The Land of Oz

ORIGINAL POST DATE: THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

For the last 8 months I've been enjoying a life free of words like recession, snow, thesis etc etc and savouring words like 30°+, after work beers and Barbie (the BBQ kind!). Unfortunately that life has been free of any sort of paddling, that was until 3 weeks ago. Niall Quinn and Myself decided to head off on a paddling adventure.

The trip kicked off with a 5hr spin to the closest whitewater on the East coast, Nymboida Canoe Centre. To get there drive south on the Pacific Highway for 5hrs until you reach Grafton, turn off here and follow the signs for 25 on Armidale Rd. Bingo! Nymboida is an awesome centre, an artificial course constructed on a small creek into which the turbines of a small local hydro plant spills its water. Frank Whitebrook was the force behind the design and construction of the site in the 1970's. The centre is currently run by Robert Delderfield, it has a massive campsite which runs the length of the Goolang Creek on which the course is built. Powered, unpowered and cabins are available, we were the only customers during our few days there and had full run of the site. The weather was quiet wet and cold so we paddled as much as we could and sank some beers and lite a fire any of the nights we could. We wouldn't have turned down some other paddlers for some company but it was a great couple of days.

Camping at Nymboida is $8 a night per person, use of the course is $6 a day and gear hire (although very basic) is $30, you get a boat, paddle, BA and helmet. The water in Nymboida is cold and the river is shaded by trees all along its run so if you are going to bring any one piece of gear bring a cage and rash vest. A roll of duck tape and some caping mat the custom fit some of the boats would also be hand but Rob and the other staff at Nymboida are more than happy to help you source any bits and pieces you need with came in very handy when nail broke his lap strap on his first run of the river.

(Just 2 min. after starting to put up our tents Niall had this little fella sucking on his blood)

(Some beer inspired photography tricks were in order)

(A random sign post on the back road from Nymboida back to the Highway, we nearly crashed the car when we saw it!)

The awesome Dangar Falls in Dorrigo, NSW. We spotted a signpost for this beast by chance as we drove through town and we veered off to investigate. It's 70ft of vertical awesome. Some creekers, a few throwbags and a little more water might have seen us make some attempt but we still had 9hrs driving ahead of us to Sydney. We'll be back! If you're around here you go, Latitude: 30°19'23.35"S Longitude: 152°42'54.56"E

(Niall checking out the boat hire fleet in Penrith, plenty of C1s!)

(Here comes the water, the pumps in Penrith could fill an Olympic swimming pool in 55seconds!)

So we arrived at Penrith Olympic Whitewater Stadium (home of the Slalom for Sydney '00 Games) on the Saturday morning in time to see the water come on for the Australian Slalom Team's Morning Training. We stuck around for a few hours and watched in awe, I arranged my Boat hire with HorizonLines Kayak Shop up at the Regatta Centre for the following day and then we headed off to the campsite in Emu Plains.

When we rocked up at 1030am the Sunday morning the water was already flowing and we wasted no time and hit the water. God bless the invention of conveyor belts which mean you can keep paddling all day without every needing to leave the water.

So entry to the course cost $35 a day and you must pay a $20 deposit for the numbered bib you have to wear. Boat hire from HorizonLines was $60 a day and you gear a boat, paddle, BA and helmet, if you are there for more than a day they do a discount for your second and subsequent days of $30 a day. The gear is basic but the boat I got was an almost brand new Jackson Rockstar, we likey by the way! Camping at Emu Plains was very basic (as in just some random waste land on the side of the caravan park but cost $38 a night.

(Super-niall)

(Plenty of raft carnage)

An awesome 2500km+ round trip for some paddling that after 7 months was a welcome little spin, I'll never ever complain about a shuttle or the spin to the river ever again. See you all on a river at home soon, Mike.