Eildon White Water trip – 14 – 17 January 2025

The annual ACC trip to Eildon lived up to expectations. This year eight club members drove to the caravan park on the Goulbourn white water course to experience something lacking in South Australia; white water. Charlie, Marina, Leigh, Berny, Steve C, Steve W, Anne and Simon were this year’s participants.

Setting up camp

We set up tents at the caravan park Monday evening. The fun started the next day with the traditional swim down the moving water, getting used to white water and practicing our throw-bag techniques. It became apparent that some of us indeed needed practice; others were spot-on with their throws.

We then got into boats. Some of the members went straight into playing around the ‘pumpkins’. (The round artificial rocks that make up the white-water course were once painted bright orange, hence ‘pumpkins’.) Others paddled further upstream to the mild eddies to rehearse break-in and break-out before attempting the real thing.

The two groups then joined and tackled the pumpkins together – breaking in and out and surfing the small waves.

Playing around the pumpkins

The next day saw us resuming play around the pumpkins; interrupted by a lightning storm. After lunch we packed boats onto the cars and took them to a launch point just below the dam. We paddled down the river, stopping to play on small waves and to harvest ripe blackberries.

After this, a few of the more adventurous souls went down to the ‘sump’ (a somewhat fiercer grade 2-3 wave at the end of the course). No one felt like trying the big wave itself, so we practiced ferry glides and crossings.

Paddling down the sump

Next day was very much a repeat. Playing on the pumpkins; paddling down from the dam wall; paddling down to the ‘sump’. Our previous practice had made a marked improvement on our skills, with people surfing waves they had previously found difficult on the dam wall run, and everyone bombing through the sump. (Although some rolling was needed.) Leigh surfed the sump wave. Some of the other club members made attempts with varying success. (More rolling practice and a couple of out-of-boat rescues ensued.)

The day ended with a pleasant tea at the Thornton Pub.

The next day saw tired paddlers hit the water. We paddled the top pumpkins until morning tea. The energy expenditure of the previous days resulted in morning tea extending into lunch before anyone returned to the water. After some more playing in the sump, and a final play on the pumpkins the trip was over for most participants.

Returning home

Nearly all club members set off for home the following day, but Charlie and Marina still had energy for one last paddle. They organised for their car to be dropped off at Alexandria boat ramp. And so, while most of us drove home, they set off for a scenic day trip to Alexandria via the moving water of the Goulburn.

White water is a rarity in South Australia, so the annual trip to Eildon is a great way for club members to develop new skills.