Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The paddling route
Launch from Davidson Park, the picnic area and boat ramp in Garigal National Park beside Roseville Bridge, and paddle down Middle Harbour, the long northern arm of Sydney Harbour. Pass under the bridge and follow the drowned sandstone valley south-east between steep bushland and waterfront homes, past Echo Point and round Killarney Point, then turn north into Bantry Bay. Its shores are all bush, and on the east side stand the sandstone sheds of an explosives depot built in 1915, now heritage-listed. Turn at the head of the bay and paddle back.
It is 8.9 km there and back; allow about 2 hours in a kayak or canoe and 2½ on a paddleboard. The grade is Moderate: the harbour is sheltered, but it is tidal, motorboats raise wash, and a southerly can funnel up the valley, so time your trip with the tide and the weather.
Park entry at Davidson Park is $8 per vehicle per day, and the park is open from 6 am to 6 pm (8 pm in daylight saving time). The boat ramp is busy at weekends, so launch from the side and keep clear of trailers. Do not land at the old explosives depot. 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
- Down Middle Harbour from Davidson Park, under Roseville Bridge, to Bantry Bay
- Bush-covered shores of Garigal National Park most of the way
- Bantry Bay's heritage-listed explosives depot dates from 1915
- Tidal water shared with motorboats: expect wash
On the water
- Put in: Canoe launch -33.76762, 151.20043
- No locks or weirs on the way.
- Rules and licences: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Transport for NSW (Maritime). 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: Davidson Park. -33.76762, 151.20043
By train: Roseville station is 2.8 km from the start.
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Roseville: 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.