Packrafting in New South Wales

New South Wales hides wilderness paddling surprisingly close to its biggest city. The Colo runs through a deep sandstone gorge in Wollemi National Park, a short drive from Sydney and a world away from it. Kangaroo Valley pairs the slow, green Kangaroo River with the flat water of Lake Yarrunga, where paddle-in campsites sit under sandstone escarpments and the carries are short. On the mid-north coast, the Myall Lakes link into one of the largest lake systems in the state, with multi-day routes behind the coastal dunes and paperbark shorelines for company. The pattern across all three: walk in or launch quietly, camp by the water, come out a different way if you like. Wind matters more than current on the lakes, so plan crossings for the morning. A Seeka suits all three. The Colo at low water is as much dragging as paddling, and the guide says so.