Canoeing the Murrumbidgee River, NSW, Australia

The Murrumbidgee River is one of the best rivers to canoe in Australia because you cam always expect a reliable flow of water since its feed by the Snowy Mountains HydroElectric Scheme, and because the waters held back by the reservoir system are slowly released over summer when most people want to engage in canoeing. Because of the artificial flow regime and the high demand for those water resources downstream, during summer the river has high discharge rates and corresponding fast water movement. I remember canoeing a section from Tharwa (just south of Canberra) to Red Rock Gorge, and the river narrowed from 20m wide to 8m, and passing through the shoot was like being in a washing machine, being thrown from one rock to another. The consequence was a hole in the canoe.

This section of rive made for a good run for the later reasons, though this was a period of high water level, so more information would be warranted on river conditions. At the time I remember the water level was flowing well over the ford.