Paddling in Marramarra National Park

Marramarra National Park sits on the southern bank of the Hawkesbury River, roughly 50 kilometres north-west of Sydney's CBD.

The park is bounded by the Hawkesbury to the north and Berowra Creek to the east, and its paddling character is shaped entirely by that tidal, estuarine geography — calm, sheltered waterways cutting through sandstone ridges and mangrove-lined shores.

The two waters that anchor the paddling here are the Hawkesbury River itself and Marramarra Creek.

The Hawkesbury forms the park's northern boundary and is the main highway for anyone arriving by boat; it is wide, tidal, and exposed enough that wind and fetch matter.

Marramarra Creek runs south into the park from the Hawkesbury, narrowing as it goes and giving paddlers the kind of enclosed, canopy-close water that the river doesn't.

Both campgrounds — Gentlemans Halt and Marramarra Creek — sit on the Hawkesbury shore, making overnight paddles a practical option: launch, paddle the creek into the park's interior, and camp on the river's edge.

Because access to much of the park by land is limited — fire trails rather than road access to the water — arriving by kayak or canoe is often the most direct way in. That remoteness is real.

The park is close to Sydney, but the creek system in particular sees very little traffic. The water is tidal and flatwater throughout; there is nothing here that demands whitewater skills.

What it does ask for is awareness of tidal timing on the Hawkesbury, where wind against tide can build a short, steep chop quickly. Paddling the creek on a rising tide is easier work.

This is a national park managed by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the usual park conditions apply — check current alerts before you go, and contact the park directly for any permit or camping requirements.

The country you're paddling through is Darug land, and the waterways run past significant cultural sites. Move through it accordingly.