The Myall River headwaters originate in the Ghin-Doo-Ee National Park, where several tributaries join it as it flows down through Buladelah to the Myall Lakes system at Bombah Broadwater.
The lakes system empties to the bay at Port Stephens, flowing down the tidal lower Myall River from Tamboy at the southern end of the lake, southwest and almost parallel to the coast for 25km to the open broadwater and islands at Tea Gardens, then past Hawks Nest and into Port Stephens behind Corrie Island.
Tidal flows can take over 3 hrs to move up the Myall River, so high tides at Tea Gardens at 8am will result in high tides around 11am or later at Tamboy, 24km upstream.
The lower Myall River which is used for the Myall Classic passes through the Myall Lakes National Park and Great Lakes Marine Park, with pristine wilderness to greet paddlers almost the entire length of the course. There are many sandy shallows especially on the lower parts of the river, and care should be taken to follow the marked navigation channel, especially at low tide.
There are no commercial facilities, food or drinking water along the river, and access is restricted to a couple of launching ramps at either end. This adds to the special connection paddlers make with the river, with few other river users sharing the river during the event.
The start and finish of the Classic is in Anzac Park, Tea Gardens. There is ample parking nearby, with additional facilities at the swimming pool opposite. A map can be accessed via the link below, showing the start/finish, plus the turn points for the various race distances.
For other interesting paddling trips, or to contribute your own information to this public site, visit http://waterwaysguide.org.au, an initiative of PaddleNSW
