Murray river Paddle 2016 Day 18 Barham - Benjaroop

Barham - Benjaroop 55km


I am camped opposite checkpoint alpha on day 5 of the Murray Marathon. Usually it is a nice little beach, but today it is in the form of its alter ego - a wetland. All around the bush is buzzing. The air is rich with the sounds of insects, frogs and calling birds. In the afternoon, as the mosquitoes get bolder, swallows swoop low over the water, picking up mosquitoes and other tasty morsels. They certainly are welcome to their weight in mossies every day and all the hollow trees I can muster to breed freely. I was going to camp at Alpha for nostalgia’s sake, but rain water has filled the wheel ruts in the tracks on the other side of the levee and grass was over a metre high. So, I paddled across the other side of the river and am camped on a nice broad levee bank. So long as the farmer doesn’t want to drive his ute along here, or a herd of cattle decide this is the way they want to travel, then I’m set. There is a huge old boiler discarded behind the levee. My guess is that it was used to drive irrigation pumps, before the advent of the small and more efficient combustion engine which has taken its place. In the riparian fringe of flooded red gums honeyeaters bounce off the water’s surface and then settle on a branch to complete their toilet. A fish came in and snapped at something before disappearing. Cockatoos are trying to dominate the evening chorus. It seems chaotic tonight. Perhaps that is because I’m on the edge between forest and agricultural land - or perhaps it really is the cockatoo’s fault.

Today’s paddle began in the forest. More correctly, it began in a forest town. The dominant sound in Barham is of the Arbuthnot Sawmills. The whine of the saw blade and the growling of the busy front end loader that rushes around feeding it. The saw mill is the last operating red gum saw mill on the Murray. There is more demand than they can fill. The mill cuts timber from the ecological thinning projects under trial in some of the river red gum forests. Should the removal of crowded saplings and trees be successful in promoting the regeneration of the forest, as is hoped, then they might soon more timber available. Our red gum national parks are dominated by one age group, reflecting the last timber harvest. Forestry workers have the tools and the experience to be able to reinstate that diversity. It is a change from what used to be done, but it is the road to sustainable local industry. Hopefully this cooperation between parks and industry will spread and we will see more local sawmills reopen along the Murray.

Out of the buzz and under the bridge. With one and a half metres clearance I made it easily. Larger boats need to give 48 hours notice for the central span to be raised. It wasn’t necessary for me. Once past the waterfront houses with their barbie boats, canoes and tarzan swings I was in the forest again. Unlike upstream of Barham, the water soon reached the top of the natural levees and was slowly spilling into the forest. There were the usual runners, but it was spilling everywhere. It was easy to imagine how these levees grew. With such thick grass growth, the water would slow and drop its sediment before continuing. It was 40 kilometres between Barham and Murrabit, most of it forest, and most of it under water. it was not as threatening as the Barmah Forest however, I could have stood up on the flooded banks had I wanted to. About 10 kilometres before Murrabit I heard tractors working the fields, I also saw the first pump irrigating crops. No shortage of water this year. Last time I paddled here it was low river. Today i could see the old farm houses with their beautiful rose gardens. I could paddle right up to the huge old shearing shed before Gonn Crossing and I almost could have paddled into the front yard of the house where day 5 of the marathon starts. Like so many other farmers, they had a tinny tied as close to the house as possible. In this case it was the garden gate.

I called into the Murrabit launching ramp for a break - first time out of the boat in 5 hours! It was good to stretch the legs. I was also curious to see how this would be for the start of day 5 in the marathon. All was good. Inadvertently I pulled up next to sign explaining navigation hazards on the Murray. It looked like I was one of them. Pulling into shore gave me a chance to look beyond the reeds, rushes and sedges along the waters edge. In the backwaters, water ribbon were growing after years of dormancy. Amazing how plants like these survive the many dry years.

After forest being the dominant form of bank vegetation for my first 700km I was enjoying the agricultural flavour. I had a look at the old pump houses, some of them clearly built to house steam engines, and tried to imagine what it would have been like in those times. I saw a settlers hut, falling apart now, but somehow survived the ravage of the years with its tin chimney. I passed by the site of the old Gonn crossing. In the distance you can see a wattle and daub building, now a ruin. Proud stations on either side of the river may have determined the punt’s location. Stations and farm houses often have all sorts of old interesting things lying around - but one of them had what looked like an old DC3 passenger airplane and a sizeable chunk of the fuselage of a world war two transport plane, shrapnel holes and all. It looks like both projects were a bit ambitious.

As usual, once out of town, the river was quiet. It is a work day, perhaps things will change as I approach Swan Hill, tomorrow’s destination. The river has dropped here, but only just. I wonder what it will be like at Swan Hill.

The new wharf at Barham Koondrook. Due to be opened Nov 2016.
Rural landscape
Rural landscape
Row of old trees along the river bank.

A ruin at the site of the former Murrabit River Crossing.

This camp although inundated was still occupied by its owner.
Some farmers have rescued kilometer signs from fallen trees and placed them on their sheds.
Approaching Barham Bridge.
Passing under Barham Bridge

I know that farmers have a name for collecting things, but I was surprised to see a DC3 and a war plane wreck in the forest.
Shearing Shed
Shearing shed, pump and tinny.

Murrabit bridge. 1.5m clearance.
Water ribbon colonising backwaters behind the levees.
Navigational hazards... had I become one?
Old pump house.
Every farmer needs their tinny.
Old tree with hollow base.
Cattle grazing in the forest.

River landscape.
Flooded forest on river's edge
Rushes thriving on the natural levees between Murrabit and Barham.
Wild roses.
Quiet time



Levee bank at checkpoint alpha, day 5 Murray marathon.
Dry land was hard to find today. A levee will have to do.

Levee banks are the only high spots in places. This was wide enough to camp on comfortably.
Ready made washing line.
Boiler near my campsite on the levee.
Massive boilers which were used to drive irrigation pumps before the internal combustion engine.

Sunset from my tent on top of the levee between Murrabit and Swan Hill.



Murray River Paddle 2016 Day 17 Gunbower Perricootta Koondrook Forest to Barham



Gunbower Perricoota Koondrook Forest - Barham 73 km


My campsite at Stanton Break, about 30km into the Gunbower Perricootta Koondrook Forest.


The Murray is full of surprises. This is a distributary (a stream which leaves a river, spreading the flow over the floodplain) next to my camp. It kept my area mossie free and provided beautiful, fresh, easy to access, flowing water for cooking and cleaning. The only thing I had to watch out for was that on launching I would not get washed into the forest instead of heading down the river.

Up with the sparrows and ready to go. Mornings are beautiful on the river.

I got up early this morning, not long after I heard a big roo bound through my camp. It was impossible for it to do this quietly, as it had to hop through the little streams that surrounded my tent first. The morning chorus was wonderful, as it has been every day in the forest, however, today the bird call continued the whole day with none of the usual pauses. Perhaps it has something to do with the floods and the abundance of food this has brought.

The Gunbower Perricoota Koondrook Forest (GPK) is quite different to its cousin, the Barmah Millewa Forest. Although both are river red gum forests adapted to flooding, the Barmah choke restricts water flow, turning the area into one huge lake. I was worried about the townships of Barham and Koondrook having the same effect. It is over 100km from Torrumbarry weir to Barham. 100km without landfall is too much. Without advice and encouragement from locals I would have called this section off. There are natural levees which run throughout the forest, making it possible to get out almost anywhere and plenty of camping opportunities. I'm glad I paddled this section. Not only will my study of the condition of river red gums be complete for the length of the river, but it was really beautiful.

The reason why the river is so much higher than the forest is not just due to the levees. When Australia had an inland sea, this was where the Murray entered it, building its own delta, much like the Coorong is today. Trapped within its levees the river continues to run along high ground, with anabranches like the Gunbower Creek and Thule Creek feeding the lower parts of the forest before returning to the river lower down. Fascinating.

Near Burkes Bridge, Gunbower-Perricootta-Koondrook Forest



For most of the day I saw no-one. It's a quiet stretch - another thing to recommend it. However, about 20km out from Barham I came across a four wheel drive. My first thought was that it had been abandoned. I've seen a few abandoned vehicles and vans, when people didn't manage to get them out in time, or were surprised by the rising water. However this one was not deserted. I called out its resident, asking whether he had taken the river road (it follows high ground). He let me know that he had been there 'for some time' after having become 'inundated'. He didn't want help, or me to let anyone know he was ok, so I left him to his fishing. At least he would not lack for water. I hope he had plenty of repellent.

In the Murray Marathon (aka Massive Murray Paddle) the section from Murrabit to Swan Hill is famous for swirls and whirlpools that can turn a boat. This section is just the same, the current swells and whirlpools have to be seen to be believed. I am not sure what causes them, but they are on almost every corner.

The forest is clearly worked. Most trees are tall and straight (encouraged that way because they are more valuable as saw logs). Old trees were rare. In a natural forest these will be scattered throughout and particular along old water courses. In worked forests they tend to be along the banks, however here they have been removed for some reason.

Another surprise was how big an effect the millennium drought has had. In higher areas, trees are still recovering. It might still take another 10 years before the forest reaches full health again - assuming it has access to water in that time.

As I near Barham, farms began to appear, then fishing shacks, then houses. Going off the number of picnic tables, bush furniture and Tarzan swings, the people who live here really love their river.

I pulled into Barham Lakes Caravan Park because it had units right down at the water’s edge (and it was the first one I came to). Park manager Helen said "The forest protects the town, it always floods the forest first. You know, the river is actually higher than it was in 2011".

Tomorrow I make for Morton Lane, a high spot near Benjeroop, halfway between here and Swan Hill.

I paddled past a big floating log today. I hope I've gone far enough that it does not pass me while I sleep. The river never stops.

Calm reflection.

Park hut.

Brad's Bend.

Bush carpentry.

Paterson's curse? The bees love it.

Ring barking. One reason why there aren't many old trees on the banks along this stretch of the river.

Wildflowers along the river bank.

River landscape.

Forestry often provide firewood. Kind.

Loo with a view. It has also been used for target practise - hopefully not at the same time.

Reflections.

Fishing shack. Weekend glimpse of paradise.