Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The paddling route
Launch at the canoe launch on the river flats in Lane Cove National Park, a short way upstream of the weir near Fullers Bridge, and paddle upstream. The weir, built in the 1930s, holds back a long freshwater pool, so there is no tide and the water is still. The river winds through tall eucalypt forest and sandstone, past the park's picnic areas, with kookaburras, water dragons and the odd cormorant for company, to De Burghs Bridge, where the shallows begin. Turn there and paddle back down to the launch.
It is 8.1 km there and back; allow about 1¾ hours in a canoe or kayak and 2¼ on a paddleboard. The grade is Easy: still, sheltered water, though fallen trees and shallows narrow the river in places upstream, so keep a look-out.
Park entry is $8 per vehicle per day, paid at the machines or by app, and the park is open from 9 am to 7 pm in daylight saving time and to 6 pm otherwise; it may close in bad weather or high fire danger. Canoes and rowing boats can be hired at the boatshed. Do not go near the weir: there is a strong pull over it after rain. Wear a lifejacket and check the conditions before you set off.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap waterways (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- On the freshwater stretch of the Lane Cove River held back by the weir near Fullers Bridge
- Through the bush of Lane Cove National Park to De Burghs Bridge
- Boat hire at the boatshed; park entry is $8 per vehicle per day
- Still water and no tide above the weir
On the water
- Put in: Canoe Launch (slipway) -33.79067, 151.14675
- No locks or weirs on the way.
- Rules and licences: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. Check whether you need a licence before you go: on many inland waters in England and Wales you do, and Paddle UK membership includes one for many of them.
- Suits canoes, kayaks, paddleboards.
Getting there
Start: Lane Cove National Park canoe launch. -33.79067, 151.14675
By train: Lindfield station is 2.7 km from the start.
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Lindfield: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Water levels, flow and the weather decide the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; wear a buoyancy aid, check the river levels and the forecast, keep well clear of weirs and powered boats, and don't go out in flood.