Paringa to Mildura by bike 140 km

I was awake at 4.00 am and had to make myself wait until almost 5.00 am before jumping on my bike and heading into the darkness wearing my Hi-Viz vest and with flashing lights. I knew it would get light in 30 minutes and there was a good shoulder on the road so I wasn’t too concerned. My initial aim was the reach Lake Cullulleraine which was 80 km down the road. If I was finding it too hard I could stop there for the night although I wasn’t really intending any of the sort.

As it happened I was at Roadhouse in LC by 9.30 am and with only another 60 km I knew I could get to Mildura even if it took me all day to go the feast of the way. The heat was on! Literally because it was 36 degrees. A bottle of Diet Coke and some Dim Sims revived me and I set off again.

At 11.00 am I got to Merbein and went into the shop there. I sat on a stool while the shopkeeper made me salad sandwiches. I could feel the sweat pouring off me even though there was cooling  in the shop. The shopkeeper suggested I might enjoy my lunch more if I sat in the shade at the side of the shop. I did enjoy a cold Gatorade and a Ginger beer but couldn’t bring myself to eat the sandwiches.

Refreshed I enjoyed the last 20 km into Mildura and another 5 km to Apex Park where I collected my car. The trip back to Paringa in the car was much easier in air conditioned comfort. A burger and chips by the river in Renmark signalled the end of this leg of my journey down the Murray. I had planned another 4 days but the loss of 2 days meant it was impractical to continue this week and I will have to return another time.

Day 7 - Marker 596 to Renmark/Paringa

With only 30 km to Renmark I thought it would be an easy paddle and that I would be there by lunchtime. It took 6 hours and it was extremely hot. The highlight was the scenery and a snake swimming across the river.

I paused at 11.00 am and tuned in to the ABC radio broadcast of the Remembrance Day commemoration. As it was 100th anniversary of the armistice it was a significant day. Lisa’s grandfather Victor Birtwistle was wounded on the Western Front and was damaged for the rest of his life. My grandfather Joseph Browne also served in France

I had photographed a snake swimming across the river yesterday but this time was more exciting. I pursued this snake to get a photo and it stopped and looked right at me as if to say “Come closer I dare you”. Naturally I decided I was close enough.

Arriving at Renmark I struggled to find a suitable “get-out”. There was a big boat ramp but I wasn’t happy that I wouldn’t get in the way of someone launching via the ramp. Other spots were not easy so I decided to paddle on the caravan park at Paringa. It seemed a long extra 4 km but eventually I pulled up on the caravan park swimming beach just near the Paringa Bridge.

I checked in for 3 nights but only stayed for 2 as I was able to collect my car the next day by cycling 140 km in mid 30s temperatures. I was reluctant to stay longer because of the road noise coming from the bridge. Every time a truck crossed the bridge there was a thunderous row. It was also very hot in Paringa – 37 degrees each day and it didn’t cool off until late in the evening. Mosquitoes were driving me into the tent before it cooled down so it was very uncomfortable.

Day 6 - Marker 636 to Marker 596

Another early start and another warm day. I made a detour of a kilometre to visit the Woolshed Brewery at Wilkadene. Mainly so I could send Tony a photo of me with a beer here. He has a cousin who lives nearby.

I ended the day not much further down the river opposite some cliffs with a lookout on “Crooked Straight”. It turned out to be a poor choice of campsite as it had a stink of rotting carp that had been left there by previous occupants.

There was also the Lookout on the cliffs opposite which had many visitors at sunset. It is probably a very good views with the reflections of the windy river and the colours of the red cliffs changing as the sun sinks in the West. It was lovely clear night and the stars were spectacular again.

Day 5- Marker 694 to Marker 636 Border Cliffs

This was my biggest day – I pushed hard all day and towards the end I was motivated by the map suggesting there was shop at my destination. Not long after breakfast I got a bonus of 4 km as there was a shortcut at Pollards Cutting. There was another cutting just before lunch but the was no bonus as the shortcut has become the actual course of the river according to the marker. Just near here I was able to pull up on a boat ramp for lunch.

Earlier in the morning I passed through Devils Elbow Bend. Marker 666 missing – was shown on the map further downstream. I was disappointed because I thought the number of the beast should be at Devils Elbow Bend.

Devils Elbow Bend

Early afternoon I crossed the border into South Australia. A little further on I noticed the river was now trending south whereas previously it has always been going north-west.

Towards 6 pm I came upon Border Cliffs and found there was shop servicing a Houseboat Hire Service. I was able to purchase a Magnum Ice Cream, 2 stubbies of Coopers Pale Ale and a large packet of potato crisps. There was a campsite a short distance away where I stopped for the nigh and indulged in high order gluttony. I only had a small dinner after consuming my purchases.

Day 4 - Marker 730 to Marker 694 The mouth of the Mulroo

A slow start to the morning as yet again I had to dry gear out before setting off. I was a bit chilly so I made breakfast and ate it sitting in the tent with the sleeping bag wrapped around me. I decided as a treat to eat “dehydrated cooked breakfast” which was left over from the “Great Ocean Walk” 6 weeks ago. At the time Michael and Simon and I weren’t tempted to try it. On this occasion I enjoyed it as it was hot and filling – I am pretty sure I will never eat it again as commercial dehydrated meals sold in camping stores are very poor value compared to other options.

The weather was warmer and I enjoyed paddling until after 26 km when I spotted a picnic table by the side of an inlet. As I pulled up I discovered there was a 4WD with a trailer parked there but there wasn’t anyone around. The inlet was the Mouth of the Mulroo which is an “off-take” of the Murray. Water was being let flow through a small lock. Presumably this was only for “environmental” purposes because the Mulroo is entirely within the Murray Sunset National Park.

As I was eating lunch Joe and Liam returned from fishing in the Mulroo upstream. They are a father and son from Adelaide. Liam was about 10 years old. His father Joe was impressed with my trip and we had a good chat. He has an ambition to paddle the Darling from Bourke to Wentworth which is something I have thought about as well. It would be a far more difficult logistically due to greater distances and it is far more remote in places.

The mouth of the Mulroo

It was while chatting with Joe that I realised I was only a kilometre from Lock 7.  Passing through each he lock feels like   significant milestone stones in my trip as they are about 50 km apart in this part of the river. 

Approaching Lock 7

I was able to paddle straight up and into Lock 7. There seemed to be a bit of work going around  the Lock and as I exited I discovered it is a popular stopping point for the fishing/grey nomad population. There was a fishing boat waiting to go upstream as I came out of the Lock.

Curious Emus

Just past the lock I drifted past a sandy beach on the Victorian side. As I was passing a family of emus came walking down the beach as if the check me out. It was a magic moment and I was able to get a few shots on the camera. Absolute privilege to engage with these emus in that moment.

I paddled on until just before 694. I was feeling pretty tired and decided on an early finish even though I should have kept going to get the extra distance however I decided I needed slow down and smell the roses. I found a great campsite with a sandy beach but nice shaded clay base in the trees.

After setting up camp I stripped off for a swim. As there was no one around I went the “full” Monty and enjoyed thinking that I could tell my Adelaide colleagues that I had been skinny-dipping in their water supply. It was lovely and warm.

After dinner I walked down river to the next marker which was visible but just too far on the other side of the river to actually read.

Day 3 – Marker 776 to Marker 730 (just below Lock 9)

A more relaxed start to the day having breakfast before setting off. The 10 km to Lock 9 went quickly and there was no fuss at the Lock 9. Fortunately I had mobile phone coverage and was able to ring the Lock Master (Danny) who was able to let me through immediately. I was on my again and covered 34 km to lunchtime. The second session I counted to 10 in English, Italian & French to keep my stroke rate up. This seemed to work as it helped me knock over the kilometres. My pronunciation deteriorated if I tried to paddle too fast.

The wind blew up in the afternoon – on one reach I was surfing down waves with the wind behind and then on the other side of the bend I was punching directly into the waves.

With 16 km to the next lock (Lock 8) I had to push to get there before closing time. I was lucky the Lock Master saw me coming just as he was about to knock off for the day. I had no mobile reception so it was doubly lucky. I was the only person the Lock Master had seen all day and he was the only person I had seen.

Pulled up on the sand in NSW

After going thru the lock I pulled up on beach on the NSW side. It was very windy and the 1st km after the lock was straight into the wind so pulled up on a beach on the NSW side. I had seen a beach on the map of Victorian side but the wind was making for slow progress so I landed on the sand. 

Beaches are ok for camping up to point – the sand failed to hold my tent pegs so I had to tie my tent to a 5 litre water tank to stop it blowing away. Later when the wind got stronger I dragged the kayak up so that I could use it to anchor the tent.

There were a couple of short, sharp showers that caused me to retreat into the tent. Unfortunately wet sand sticks to everything so there was sand all over my gear and in the tent. My totally waterproof tarp again caused water to pool under my tent during the night which meant that while I was secure from the rain above there were wet patches where the rain seeped through the floor. Fortunately I was mostly dry and slept well.

Day 2 - 6 km past Wentworth to Marker 776

What a night! 5 hours of rolling thunder and lightning and 32 ml of rain. Fortunately my tent held out the elements although water pooling underneath was an issue. It meant a late start to the day while I allowed some gear to dry out. There was a pair of pelicans hanging out with me at breakfast. If you get too close they grunt loudly before moving away.

9 hours of paddling and I was still just short of Lock 9. Pulled up on the NSW side just north of Frenchman’s Creek and set up camp. No phone coverage here but I was able to send messages from the iPad which had coverage from Optus.

                             The short guy only thinks he is a pelican. He is actually a Spoonbill!

Mexican Rice and Sweet Chilli Tuna for dinner.I lay down to read at 7.00 pm and woke briefly around 9.30 pm and then went back to sleep until 3.30 am. Finished “The Pants of Persistence” which is Anna McNuff’s story of the running the Aroroa Trail in New Zealand. Started rereading “The Name of Rose” (Umberto Eco).

Day 1 Mildura to 6 km past Wentworth

Last night was interesting. It was still 32 degrees at 8.30 pm but it started to rain so I had to go into the tent and put the flap down. It was stifling inside but I was able to drift off to sleep. Later the wind got up and the tent was flapping. Later the showers turned into steadier rain. It finally cooled down around 3.00 am.

                                                      At the launch site - Apex Beach

I was awake at 5.45 am and started packing up. In the interests of getting under way I decided to leave breakfast until 2 hours down the river. Even with this I didn’t launch until 6.45 am. This is my favourite time of day to paddle as the bird life on the river bank is just waking. Just out of camp there were a number of kites. Getting a picture is frustrating because I am never near enough.

The bird that was most frequent today was the Australasian Darter. There was barely a fallen tree in the water that didn’t have 1 of these remarkable birds. With their long snake-like neck, sharp pointed beak, chunky body and duck feet they are quite oddly proportioned. They spear their fishy prey and swim with their whole body under water.

I stopped at Merbein Common for breakfast after 2 hours. Porridge and coffee – filled me up and got me going. Progress was not fast – 6 kph with very little current. 20 km in I was able to save 9 km with an excellent shortcut that included pelicans!

This enabled me to reach Wentworth by 2.30 pm well ahead of schedule.  I pulled up in park just short of Lock 10 and rang the Lock Master and arranged to go though the Lock at 4.00 pm. I thought this would give me plenty if time to go to the supermarket and bakery.

Not long after I landed I got into a conversation with a couple who had come the view the junction of the Darling and the Murray (known as “the confluence”). They were impressed with my endeavour and I mentioned I was more of a cyclist than kayaker. Turns out he was a “cycling” journalist. I explained my other adventures cycling around the mainland.

They offered me a ride up to the supermarket in their car which save me a 10 minute walk. There wasn’t really anything I needed but I bought some lamb steaks and potato salad for dinner. I bit of a treat really. I also got a pie and donut from the bakery before heading back to river. I still had 30 minutes to kill so I did some stretching in the park.


I got back in the kayak about 3.50 pm and paddled towards Lock 10 and got the green light to enter the lock chamber. I had a chat with the Lock Master and he identified a shortcut that would save me 500 meters at Snaggy Island about 4 km downstream. When I got there I went the long way because the angle of the cutting seemed wrong and I didn’t want a detour. In any case it was only a minimal saving at best.

Not long after Snaggy Island I decided I had enough for the day and pulled up on the Victorian side on a high bank among the the red gums.  I set up in small clearing and enjoyed my treat dinner before crashing out in the tent.

Travelling to Mildura to commence next leg

Travel Day – The further along the river I get the harder the logistics become. This time without Simon as well. The starting point at Mildura is 600 km from home so at least 8 hours to get there (including breaks).

I was awake just after 5.00 am and decided to get up and start packing rather than going out for a run. The breeze was cool and I decided to break up the journey by stopping somewhere and going for a jog to freshen up.

I finished packing and was on my way via the coffee shop and bakery. I stopped in Kingsway for petrol and set off down the Calder Highway. At Marong outside Bendigo I stopped for a comfort break. I thought about going for my run there but it didn’t feel right. Not much further down the road at Bridgewater On the Loddon I parked by the river and changed into my running gear. There was a path along the river but this was only good for a couple of km before it dead-ended so I made my way  to a road running south toward Newbridge. Once I clocked 5 km I turned around and headed back.

Loddon river at Bridgewater

I was very sweaty so I took some time to cool down before changing back into my day clothes and heading off again. At Inglewood I stopped to get a pasty and some sandwiches. Probably didn’t need both but I enjoyed both. I stopped at Ouyen to get petrol only because I wanted a break and petrol was cheaper than in Melbourne – how can that be?

Approaching Mildura I plugged in the details of Nichols Point cemetery into the GPS and set off to find a “Family History” grave for Lisa. It was a nice cemetery not far from the river. After that there was a church in Merbein to find. Disappointed it appeared to no longer in use so there was no chance of viewing the interior which apparently features a very good stained glass window.

My cunning plan to solve the logistics conundrum is leave drive to Renmark and leave my pushbike there so I can ride it back to the car when I get to Renmark. This meant a further 140 km of driving today. I finally arrived at Riverbend Caravan Park at Paringa just outside Renmark at 5.00 pm.  I got a site for the night and set up my tent.

Kangaroo outside my tent at Riverbend Caravan Park, Paringa

The caravan park was a little noisy at night, FROGs making a racket. I woke a few times during night – as usual for 1st night of trip. It takes a couple of days to settle into sleeping on an inflatable mat again. I was awake before sunrise and set about packing up for an early start. There was no reason to rush as I couldn’t get on the water until tomorrow.

Once in the car I called Lisa for a chat knowing she was driving to Geelong for an early start as well. Actually I only just caught  her as she was already in Geelong. We ad a nice chat while I looked at the view on a river bend just out of Paringa.

After that the drive to Mildura was fairly dull although there was plenty of road kill. I also saw a mob of emus in a paddock. I thought about stopping for a picture but they weren’t close enough. In the car at 110 kph this distance passes fairly quick but I am wondering whether I have given myself too big a task to cycle it in 1 day when I paddle into Renmark again. There is a caravan park at Lake Cullulleraine about half way so I can do it in 2 if necessary.

Arriving in Mildura I headed straight to Langtree Café for breakfast. Simon and I had breakfast there last year. After that it was shopping for food for the trip at Woolies then down to the river for a 10 km jog. My legs felt heavy and tight but I was running ok although it was hot work. The air here is much drier than down south and I am feeling it. I had a good stretching session afterward.

As it was close to lunchtime I headed up to town to Subway for 6 inch Veggie Delite and then back to the river. To fill the time I took the 2 hour cruise on the paddle-steamer “PS Melbourne”. It went down through Lock 11 and back. Strictly speaking I should do that in the kayak however I am launching downstream at Apex Beach. I will skip 4 km but the logistics would be too difficult otherwise.

After the cruise I booked in at Apex Park. The bonus of staying here apart from the close proximity to the launch site is that I can leave the car here for the week. My original plan was to leave it at the railway station but this is better.

After setting up my tent I unloaded and packed the kayak ready for the morning. This was followed by a long cool shower. It has been very hot today – hopefully it will be cooler tomorrow as there is very little shade on the river.

For dinner I went to “Curry & Tandoor”, an Indian restaurant. I tried to order Chanda Dahl but they weren’t cooking that tonight and offered me another dish. It was lovely but had lists of red kidney beans. Could be interesting in the tent in the next 36 hours!

And then there was one!

We started this journey as the trio of Simon, Joe and Tony. This rapidly became the duo of Simon and Joe when Tony wrapped his kayak around a tree trunk in the middle of the river on Day 1. Tony went home and it became Simon and Joe except between Yarrawonga & Echuca when Tony temporarily rejoined us. From Echuca to Mildura it has only Simon and Joe. Sadly from Mildura on it will only be Joe as Simon has decided not to continue.

I (Joe) will recommence at Mildura on November 3rd, 2018 with the intention of paddling 500 km on the river to Waikerie. This will leave me 400 km to reach the sea in the final leg of this journey down the Murray River..