Set in a gorgeous piece of bushland, Minerva Pool is a stunning spot for a wild swim. With pretty rock walls and a small waterfall, it has a serene atmosphere. Despite being both a short walk and close to Sydney, it never seems to get busy.
The pool is massive, so you can really get some lengths in if you choose, though due to its significance to the Dharawal people, only women and children can swim here. Luckily Jingga Pool is close by and doesn’t have any restrictions, so nobody needs to miss out.
Here’s what to expect when visiting Minerva Pool.
The walk to Minerva Pool
The stats
Distance: 3.3km return (add 1km return to also visit the Weir)
Elevation gain: 150m
Difficulty: Easy, but not flat
Trailhead: Victoria Road, Wedderburn
Summary: The walk to Minerva Pool is all on a maintained track, initially on fire trail and then a narrow bush track. The bush track does have uneven terrain, with rocks and tree roots to watch out for, but it’s not a slippery path.
The walk is a mix of flat and downhill on the way and then you’ll have a bit of a climb back to your car at the end.
Starting the trail: along the fire trail
From the parking area (full details below) the trail heads around the locked gate which blocks the fire trail. After 130m on the wide flat fire trail you’ll reach a junction.
The path to Minerva Pool in on the right and it’s signposted (carrying on straight will bring you to the start of the Jingga Track).
You’ll continue walking on a well maintained fire trail which is a mix of flat and a gentle descent.
At the 665m mark, you’ll reach another signposted junction and follow the path left, towards Minerva Pool. From here you leave the fire trail behind and begin walking on a proper bush track.
Descending to Minerva Pool
The track will now begin heading downhill, though there are also flat sections and it’s never very steep. It is rocky in places, but the terrain is not slippery.
After just under 100m, the path crosses another fire trail, but it’s well marked and continues straight, back into the bush.
Around 230m later, after descending further through the bush, you’ll cross the small creek on stepping stones. The path then very briefly ascends before you continue much as before, either on a flat, or gently descending track.
Once you’ve been walking for 1.3km (from the car park) you’ll arrive at a junction and can make a short detour to a lookout.
It’s worth making the short (100m return) detour left to the lookout for the chance to see the pool from above. Again the track is a touch rocky, but not difficult.
Once back on the main track, you continue descending for another 150m before you come to a sign warning about unstable cliff edges.
For the first time the path is not obvious, but if you look to the right of the sign, where it’s obscured by the bush, you’ll pick up the trail again.
This last 100m to the rock platform on top of the pool is 100m long and much rockier than anything to this point.
It’s basically climbing down the rocks, but it’s very grippy when dry and not difficult.
You’ll then be standing near the top of the waterfall and can follow the rock wall on the left side of the pool to reach the easiest entry point to the water.
Swimming at Minerva Pool
From the top of the waterfall to the entry point to the pool is just under 100m.
Some of the rock shelf is narrow and sloped, but if this bothers you, you can stick to the bush behind the rock wall which is a bit scratchy, but avoids the narrow section.
The rock is very grippy when dry and didn’t feel precarious, though I imagine it could be a different story if the rock was wet.
There’s a huge amount of space on flat rocks just above where you can leave your clothes etc behind. This is also a great spot to lay down in the sunshine, or read a book if you’re in a mixed group or couple.
You can climb down a couple of wide rock shelves and then onto a final rock inside the water to enter the pool. It’s easy access, much more so than nearby Jingga Pool.
There are a couple of rocks and a bit of weed in the shallows initially, but then you can swim out into unobstructed water.
The pool has a gigantic amount of space for swimming and if warm water is your thing, you’ll be very happy in the summer months!
The water is a dark green from above, but once you’re inside the pool it reflects all the surrounding ferns and gum trees which makes it shimmer an almost luminous green. It’s gorgeous and much prettier than it looks from above.
It’s a fabulous swimming spot and as mentioned, never seems to get busy. On our most recent visit in the Christmas holidays I was fully expecting to share the pool with quite a few people and there was literally no one, I couldn’t believe it!
Maybe the fact it’s a women and children’s only pool puts people off, but whatever the reason is, it makes it a very peaceful place for a dip.
The Weir - another nearby swimming spot
The next closest pool to Minerva Pool is the one on the weir. It branches off the first fire trail you’ll come to on the walk back, 750m from the top of Minerva Pool. It’s a right turn that heads downhill along the fire trail, which is not signposted.
From here it’s just a 500m detour (1km return) to get there. It’s along fire trail all the way, with the first 400m being somewhat steep and the last 100m, close to flat. The fire trail does have some small stones, but it wasn’t too loose or slippery.
In all honesty I don’t think it’s the best swimming spot when you have Minerva and several other pools so close by. It’s beside a ford and the lower pool with the small cascade has had debris inside it the last couple of times we’ve visited.
The natural pool at The Weir
The pool on the other side of the ford is much more shallow, but is very pretty and didn’t have any debris.
The shallow pool at The Weir
When compared to Minerva, Jingga, Little Jingga and the hidden pool on Stokes Creek (you can read about the other pools here) it’s my least favourite of the five.
It’s only a 1km detour (with 55m elevation gain) so it’s not exactly a big exertion, but if you’re also planning to do the Jingga Track, I’d save your energy for that!
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 national park, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
Parking for Minerva Pool
The car park for the track to Minerva Pool is located at the end of Victoria Road in Wedderburn, Dharawal National Park. There is a long drop toilet located close to the junction with the track to the Jingga Track.
The trailhead is around a 20 minute drive from Campbelltown and around an hour from Sydney CBD.
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