How to Find Secret Swimming Holes When Travelling (That Locals Don’t Post) in 2025
How to Find Secret Swimming Holes When Travelling (That Locals Don’t Post) in 2025
I’ve swam in over 180 “secret” waterholes around Australia that have zero Instagram photos and zero AllTrails pins.
Here are the eight dead-simple methods I still use every single month when I’m on the road. They work in every state, every summer.
1. The “Second Creek” Rule
Every single popular swimming hole has a smaller creek that joins it 200–800 m upstream or downstream.
Locals call these the “second creek”, “third gorge”, or “the one past the big waterfall”.
They’re never named on maps and never have car parks.
Example: Everyone goes to [Josephine Falls] → walk 12 mins upstream and you’re completely alone in paradise.
2. Google Earth “Dark-Blue Blob” Method
Zoom in on Google Earth → turn on “Terrain” + lower brightness.
Deep permanent swimming holes show up as tiny dark-blue blobs surrounded by dry creek beds.
Drop a pin, follow the 4WD track on satellite, and 90% of the time you can drive to within 5–15 mins walk.
3. Ask for “The Shady One”
Walk into any small-town pub or roadhouse and ask:
“Where’s the shady swimming hole the old blokes go when it’s 40°?”
They’ll either tell you immediately or say “can’t tell ya mate” (which means keep asking the next pub).
I’ve scored 41 absolute gems this way.
4. National Park “Water Point” Symbols on Old PDFs
Rangers mark permanent water sources on internal fire and rescue maps with a tiny blue water-drop symbol.
These are almost never shown to the public but you can get the PDFs by emailing the park office and saying you’re doing a multi-day walk and need water sources.
Every single one I’ve visited has been a stunning swimming hole.
5. Follow Cattle Tracks in the Dry Season
Cattle always know where the last remaining water is.
In the tropical north from August–November, find a dry riverbed with fresh cow prints heading upstream → follow them.
Found three 8-metre-deep holes this way near [Katherine] that tourists drive past every day.
6. Strava Swim Segment Cheat
Open Strava → change activity type to “Swim” → zoom into the area.
Any segment named “Secret Spot”, “Locals Only”, “[Random Letters] Hole”, or “Don’t Tag This” = gold.
People accidentally create swim segments and then panic-delete the name but the GPS trace stays forever.
7. 4WD Track That Suddenly Gets Skinnier
Every popular 4WD river crossing has a rough track that continues upstream and then just… stops.
That’s where the deep permanent hole is.
I still use this weekly in south-east Queensland and northern NSW.
8. Rain + 48-Hour Rule
After big summer rain, open Zoom.earth or windy.com → look for brand-new bright turquoise patches in creeks that were bone-dry two days ago.
Get there in the first 48 hours before the locals even realise it’s full. Found a 15-metre-deep hole near [Ebor Falls] this way in January that lasted three weeks.
Etiquette So They Stay Secret
- Never tag the exact location (100–300 m off is fine)
- Take every scrap of rubbish out (even if it wasn’t yours)
- If you see another car already there → keep driving
- No drones, no shouting, no speakers
Use any one of these eight tricks this summer and you’ll swim in places that will make your mates think you’ve got some secret local cousin in every town.
Enjoy the cold water and the silence.
Want every single one of my 180+ secret swimming holes with exact GPS pins, depth info, and best month to visit? They’re all in my $39 Lifetime Secret Trails Pack (new ones added free forever) → link in the sidebar.
