Escape into the Australian wilderness and explore it by whitewater paddling! This 8-day Snowy River rafting tour begins at Willis campground and goes all the way to Balley Hooley, allowing us to fully take in the beauty of this remote area. Our guides will take care of everything, so all that’s left to do is just show up—they’ll arrange all the paddling and camping equipment for us, as well as cook our meals. This tour is beginner and family friendly, so it might just be the ideal family vacation you’ve been searching for. While we’re in the Australian backcountry, let’s cross our fingers and hope to see some of its abundant wildlife.
Plan to arrive at Siba Retreat Centre between 3 and 6 pm to meet your guides and other guests, have a shared meal, and receive some packing information and equipment. Guest cars will remain parked here for the duration of the trip. A pick-up from Bairnsdale can be arranged. Get a good night’s sleep, as tomorrow the adventure begins!
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Lodge
Travel through beautiful, high-altitude (for Australia) farmland before dropping off the escarpment with stunning views towards the Snowy River. Continue into the starkly contrasting dry Suggan Buggan country and finish driving at a remote location on the NSW / Victorian border. After lunch depart with rafts packed through excellent introductory rapids. Camp at a secluded beach in the isolated Red Rock Gorge area.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Camp
Paddle from Red Rock gorge past ‘pine clad ridges’ (native Australian cypress pine), which seem to spring from the famous ‘Man from Snowy River’ poem. Journey under the iconic McKillops bridge, built in the 1930s and with a span of 225 m was an engineering feat when constructed. Continue on to the Little River area to camp.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Camp
This day the walls start to close in and get bigger! Rock Garden I & II and The Compressor are rapids of a different nature to anything encountered thus far. You and your guides will aim to venture far enough along the river to be well placed for what is to come the next day.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Camp
Today you’ll encounter the biggest rapids of the trip in the spectacular Tulloch Ard Gorge! There are grade III rapids and even a possible grade IV rapid which need to be negotiated. A-Frame, George’s Mistake I & II, Gentle Annie, and The Washing Machine are some of the notable areas. Mountain creek is one of the best campsites on the river and is where you will rest for the night.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Camp
This day features some more relaxed paddling while surrounded by beautiful scenery. The stunning New Guinea ridge gives you your first view of limestone cliffs with grass trees. There’s an opportunity to visit the New Guinea II cave where evidence of human occupation and Tasmanian Tiger remains were found in 1980s. More recently, Wieland Adventures has supported two rounds of scientific study here, the results of which are yet to be published! This area is part of the Krowathunkooloong clan’s country, of the Gunaikurnai nation and is co-managed by them with National Parks. Tonight’s camp is at the foot of New Guinea ridge and there is the possibility of walking to the top of one of the limestone cliffs.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Camp
Slowly you’ll start seeing some signs of civilization today. After lunch at Basin Falls, continue onto the confluence with the Buchan River. Travel from here back to Siba Retreat Centre for your farewell meal.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodation: Camp
After you’ve had your final delicious breakfast, you can pack up and depart. If you’d like to stay longer in the area, just ask your guides for some recommendations!
Meals: Breakfast
This is a suggested itinerary only and subject to change at the discretion of your guides due to weather and other influencing factors.
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
This Snowy River rafting tour is beginner-friendly! You can except class II-III rapids, which are generally easy to navigate, but having a professional instructor by your side is a major plus. Along the Snowy River, you can expect even grade IV rapids, but these will be discussed with your instructor.
Keep in mind that your instructors’ top priority is safety, so this Snowy River rafting tour is perfect for beginners! You can read more about day-to-day activities and grades in the itinerary.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Optional items:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
For your 8-day Snowy River rafting trip, all your meals are included in the price of the tour. You’ll enjoy fresh fruit and homemade slices with a variety of heart meals including traditional Australian roasts with local meat, beef, and Guinness stew, kangaroo and quinoa salad, and BBQs. For breakfast, you’ll have cooked breakfast options such as bacon & egg, salmon bagels, etc.
Your guides are used to catering for a diverse range of dietary requirements as long as they’re notified on time. If you have special dietary requirements, please let us know upon booking.
Group sizes and pricing
Snowy River rafting tours can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to your Snowy River rafting tour, you need to get to Siba Retreat Centre between 3 and 6 pm on Day 1. To get there, you first have to fly into Melbourne Airport (MEL) or Canberra Airport (CBR). From there, it’s best to rent a car to get to Siba Retreat Centre. Public transport options are available, but take significantly longer. Your guides can help coordinate group airport transfers for an additional cost, let us know if you’re interested upon booking.
Another option is to reach Bairnsdale Train Station, which is about 1.5 hours away from Siba Retreat Centre. This is a great option for everyone reaching Bairnsdale via train from Melbourne. Your guides can pick you up at Bairnsdale Train Station and drop you off there at the end of the trip at an additional $65 per person. Let us know if you need help with transport upon booking!
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance.
With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more. Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans.
We also expect you to respect local regulations and take measures to protect yourselves, your guides, and the communities you’re traveling to. For more information on travel recommendations and restrictions in Australia, please refer to Australia’s safety measures.
If you need assistance selecting the right insurance for your group, let us know and we will be happy to help!