This winter’s snow has been wonderful. Great for skiers, riders, snow shoers and all winter enthusiasts. And of course all the businesses and workers that have endured two grim winters. But there are lots of great things to do outside the snow country.

Kelly van den Berg describes some of the adventures to be had paddling the rivers of Gippsland. Many of these places are remote and out of the way, and as with backcountry touring, require effort to get the return. But with a bit of exploring and planning there are wonderful rivers to run.

‘Packrafters especially are finding a new sense of freedom in Gippsland’s terrain. Their ultralight inflatable boats allow access to places traditional kayaks can’t easily reach like remote alpine valleys, steep descents, or hike in only headwaters. It’s a style of travel that blends bushwalking, river running, and backcountry problem solving into a single magnificent pursuit.’

All the Rivers Run

When the rain falls just right. Steadily, not too hard, not too fast and just in the right places, something quietly magical happens across the sprawling catchment areas of Gippsland.

Rivers that usually meander and whisper suddenly stir with purpose. Tributaries swell. The steep remote reaches of bush and cool climate rain forests drip. For a fleeting window the hidden whitewater veins of this southeastern corner of Victoria come alive.

To most, Gippsland is a landscape of rolling dairy country, windswept beaches, and quiet mountain towns. But to those in the know kayakers, packrafters, and river wanderers it’s a whitewater wonderland waiting to happen. Not every weekend. Not even every month. But when it does happen it’s wild, raw, and unforgettable.

From the moody gorges of the Mitchell National Park to the remote green canopies over the Moroka and hidden mountain tributaries that fall from the backdrop of the Dargo high plains and beyond, there are so many hidden gems in this vast wild place I call home.

For those who dare to invest the hard earnt knowledge, Gippsland’s rivers offer something that’s becoming increasingly rare: true adventure.

Not the kind curated on apps or booked in neat two-hour windows. The kind you plan around weather charts, wait for with baited breath, and text your crew at 3am when the gauge spikes and you know it’s on.

For paddlers, this isn’t just recreation, it’s religion. The ritual of checking river levels, packing drybags in the dark, strapping boats to roof racks under headlamp glow. The whispered gravel road directions: “take the second unmarked turn past the big tree.” The anticipation as boots sink into the sodden leaf litter, as gear is zipped, clicked, snapped and sealed. Then, the moment when the boat meets moving water and the world narrows into currents, eddies, and the next bend.

Gippsland doesn’t offer the convenience of the more commercial rivers. There are no shuttle services, no manicured put-ins. What it offers is solitude, technical challenge, and the kind of immersive wilderness that demands you pay attention or pay the price. And for many, that’s the draw.

Packrafters especially are finding a new sense of freedom in Gippsland’s terrain. Their ultralight inflatable boats allow access to places traditional kayaks can’t easily reach like remote alpine valleys, steep descents, or hike in only headwaters. It’s a style of travel that blends bushwalking, river running, and backcountry problem solving into a single magnificent pursuit.

But it’s not just about adrenaline. On a good trip you might see wedge tailed eagles spiralling above a gorge, the same sea eagles on our local river we’ve been seeing for years, lyrebirds weaving through undergrowth and my favourite view of the mist rising in golden sheets as the sun hits the water on those crisp early morning starts in the Thomson gorge.

These rivers are places of stillness too where you can drift, breathe and remember what it feels like to not be rushing except with the flow.

There’s a saying: “You don’t get to choose the river. The river chooses you.”

In Gippsland, that couldn’t be more true.

These waterways don’t run to anyone’s schedule. They ask you to be ready, to be patient, and to know the difference between going because it’s there, or going because it’s right.

Because here in Gippsland when all the rivers run,  it’s a gift.  The less paddled gems are fleeting and rare. Last week for a small crew of locals and friends,  the rain fell just right and we were blessed once again. A brief and memorable opening into a world that stirs something special beneath the surface of our everyday lives.

And if you’re lucky enough to be on the water when all the rivers run in Gippsland, it stays with you long after the rapids settle and the riverbed begins to show itself again. Until the next time …

All photos: Kelly van den Berg

Crew members –

Kelly van den Berg

Paddy Howlett

Ryan Hansen

Martine Fogg

Dave Arnup

Matthew Brooks

Kelly van den Berg is a proud local Gippsland lass and the co-founder of Gippsland Adventure Tours. A remote adventurer, outdoor educator and wilderness navigation instructor. She spends most of her time helping others find joy in remote places and sneaking in a paddle whenever the rivers decide it’s time.

 https://gippslandadventuretours.com/