Murrumbidgee River Canoe Trip

Introduction 

This has been written as a guide to assist other canoeists planning to paddle on the Murrumbidgee River. I have attempted to give a guide to water levels and flows that I encountered on my trips. I have also tried to give information about potential campsites along the way. I like the quote by George Ernest Morrison who, in addition to many other adventures, paddled down the Murray River in 1880-81 "...the journey was more interesting and less tedious than the account thereof". I think that applies equally to this account. For more information about Morrison's journey click here.

I did not start paddling with the aim of paddling the whole length of the river. It was about 2002 that I decided I would try to complete the length of the Murray and then a year or two later decided that I would try to paddle the Murrumbidgee as well. The final section (Maude – Murray Junction) was the most satisfying, not only because it was the last section, but because it was the most remote and had the added difficulty of low water flows and the unknown conditions associated with that.

You can also read about my later journey down the Murrumbidgee here.


Go here for links to my kayak trips (and those of others) on the rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin and for further information (sample pages, reviews etc) on the book Murray-Darling Journeys.

Alternatively

For a description of my trip on the Murray River see: Murray River Canoe Trip 


For my description of my trip on the Murrumbidgee River 2020-2021 see: Murrumbidgee River 2020-2021


For a description of my trip on the lower Murray River (Wentworth to the Murray Mouth) in 2021 see: Lower Murray River Canoe Trip 


For my description of my trip on the Goulburn River see: Goulburn River Canoe Trip


For my description of my trip on the Edward River see: Edward River Canoe Trip


For a description of my trip on the Darling River see: Darling River Canoe Trip 


For a description of my trip down the Barwon River see: Barwon River Canoe Trip 


For a description of my trip on the Great Darling Anabranch see: Great Darling Anabranch Canoe Trip


For a description of my trip from Redbank Weir to the Murray River in high water conditions in October 2016 see here.


If you have any questions or comments please contact me on mcbremers@gmail.com

Mike Bremers 

Statistics 

When – between 18 March 1995 and 9 April 2008

Total distance – Jugiong to Murray River

1113 km as measured on 1:50 000 map with map measuring tool*

1078 km as measured by GPS in Great Millenium Trip

36 paddling days @ an average of 30.9 km per day

Largest distance in a day = 53km (Gundagai – Sandy Beach)

* See Notes on River Distances


Water Levels

NSW Water Information


Maps

Murrumbidgee River Maps: I used a better set of maps for my 2021-22 journey down the Murrumbidgee. See the "Maps" section here.

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Murrumbidgee River Canoe & Kayak Trail, Burrinjuck to Wagga, Department of Lands, NSW 

NSW Department of Lands, Waterside Reserves, 1:50 000, (4 maps covering Burrinjuck to Murray River, out of print), scanned maps used with permission - Copyright: LAND AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY, Panorama Avenue, Bathurst NSW 2695. See the links on each sub-page. 

AFN outdoor guide series by Jamin Forbes & Martin Asmus 2007: Fishing and camping Murrumbidgee River, Gundagai to Narrandera, Narrandera to Balranald (available from here) 

1:250 000 Natmaps


References

Murray-Darling Journeys - the book and links to other journeys


Great Millenium Canoe Trip


Two Expeditions Into The Interior Of Southern Australia, Volume II, Capt. Charles Sturt


Charles Sturt, His Life and Journeys of Exploration, J. H. L. Cumpston, Georgian House, Melbourne, 1951


Canoe in Australia, R. Raven-Hart, Georgian House, Melbourne, 1948

Map courtesy of Murray-Darling Journeys