Down the South Esk

[dannydanny]

First of all, just got to say I'm stoked to find this forum. I've been using it for a while just pilfering info from you guys whenever I needed it. However, my latest trip has got me stumped. Quite simply my brother and I are planning to paddle from Fingal to Trevallyn down the South Esk at the start of February. The sections of the river I have seen from trips to and from the coast there appears to be enough water but I wouldn't ahve a clue about the rest.

Has anyone done this before? Or any section of it?
Is the water suitable to drink?
Am I going to have any issues with land ownership etc?
Will 5 days be enough?

Tough questions I haven't been able to answer yet! Hopefully someone has done this before or can provide info if you have it. I know it's not technically not bushwalking, but close enough isn't it?

[Son of a Beach]

I did Longford to Hadspen in a touring kayak as a young teenager. There was certainly enough water for it, and it only required one portage around a weir (and maybe another around a bridge that was too low, or clogged with debris?). I remember getting nearly hit by a beer bottle thrown from a passing car as I passed under a bridge (maybe the old Bass Highway near Hadspen?). Other than that it was too long ago for me to remember anything more of it - I can't remember how many hours it took.

Are you using a kayak, canoe, or inflatable raft? How many of you are going?

The river itself ain't owned by anyone (the way I understand it), but I suspect there would be some stretches of riverbank where land owners permission would need to be sought if you wanted to stop there.

[dannydanny]

Well I've got a couple of options.

Number One is an inflatible kayak. I've used it plenty before with me and considerably heavier people. I am taking my brother whose weight is half that of the guys who have been in it before, so with me and him, plus gear it will still float. I have access to a couple of sit on tops, but I haven't had a look at them so not sure what they have when it comes to storage. I'm liking the idea of the inflatible simply because I see myself relaxing in it whilst my brother does the work haha. It will be the last time I see him for a few years so I think being in the same boat will be a bit more fun. Considering its graded between 1 and 2 the whole way I had no intention of taking a helmet, but flying beer bottles? I might have to just in case haha.

[NickD]

Hey D
Your good mate Davis here

I've told you my beta already about the current water levels, but to answer your land ownership question - you should be pretty sweet.

There is definately no private ownership over the river, and if you want to camp - I'm pretty sure law states that a certain section of the shore is public land before it can be claimed as privately owned and therefore camping by the river bank is all good.
It took myself and Matt 6 hours to go from Longford to Trevallyn dam, but we had a strong headwind and we also was pretty leisurely about it.

Best of luck bro.

[sthughes]

Does anyone know if there any books available about rivers in Tassie giving info like where to access them, gradings, times etc? I'm thinking about paddling Longford to Hadspen sometime so this topic has been very timeley

[flyfisher]

G'day ST ,somewhere amongst my books I used to have a canoeists guide to Tasmania.
I'll see if I can find it.

FF

[RiverFly]

I have rafted from Avoca to Glen Esk bridge, which was easy enough except for one narrow with a few bits of steel sticking up. You need Llewelyn (sp?) to be about 1.4m or more. From Glen Esk to the Nile you will find some strectches nearly impossible due to willows. I have rafted from just below the nile to Evandale, which was straigt-forward except for the Neck of the Bottle, which is closed over with willows. Take the left hand riverbed.

The landowners along the South Esk typically own to the centre of the riverbed, and atleast two of them will happily chuck you off their property ):. There is no Queens Chain along Tassie's rivers btw, unless it is crown reserve, the land owner owns to the waters-edge at the least.

[Beevor]

Have floated from Evandale to Perth whilst flicking the fly.... Some nice deep sections along the way, but with little flow so paddling is a must - especially if you have those prevailing headwinds! There are a couple of sections closer to Perth which will require a bit of a rock hop.

Note: The inflatable we used had no hard floor and bruises were unavoidable in some rocky sections

Good luck, sounds like a big mission!

[Chris]

Has anyone traveled downstream from Perth bridge?
I live just upstream from the weir, and row an inflatable (not canoe or kayak) upstream as far as I can, but have wondered about the possibility of exploring in the other direction. It looks pretty rocky early on, but may be possible?

[dannydanny]

Well a very belated update on the trip. It was a dramatic fail. We jumped in at Fingal as planned and made it as far along as the spot I call 'the pictureseque looking shed on the edge of the river, visible from the highway'. If you make the trip along the road often enough, you know where I am speaking of. Llewellyn was at 1.54 or thereabouts and even with those levels we were carrying that god forsaken inflatible raft for at least a quarter of the day. We spent 9 hours on the river that day, and brothers being as they are, tempers flared, frustration took over and a foolish decision ended up with a hole that could not be repaired. I am planning to this one again maybe at the end of October and have one more question, regarding a vessell.

I NEED A BETTER ONE!

Does anyone know where you are able to rent a canoe? Or know of someone willing to part with theirs for a week in exchange for some sweet legal tender? I think a solid canoe will be more reliable for the trip, although I am well aware the inevitable portages will be made quite heavy.

Any help would be awesome.

Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeers.