Yarramundi, NSW
13.0 km (4.5 hrs )
★★★☆☆

Grose River is one of the few untouched rivers in Sydney, with most of the river passing through wilderness. I set out to explore the lower reaches of the Grose River on this Saturday, beginning at Yarramundi Reserve at the confluence of the Grose and Nepean Rivers. Yarramundi Reserve was open from dawn to dusk and had covered picnic tables and toilets. The kayak launch area was a fair walk from the carpark (at least 150 m), but the launch itself into the shallow river was easy enough.

Water shoes were definitely required on this paddle, as I was constantly dragging my kayak over the sandbanks on my paddle upstream. The current was only noticeable in the shallower parts of the river. I paddled as far as the first rapids, which proved to be too extensive to portage. The upper reaches of the river was especially beautiful, being in untouched wilderness.

It was a beautiful day out, but with the need for frequent dragging of my kayak over the shallow sandbanks, it proved to be quite a challenging paddle.