taking a boat down the Darling

Well how about that!

A mate and I are planning to put his boat in at Barmah on 5 February, and motor slowly down to Swan Hill. It's about 300k, and should take us a week. Just hope it's not tooo hot.

If you're serious abut a trip like this there's a truck-load of information available. I started with the "Murray River Access" booklets, and the "River Murray Charts", by Maureen Wright. The only thing that may stop us is the water level at the Torrumbarry Lock - the Lockmaster (Terry) said we could use his trailer to get around the lock if it's too low.

I think that the floods will only impact the Murray downstream of Wentworth where the Darling comes in.

George_M

Hi William.
Sorry I can't answer your questions however the trip would be a great adventure considering that Menindee is starting to receive the flood waters.
We did the Darling River run a few years ago when the river was a series of ponds & I couldn't imagine seeing Tilpa & Louth in flood.
I hope you get to fulfill the dream.
Cheers.
Vince

Gidday

Pity you didn’t take advantage of the water in the ‘Paroo’ last year. They had a very good winter, and the country was as lush as I’ve seen it in many a year.

Don’t limit your interest to iconic rivers. Eyre Creek through Boulia down south, when in flood, produces some of the best wild life I’ve ever seen.

From what I’ve seen in the last few years the Darling is buggared! Went through a good length of it 7 months ago.

Use to be a time not all that long ago, when the Menindee was full to the core, and the over fill was flowing down the river.

Some people argue it’s because of a long term drought, but I reckon that’s only part of the reason. Perhaps a bit of mismanagement!

Regards

Kim

Don't bother ...it's been done before LOL

sorry, couldn't help myself, had to put it that way after reading the "why bother" comment,
The Leyland brothers did it in the early 60's, well before they had TV shows, wrote a book about it, read it in the sixties, (yes, l'm old )
you might find a copy in the local library if you're lucky or scrounge through the op shops for one if you wanted to do some research,
maybe even contact the Leylands production company, they may have one sitting around

good luck with your trip anyway, as they say 'just do it'

Will,

Take a sharp ax with you, as there are a lot of trees in the water, and you will find that you'll have to chop your way through in places.

Also if you are using a outboard, make sure you have a couple of spare props and lots of sheer pins.

You will encounter weirs at Wilcannia, and most certainly at Menindee, where you will have to portage your 'vessel' around the regulator.

But hurry up if you want to take advantage of the high river, because it ain't gonna last.

Hi,

We did a similar ask about going down the Murray about 2 years ago. We didn,t want to go from the upper reaches to the mouth in one hit because the towie and the boat trailer would be still in the upper reaches when we got to the mouth Our mindset was "going down a section by boat and going back for the towie but how ?

Clever forumites solved our mindset problem. Launch the boat lets say 50 km downstream of the most upper reach you intended to visit and motor up and then motor back to your towie and trailer and drive towards the mouth a bit and repeat.

We didn't do the trip because forumites said the water levels in some places were appalling and since then we have sold the boat so it will never be done by us now.

Good Luck on your quest.

Benny

William,
As with TTD/TDD a mate of mine spoke about doing the run frm Pooncarie to the Murray, and mentioned quite a few spots where the boat required manhandling due to lack of water/crossings/weirs. Said it was very hard "work".
He had a Mildura mate who had some knowledge,
This was about 6/7 years ago.

Sundown..........

Hello,
Thanks to every one for their replies, as always I am amazed at the amount of knowledge the forum readers have.

I think me hasty idea about boating down the Darling will take some more research.

I will be travelling the Darling river run from Bre in July and will have a good look at things re: the boating trip then.

There certainly needs a bit more research and planning on my behalf.

I Just hope when I finally get sorted out that there will be water in the system.

Its good to have dreams, in the meantime I will start thinking of another trip for April.

Regards William