Kangaroo Valley Paddle Weekend

Description

Organiser: River Canoe Club

A range of paddling opportunities and relaxed social gathering based at the family friendly Bendeela camping ground

Lake Yarrunga in Kangaroo Valley is one of the premiere flatwater paddling locations in Australia and is located about two and a half hours from Sydney in the Southern Highlands of NSW. There are no powered craft allowed on this waterway - not even electric. This club trip will use the family friendly Bendeela Camping and Picnic Ground as a base. The camping ground has excellent car and water access together with basic facilities (water and toilets). There are easy paddling opportunities in the immediate area of the campground.

The preferred boat for this trip is a sea kayak or canoe as you will be paddle distances of 15km or more (depending on groups paddler capabilities). For any beginners enrolled on the beginners course, this is a similar distance to day three of the course. You will need to get your boat and gear to the campsite, or arrange transport with someone else. You need to be self-sufficient for camping.

The plan for this weekend is for a number of flexible paddling opportunities and the group may split for some of these depending on the range of capabilities within the group. It will be run over three days but paddlers may come for whatever days they have available. This paddle is suitable for beginners and all groups will have an experienced leader. Precise details will be decided at the time, a rough program is

Friday - Launch from Tallowa Dam in the early afternoon - Explore Bundanoon Creek (10-15km return) or paddle to Beehive Point and explore the "sunken forrest" (approx 20km)

Saturday - Launch from Tallowa Dam - Paddle into the Shoalhaven Gorge. This will be the main event. The Shoalhaven Gorge is a relatively narrow waterway with cliffs on either side reaching more than 400m height. The steepest section of gorge is about 5km from Tallowa Dam making this a spectacular paddle for even beginners. For paddlers with more endurance the waterway can be paddled to Fossickers Flat which makes a return trip of about 27km.

Sunday - Launch from Bendeela Campground and paddle towards Arcacia Flat where the lake is its widest at about 400m. Paddlers that are able to paddle 12 km from Bendeela are rewarded with a wonderful swimming location complete with (subject to checks) a jumping platform into deep water. This paddle would be a maximum return distance of 24km but we will split the group for shorter distance paddles.

Other paddling opportunities. Depending on the level of the Kangaroo River, it may be possible to paddle from the Kangaroo Valley village to Bendeela. This is the moving river before it enters the lake and has a mostly grade 1 with a couple of grade 2 rapids. For those with suitable boats it's a fun excursion. To join the the club for this stretch you would need an additional boat that is suitable (not a seakayak) and a helmet.

Important - Bendeela Camping Ground is a free campground but must be booked (a $6 booking fee applies per booking). Paddlers attending this paddle are responsible to book their own camping. See https://www.waternsw.com.au/nsw-dams/greater-sydney-dams/bendeela-recreation-area. If you don't book this campsite beforehand you will not be permitted to camp overnight.

Part of the fun of this trip is camping with the club. However there are alternative accomodation options in and around Kangaroo Valley for anyone not wishing to camp. If you decide to stay at alternative accomodation it is at your own risk should the paddle need to be cancelled fro any reason.

** PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING**

1. Please register (and don't just rock up..) We may need to cancel. We need to confirm and manage numbers.

Safety is our priority in the River Canoe Club and its important to know who is joining the paddle and your ability. With this information we can make sure that we have the right spread of capabilities in the groups to manage our safety.

2. Less experienced paddlers may be well allocated into appropriate groups

We will undoubtably have a spread of capabilities in this group and we know that people have most fun when they are paddling with people of their own ability. This waterway offers a range of options so, whilst there will be times when everyone is together, we may allocate people into groups to allow those wanting greater range to speed to have fun. All groups will be a reasonable size to enjoy the social side of paddling. All groups will have an experienced paddler with them at all times and nobody will be left behind.

Thanks for your understanding and happy (safe) paddling

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Other useful information:

https://rivercanoeclub.org.au/club/information-for-new-members/

For more general information about paddling with the club, getting started etc - check out the club's website at www.rivercanoeclub.org.au