Kyalite to Murray River (via Wakool River)
Kyalite to Murray River (and on to Boundary Bend)
For a solo paddler, the logistics of this section of river is complicated but worked out well. Anna from Balranald CP kindly offered to come with me to Kyalite and drive my car back to Balranald. She refused payment so I asked her to donate some money for me to a local charity. So, on arrival in Boundary Bend on Saturday morning, I will set up my tent and leave my gear in the caravan park, catch bus from BB to Robinvale on Saturday afternoon and stay overnight in the motel across the road from the Robinvale bus stop. On Sunday morning I can catch the early morning bus from Robinvale to Balranald, retrieve my car from Balranald CP and then drive to Boundary Bend CP to pick up my gear.
Thu 30 Nov 2023, 33 km
Mobile phone tower at Kyalite but not Telstra as phone reception is very weak. Launch at 9:20 am at boat ramp, across the road from the Kyalite Hotel/caravan park. Flow is probably only 1 kph but with a SE breeze behind me I drift at 2.5-3 kph. Flow is probably 3-4000 Ml/day. Quiet on the river, see some scar trees. Beaches start about 8 km downstream of Kyalite. About 10 screeching cockatoos are trying to scare off a lace monitor. I get a photo of a cockatoo and the monitor. Arrive at the Wakool/Murray confluence, 30 km from Kyalite, at about 2:40 pm. The sandy beach at the confluence is underwater and some people are camped in the forest. The beach on the Vic side that I camped on 19 years ago also has a camper. I paddle on to the sharp bend just past the 1284 km sign. Bit of a sandy beach, camp here at about 3 pm. Starts to get overcast which is good because whilst only in the mid 20s, the shade is welcome. No flies on the river but they have found me at the campsite. The flow in the Murray is somewhat better than the Wakool, perhaps close to 3 kph (without wind assistance) at 15,000 Ml/day. Very weak phone reception.
Fri 1 Dec 2023, 48 km
Nice sunrise view from tent. River level remained steady during the night. Launch 7:20 am. Flow rate is 3 kph measured by drifting. Quite a few people camped on the river bank/fishing considering it is a weekday and out of school holidays. Nice sandy beach just before the Murrumbidgee confluence has campers. No campers opposite the confluence. Disembarking is difficult with steep banks unlike when at high water in Sep last year. Take some photos to match Burnell's photo of 1862. Keep paddling, unfortunately great sandy beach a few km downstream has campers. The beach opposite the shortcut would be exposed to the afternoon sun. Go long way round the bend and find an acceptable beach to camp at 2:30 pm. It's a bit exposed to the sun but there is enough shade to be ok. Nice breeze and high cloud take the heat out of the afternoon. Black fronted dotterel patrols the shoreline just metres away from where I sit. Reasonable phone reception.
Sat 2 Dec 2023, 7 km
Launch 8 am. Paddle slowly and drift to Boundary Bend arriving at 9:30 am. Pack most of the gear in a big back pack and trolley the kayak from the boat ramp to the caravan park/service station a couple hundred metres away. Get a campsite for the night. Set up tent and sort gear, have shower and lunch before catching the 2:04 pm bus to Robinvale where I will stay the night before catching the 4:45 am bus to my car in Balranald.
