Paddling in Morton National Park

Morton National Park sits on the escarpment country south of Sydney, where the Southern Highlands drop sharply toward the NSW South Coast.

The park holds both still and moving water — a reservoir backed up against sandstone gorge walls, and rivers that drain the plateau through country largely inaccessible except by paddle.

The anchor of the paddling here is Lake Yarrunga and the Shoalhaven Gorge. Starting from Tallowa Dam, you paddle upstream on the Kangaroo River through a gorge of sheer sandstone cliffs.

The roughly 12 km to the camping areas at Fossickers Flat takes three to four hours at a relaxed pace.

No powered boats are permitted on this stretch, which keeps it quiet — the only sounds are your paddle and whatever is moving in the bush above the waterline. After rain, waterfalls drop over the cliff edges.

The campsites along the river, some with NPWS pit toilets, are only reachable by water, so midweek you may have the place to yourself. The water is flat and calm with no rapids; this is a beginner-friendly overnight run that rewards patience more than skill.

The Shoalhaven River and Kangaroo River together account for over 80 kilometres of paddleable water in and around the park.

Kangaroo Valley, roughly two hours south of Sydney, is the practical base: hire operators including Kangaroo Valley Safaris and Kangaroo Valley Kayaks work out of here, providing canoes, kayaks, and transport to put-ins including Tallowa Dam.

For those who want to paddle with a group, Valley Outdoors runs guided tours on Lake Yarrunga and the Shoalhaven River in a 9-metre voyageur canoe accommodating up to 12 people.

Valley Outdoors holds a Parks Eco Pass as a licensed commercial operator — check with them directly for current scheduling.

One part of the park carries a specific caution: sections of the south-eastern area were formerly used for military training and may contain unexploded ordnance.

Restrictions are in place; pay attention to any signage before launching or camping in unfamiliar sections. The gorge doesn't announce itself from the road. You have to get on the water to understand the scale of it.