Paddling in Alpine National Park

Alpine National Park holds the headwaters of some of Victoria's most significant river systems.

Sprawling across the high country of northeastern Victoria, it's where the Great Dividing Range wrings out the rainfall that feeds rivers running north, south, and east — and where paddlers find water ranging from technical mountain whitewater to long multi-day wilderness runs.

The Snowy River is the park's signature paddle.

Rising near Mount Kosciuszko and cutting through remote gorge country in the park's east, it draws paddlers looking for serious commitment: days of continuous water, limited road access, and a river that reads very differently at different levels.

The upper Snowy runs best after good rainfall, typically autumn through spring. The Macalister, draining the southern ranges, and the Dargo River offer further options in the park's southern reaches, with character that shifts sharply with seasonal flow.

In the north and northeast, the Kiewa River — both its East and West branches — and the Buckland River East Branch flow out of alpine terrain toward the valleys around Bright and Mount Beauty.

The Ovens River, accessible near Bright at the park's edge, is noted for fast, high winter flows suited to whitewater and a gentler summer current. The King River and Cobungra River add to the network of mountain tributaries that drain this part of the range.

The Murray River begins its long journey near the park's northern boundary.

Paddling inside a national park here means operating in country where road access is genuinely sparse, mobile phone coverage is unreliable across much of the area, and self-rescue is the default assumption.

Parks Victoria advises checking river levels and weather with the Bureau of Meteorology before any trip, leaving a detailed itinerary with someone onshore, and — for those without experienced river paddlers in the group — connecting with a licensed tour operator before heading out.

The rivers here don't forgive poor timing or poor preparation. Get the levels right, and this is some of the most consequential mountain river paddling in southeastern Australia.