Water Limousines

With warmer than average autumn temperatures forecast for the rest of the month, it’s a great time to consider getting out on the water.

Whether it’s kayaking, canoeing or a simple row boat, there are plenty of family-friendly boatsheds and waterways to explore throughout Sydney.

PITTWATER

With its secluded clear water bays, Pittwater is one of the most idyllic locations for boating in Sydney. Pittwater has two Kayak Tours  departing from Pittwater Park near Palm Beach Ferry Wharf on both weekend days, one at sunrise and one at 9am, in single or double kayaks. Watch out for dolphins, whales, turtles, seals, wallabies and goannas. You can also go bushwalking to the cliffs above Resolute Bay or West Head in Ku-ring-gai National Park to see the views across to Palm Beach, Barrenjoey, Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury River, check out Aboriginal caves and artwork and learn about the history of the area. Lead guide Greg Moran is an expert in kayaking and canoeing and is also a qualified PE/health/PD teacher.

LANE COVE NATIONAL PARK

Lane Cove Boatshed is located upstream from the weir on Lane Cove River in North Ryde, making it a protected area for beginner boaties as there are no currents. Rowboats, kayaks, canoes and pedal boats are available for hire, which makes for plenty of family fun. There’s a 4.5km stretch of the river to paddle along, with many picnic areas to stop off for lunch.Row boats in Lane Cove National Park. Picture: Supplied

NEPEAN RIVER

Who needs to go to Kakadu when you can explore the striking sandstone gorges of the Nepean River? Pick up a canoe, kayak or sit-on-top kayak from Horizon Line Nepean’s shop at Emu Plains, around 70km west of the city, then wheel it on a supplied trolley to the river, around 400m away. The Nepean Gorge is 5km upstream. Depending how much time you have, you can row all the way to the end, near the base of Warragamba Dam — a distance of about 20km. Keep an eye out for sea eagles, kingfishers and rock wallabies en route. Stand-up paddle-boards are also available for hire.

ROYAL NATIONAL PARK

This beautiful national park — the second oldest in the world after Yellowstone in the US — is a great escape for Sydneysiders wanting to get back to nature. About 30km south of the city and 5km from Sutherland, you will find Audley Boatshed, established in 1893. Here you can hire rowboats, canoes, kayaks and aqua bikes to enjoy on tranquil Kangaroo Creek and Port Hacking River. It’s ideal for kids. Turn right just before the bridge over the weir that leads to the visitor’s centre. Even on a busy day you should be able to find a parking spot, and there are picnic tables too.

BALMORAL

This sheltered bay on the lower north shore is one of the easiest places in Sydney to try sailing, kayaking, windsurfing or stand-up paddleboarding for the first time. Balmoral beach, on Middle Harbour, was the launch site for the 2000 Olympics windsurfing as it is an ideal spot to catch north-easterly sea breezes. Balmoral Sailing School — at Balmoral Sailing Club — offers equipment hire, group and private lessons and school holiday camps. It’s best to call on the day to check what the weather forecast is like and make sure equipment is available.

WORONORA

Built in 1946 by Arthur Makin and his daughter Iris, and originally known as the Star Boatshed, the distinctive blue boatshed at Woronora, south of Sydney, has been owned by several families since. It offers a range of canoes and kayaks for hire for one, two or three people. Upriver, to the left, you can row as far as an area known as The Needles, just short of the old bullock trail between Engadine and Lucas Heights. From there you can take a short walk upstream to find pristine freshwater swimming holes. Downriver, to the right, you can go as far as the Georges River, identified by Como Rail Bridge, where you can stop off at Como Marina for a coffee or toilet break. The Boatshed also has a cafe that serves classic toasted sandwiches, cakes 
and scones.

NARRABEEN LAKES

Matt Blundell, who has several kayaking titles to his name, has been hiring out watercraft from his shed on Narrabeen Lake for the past decade. The fleet includes single kayaks, double kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and pedal boats. The calm estuary is a fantastic spot for a paddle among the ducks, stickybeaking at the houses along the banks.

KU-RING-GAI CHASE NATIONAL PARK

Take a discovery tour with a NSW National Parks guide and see indigenous rock art, as well as remnants of early European settlement — old wharves and houseboat building areas. The full-day tours, for ages 14 and over, explore Cowan and Smiths Creek or Akuna Bay to Refuge Bay. Half-day beginner tours are also available, with the next scheduled for the morning or afternoon of April 9.

MANLY

Just a few metres from where you step off the ferry from Circular Quay at Manly Wharf — on the pier next to Manly Wharf Hotel — you can hire single and double kayaks, paddleboards or self-drive leisure boats from Manly Kayak Centre. After a short briefing to inform you where you can and can’t venture safely, pop on your life jacket and paddle around the headland towards gorgeous harbour beaches Collins Flat, Store Beach or the beach at the Q Station (formerly a quarantine station) for a dip. You can even organise romantic picnics to be set up in advance for when you arrive, at extra cost.