There are numerous sections on the Arthur River and the club has done a few.
A favorate is the section to Farquars bridge, which is mainly g2 with a nice long g3/4 rapid called the mouth just before farquars bridge, there is another g3 before this which gets washed out at high levels. This section can be done from blackwells bridge (15k?) at most water levels, this is a pretty long car shuffle. You can also put on the hellyer river at the murchison highway (hellyer gorge picnic area) when the water is high enough. This adds about another 10k of rocky g2.
The sections Farquars Br to Tayatea br, and from kannanuh br to the ocean are fairly flat with occasional g1/2 rapids. The section from tayatea br to kannunah br is 25+k with long flat spots and occasional nice g2 rapids. There is a choice camp spot blow the rapid river junction found by taking a right off the road to lake chisolm, the first half of this trip is review by racheal below, the second half is much the same.
There is also potential for rafting above the hellyer junction, the club has not ventured up there yet.
Matt Dean
After the adrenaline rushes of Bradys Slalom Course the day before and a 6-hour car drive the Arthur was an agreeable river on which to stretch out and relax.
Get in – Tayetea Bridge Tayatea (3445) 1:25 000 Map 483525
Get out – Arthur River Camping Area Holder (3444) 1:25 000 Map 402458 (~500m below the confluence of the Rapid and Arthur Rivers)
Water Level – ~ 2 metres of rocky beach exposed at get in.
Considerable rain had fallen in the area for 2 weeks before the trip however no rain had fallen in the preceding week. Evidence of a recent flood 2-2.5m above encountered water level.
Grade – 2 (similar characteristics to the lower Huon)
Time – 4-5 hours
Length – ~13km
Description:
This section of the Arthur River winds its way through charming rainforest past secret streams and fairy dens. It is a very appealing, relaxed river and would be fantastic to raft on a bright sunny day with out time pressures, enabling exploration of the many hidden treasurers that abound on the riverbanks.
An ideal water levels for this section would be ~ 50cm higher. The possible raft-able water levels for this section are between the encountered level and 1-1.5m higher. Higher than this and there would be the possibility of the river becoming very pushy in some parts.
Rachel Anderson