Colo packrafting advice?

[Mick Fred]

Hi I’m planning to packraft from Canoe Ck to Camp Meroo next week.
Wondering whether to bring a full wetsuit, whether there’s car access nearly to Camp Meroo at the end, if there’s any useful track notes about good campsites etc for that stretch; any other useful tips?
Thanks

[rcaffin]

Hi I’m planning to packraft from Canoe Ck to Camp Meroo next week.

Ah well, it all depends. The river height at the little bridge is normally 0.8 m or so, and under those conditions you could walk most of the way IN the river. Much splashing, not much paddling. I would think you could do that distance in a day.

However, I have also seen the level rise to over 10 metres. Whole trees sailed down the river.

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The amusing part of this is that we went up to Canoe Ck once while it was raining just to see the river. Yeah, HIGH! Then some guys trotted past us with inflatables, intending to make a rather fast trip down the river. They had been waiting for these conditions. . .

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May I respectfully suggest that either they were stark raving mad, or they knew what they were doing . . . or both. They did not drown (no rescues). I doubt it took many hours to make the trip then.

There is NO car access to the Meroo campground.

Cheers
Roger

[Bron]

Wetsuits are not needed this time of year, the water is quite pleasant to swim in.
River level is currently over 1 metre - enough to cover the rocks below Hungryway ck.
You cannot leave a car at the end of the road that goes to Colo Meroo.
It would be better to park at the Upper Colo Bridge site - or ask Hawkesbury Council for the number for the Caretaker at Upper Colo Reserve and leave a car there.
Please note there is no access across the river at Upper Colo currently. You have to drive back to the Colo Bridge.
You can raft from Bob Turners to Colo Meroo in 1 day, Colo Meroo has a large covered picnic area with disabled toilets.
Canoe Ck to Bob Turners would take 3 easy days including the climb at each end. You can camp anywhere along the river there is a large sandbank.

Hope this helps
Bron

Attachments

Upper Colo Bridge March 2021

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[Mick Fred]

Thanks so much Roger and Bron
Cheers