Looks like I’ll be visiting Australia a time or two next year. Can anyone point me to info about paddling in the vicinity of Melborne and Adelaide? I expect I’ll mostly be interested in day trips or at most 2-3 days.
What water and air temperatures can I expect in March/April and around Christmas? What about winter? What clothes/gear should I plan on taking?
Got the link to the Australian message board so thanks.
Paddling in Australia
Would you post/send that Aussie paddling board link please?
I’m heading over myself in Jan/Feb but I’ll be up around Queensland/Cairns…
Thanks…Ric
hang on…
…I had an email exchange with an Aussie paddler who was asking about boats.
I shot him some email about this post.
Give him some time to respond.
Weirdest thing…he doesn’t seem to type with an accent.
ps the letters in his email are…
…upside down, though.
The Forum is…
– Last Updated: Dec-01-08 7:25 AM EST –
Not just for Aussies http://www.seakayakforum.com
Only posted because it was directly asked for . Please delete if it against your rules. Although it is based in Australia , the info is international as yours is. Thats why i'm here.The more good places for us all to exchange ideas across boarders the better I would have thought.
Regards From Aus
Tim
Paddling in Australia
Haresfur
I can’t help too much with paddling around Melbourne or South Australia but for Ricphoto I can certainly know my way around Cairns North Queensland.
CanoesPlus are located at Kew in Melbourne and Adelaide Canoe Works are in Adelaide. These blokes should be able to give you all the advice you need or at least put you in touch with others who can.
http://www.canoesplus.com.au/
http://www.acwsports.com.au/
Ricphoto
I paddle as often as I can here in Cairns; there are plenty of places to go but you just have to be mindful that we have very nasty crocodiles up here so you need to have a bit of local knowledge or paddle with those who do. I have a link here to a list of places to paddle in North Queensland which was compiled by the Tinaroo Environmental Education Centre which I am sure you will find interesting.
I recommend you paddle in a group to minimise the chances of a croc attack, they only eat one person at the time.
You will find Australians are a very friendly bunch and I am sure you will enjoy your stay with us here in North Queensland
If you need help with any other information about Cairns I will be happy to help.
90 odd CANOE TRIPS of CAIRNS and HINTERLAND Queensland AUSTRALIA
http://cc.msnscache.com/cache.aspx?q=tinaroo+places+to+paddle&d=74667585050532&mkt=en-AU&setlang=en-AU&w=4e2316b2,5c465294
Ric
Link to Tinaroo website
This link isnt working too well for some reason so I have coppied a bit if info of the website to give a bit of an idea of places to paddle.
Ric
THE WALSH - Slipping down an avenue of sparkling current . The soft canopy filtering light and creating patterns which blend with eddies swirls and reflections on water .
THE RUSSELL - Sitting in an eddy of red run off storm water watching platypus surface within touch. Clear mountain water surging round sandy cane headlands, gradually collapsing and eroding .
THE MULGRAVE - The magic of small waterfalls dousing the canoe after regular tropical rain. An upper river flow of crystal water nestling in a backdrop of rainforest . Lying back after running a rapid, drinking the upstream views of cloud flecked sky, mountains and forest .
THE BARRON GORGE - Adrenalin . The excitement of stoppers, waves and drops. A gorge of fluctuating moods; deep water and forgiving . Set in the serenity of a rainforest gorge.
LAKE TINAROO - A paddle on dusk in companionable silence along an oak shrouded foreshore .
THE NORTH JOHNSTON - A wilderness paddle . Companionship and trust forming to last a lifetime. Huge boulder strewn gorge, crystal water set in rainforest , the numbing cold of mental exhaustion after a day of paddling to the limit
THE MITCHELL - various 2-3 day paddles,clear water, fresh water crocodiles, relaxing.
THE DAINTREE - A solo paddle upstream of the township at dusk, unnerving feeling of being accompanied.
Lakes
Tinaroo Dam
Lake Barrine
Lake Eacham
Koombaloomba Dam
South Australia paddling
There are a bunch of great places to paddle including the Murray River, Wardang Island (west coast of Yorke Peninsula, near Port Victoria) and for more adventure the Sir Joseph Banks group (east side of Eyre Peninsula, near Port Lincoln and Tumby) or Kangaroo Island (close to Adelaide).
A good way to go would be to contact the Adelaide Canoe Club:
http://www.adelaide.canoe.org.au/
They run trips all the time and to a lot of different locations. They are a great group of people. They can probably help you get hold of a boat as well.
Sorry, can’t help with Melbourne, but I’m pretty sure they have a club there too. Google “Victoria sea kayaking” or “Melbourne sea kayaking” or “Australian Canoe Clubs”.
Enjoy it.
Rick
Thanks Packhorse (Ric)
geez another Ric who spells it correctly ;-p
Thanks I got the info downloaded and will be looking it over carefully…
We’ll (my 32 yo son and I) be there from 17 Jan to 1 Feb…both Pro Photographers and experienced paddlers (Kayaks - flatwater not whitewater) and actually the thought of paddling/photographing (safely?) amongst the Crocs and other wildlife is rather intrigueing…
If you don’t mind I’ll send you an email after I digest that info to try and find the best place to find/hook up with those experienced locals to paddle with…
We’d like to do something a bit more adventurous before the wives show up for the second half of the trip ;-p
Thanks again…
The other Ric
drop me an email
and I will give you info on my 3 years of living in Melbourne and paddling the local waters.
Another message board
I can’t help with information about SA and Vic but you may get some useful information at http://www.adventurepro.com.au/forums/yabb2/YaBB.pl?board=paddlea
Mostly Victorian whitewater paddlers but they can probably point you in the right direction.