Kolan River Kayaking - #2

The former bridge section at Smiths Crossing                                                                                                ©2008 WoJo12




  




  
One of my favourite spots to launch on the Kolan River is at Smiths Crossing. A crossing at this point used to exist, but the local council have now totally removed the bridge section. The causeway on the southern approach remains and continues to make a great spot to launch.









 From Smiths Crossing, one can paddle upstream for some 6km until a shallow section is reached. If you head downstream from Smith's Crossing, after about 3km you arrive at the bridge for Rosedale Road. Another 8 or 9 km will get you to Avondale Weir, where you see a great view of the steel bridge for the main north railway line.




Rail bridge at Avondale                                                 ©2008 WoJo12

    

Along the downstream section, there are lots of birds and animals to see. In a small backwater just downstream from Smith Crossing, I found this amazing sight. To the untrained eye, all these turtles appear to be the same, but several are not Kreffts Turtles - at least two are in fact the rare white-throated snapping turtle [Elseya albagula].






©2008 WoJo12

  

More about kayaking the Kolan, in a later post.

Kolan River Kayaking - #1

I was introduced to kayaking by a friend in 2008. Since then I have paddled most of the lower reaches of the Kolan River, just north of Bundaberg. From its entrance to the Coral Sea to the weir at Bucca, the river scenery varies from the estuarine mangroves near its mouth to the pebbled beaches, to the tunnels of trees in its upper reaches.
There are several launch-points along the river - my first cruise began from Bucca Crossing, a lovely picnic spot and it has good access to the water. From here one can paddle easily upstream in normal conditions.

Upstream from Bucca Crossing 29th June 2008                                  ©2008 WoJo12

I thought this is very beautiful and serene. But then I stopped for a longer break, hanging on to an overhanging tree - there IS a current in this river after all!!! After a few moments the air became alive with different sounds - the river itself was silent but its residents were not. Various birds were singing, and then out of the corner of my eye I heard a splash and just managed to see a turtle ducking for cover into the waters. I waited and I waited, camera at the ready. Then I had a good look at my first Kolan turtle, as it clambered back onto its precarious position on a sunny log.

Krefft's (River) Turtle - Chelymys krefftii   17 Jul 2008                     ©2008 WoJo12

 

I waited for another half an hour or so, and soon the single sunning turtle was joined by another, and by another - it was hypnotic - my eyes were constantly scanning the river for others - it really was alive.

More kayaking and uncovering the inhabitants of the Kolan in later posts.