levels are crucial when it comes to safety.
In times of normal flow there is no current at all in the pool and I had the most leisurely relaxing time there, but don’t attempt it in anything other than calm conditions.
When it comes to temperature the water was cool but not cold in October. In summer it will be warmer still and the surrounding rocks will be red hot as they are fully exposed to the sun!
That makes it a great option for early in the season when other waterholes in the mountains are still a touch icy.
When you’re ready to leave the pool you simply retrace your steps 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.
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