Float your cares away on the Warwick Paddle Trail
No trip to Warwick is complete without a visit to the Condamine River and no visit to the Condamine River is complete until you have floated your cares away on the Warwick Paddle Trail.
Image by @globalpaddlerhq via Instagram
The Condamine River
The Condamine River rises in the Southern Downs to begin a journey that takes the waterway through four Australian states before it empties into the Southern Ocean off South Australia. That makes this the start of the longest river system in our wide brown land, the Murray-Darling Basin. The Basin is home to 2.2 million people and internationally significant wetlands, and it is Australia’s food bowl. The Murray cod, golden perch, wood ducks, corellas, kingfishers and bottlebrushes that live in and around the Condamine River at Warwick have no idea how lucky they are to be offered the first sips.
Warwick Paddle Trail – Part 1
Image by @globalpaddlerhq via Instagram
The Warwick Paddle Trail has two parts. The first is a 2.25 kilometre stretch between the Queens Park footbridge and SCOTS Weir. There are magnificent river red gums on the banks. Friendly locals in the neighbouring parklands are happy to share a smile and a wave, and sometimes even a conversation. The railway line passes overhead and if you are lucky you might even catch a glimpse of the iconic Downs Explorer steam train. Getting on and off the water is easy at the Federation Park launch site. There is a concrete ramp that can be reached via Victoria Street.
Warwick Paddle Trail – Part 2
Image by @globalpaddlerhq via Instagram
The second part of the Warwick Paddle Trail begins on the upstream side of SCOTS Weir. From there, it is an easy 2 kilometre paddle to the broken remains of an old causeway. If you portage (carry your kayak over or around) the causeway and the water level is high enough, you can continue for another 6 kilometres to Braithwaites Crossing. The further you go, the more fun you have when you ride the flow of the river back to the weir. Highlights of this peaceful part of the river include sandstone caves, the chance to watch rakali in their natural home, and more eastern water dragons than you can poke a stick at. The main access point is at the southern end of the weir on the corner of East Street and Condamine Street. However, if you launch from Federation Park, it is sometimes possible to portage the weir on the southern side of the river. Please note that portages should only be attempted if you are 100% confident of completing them successfully.
How to get to the Warwick Paddle Trail
Getting on and off the water is easy at the Federation Park launch site. There is a concrete ramp that can be reached via Victoria Street. This is shown on the map below. It is also possible to launch just upstream of the southern end of SCOTS Weir on the corner of East Street and Condamine Street.
While You’re Here
You might like to try these other great places to go paddling in the Southern Downs.
- Connolly Dam
- Lake Leslie
- Storm King Dam
- Talgai Weir
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