Three paddlers in two boats got on the water some 12 months since the last Goulburn Grail Stage. Prolonged flooding of the Goulburn River over several months had prevented us continuing our quest. Just the long faster boats were invited on this stage so that we could knock this 24.3 km Stage over in about 3 hrs paddling time.
The prolonged flooding had caused a little isolated bank slumping, usually where a River Red Gum had fallen in, either through bank scouring or bank saturation. There really was no significant flood damage observed and the river channel and floodplain will have benefitted enormously from the soaking and carbon transfer.
Click this Video link to see a snippet of Stage 11
Access:
- The entry point is within the broad river reserve (Shepparton Regional Park and Heritage River) that is accessed off Moira Drive, Kialla West. Enter the reserve and stay on Nadzab Track, follow this dirt track for 1.25km to the Scout Camp then follow the track that veers left a short distance to the river. There is access on this outside bend of the river with a track down to the waters edge, although a huge River Red Gum has collapsed onto this access point.
- The exit point is at the Shepparton boat ramp, immediately upstream of Daintons Bridge on the Shepparton/east side. To access the ramp you need to be heading west on the Midland Highway out of the Shepparton CBD, and turn left just before the Fryers Street lights.
Statistics:
- Date - Tuesday 3 January 2023
- Distance 24.3 km, from Kialla West (Chainage 377) to Shepparton (Chainage 401.3 (Chainage is the distance downstream from the headwaters at Woods Point)
- Time taken 4:15 hrs (6 km/hr), 3:15 hrs paddling (paddling speed approx. 7.9 km/hr)
- River Gauge Height (Goulburn River at Shepparton No. 81044) = 2.83 m
- 2 boats, 3 paddlers: Jamie & Pete (k2 - Scorpion II) and Mick (Prijon Prilite Marlin)
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