Gellibrand and Hesse

One of the most hotly debated tales of the early European settlement of the Barwon River is the story of "Gellibrand and Hesse". Over the years, much has been written about the disappearance of  Joseph Tice Gellibrand and George Brooks Legrew Hesse, somewhere near Birregurra early in 1837. From modern scholarly papers to the romantic but factually dubious accounts of the 19th century, the topic is well beyond the scope of a single or even a series of blog posts, however a general account may still be of interest.
 Gellibrand was born in London, England in about 1786 where he was admitted as an attorney in 1816. On 1st August, 1823 he was appointed the attorney-general of Van Diemen's Land and arrived in the colony to take up his post in March the following year, however his tenure in the position was short-lived. Within months of his arrival he came into conflict with Lieutenant-Governor George Arthur and by February, 1826 had been suspended from his position.

Joseph Tice Gellibrand

After his removal from office he continued to practise as a barrister, purchased land and in 1835 was one of the investors who formed the Port Phillip Association. It was Gellibrand who drafted the terms of what became known as the "Batman Treaty", signed by John Batman and elders of the Wurundjeri Tribe.

The "Batman Treaty"of 1835, also known as the 'Batman Land Deed'.
Item held by the National Museum of Australia

By early 1836 Gellibrand was in the Port Phillip District and undertook a number of exploratory trips before returning to Van Diemen's Land. In February, 1837 he once again crossed Bass Strait, this time accompanied by his colleague George Hesse. Like Gellibrand, Hesse was a lawyer. Born at Chichester, England on 1st July, 1798, he was a Cambridge graduate who was admitted to the bar in 1819. On 5th March, 1833 The Hobart Town Chronicle carried a notice declaring Hesse's intention to be admitted to practise law in Van Diemen's Land as a "Barrister, Attorney, Solicitor and Proctor" of the Supreme Court.
The pair, along with Mr John Sinclair from Launceston, landed at Point Henry, near Geelong on the 21st February, intending to spend a couple of days following the Barwon and then the Leigh Rivers upstream before turning east and passing behind the You Yangs to reach Gellibrand's own run on the Werribee River near present day Wyndhamvale. From there, they would return to the brig Henry which by then was expected to have finished unloading sheep and be waiting for them at Williamstown.

"Map of Port Phillip from the survey of Mr Wedge and others" 1836. This
image from the National Library of Australia produced from the work of the
surveyor John Helder Wedge gives an indication of the existing tracks around
the You Yangs and the extent to which the country was known at that time

From Point Henry, they headed to Dr Alexander Thomson's property 'Kardinia' on the south bank of the Barwon, however owing to an injury to his ankle, Sinclair was forced to turn back. Gellibrand and Hesse continued on to Pollock's, further up the Barwon where they obtained a guide, named variously as Akers, Akehurst or Aikers according to different sources. From Pollock's station, the party of three followed the Barwon with the intention of crossing the river at its confluence with the Leigh River and then following the latter upstream probably to George Russell's then outpost at today's Shelford. From there, they planned on returning east behind the You Yangs to the Exe (Werribee) River where both Gellibrand and Captain Swanston held land. As they only intended that their journey would be a short one, they carried very little in the way of provisions and equipment.
The confluence of the Barwon and Leigh Rivers today is a clear t-junction with high water levels and it is hard to imagine how a mistake was made, but this was prior to the construction of the various dams and weirs or the advent of water licences which today affect the flow of both rivers. In 1837 there clearly was not much to distinguish between the Leigh and the various other creeks which enter the Barwon from the north and so the party continued upriver throughout the day, despite Akers' protestations that they had missed the crossing point which they had expected to find around nine miles upstream of Pollock's station.

The confluence of the Leigh and Barwon Rivers at Inverleigh, 2017. In this
photo the Leigh flows from the left and the Barwon from the right and the
combined streams flow away from the camera towards Geelong

Instead, having travelled around 35 miles, the party camped for the night on the banks of the Barwon and the following morning, refusing to go further, Akers turned back, reaching Pollock's station the next day. Hesse it seems also shared some of Akers' concerns, but these were dismissed by Gellibrand who by that time was convinced that the Warrion Hills which lie to the north west of Lake Colac were instead, the You Yangs (George Thomas Lloyd, Thrity-Three Years in Tasmania and Victoria, Being the Actual Experience of the Author Interspersed with Historic Jottings, Etc, Houlston and Wright, 1862, pp 485-486). This was not the first time that Gellibrand had expressed a confidence in his own knowledge and abilities which proved unfounded. In The narrative of George Russell of Golf hill, with Russellania and selected papers (Russell George (1812-1888) and Brown, Phillip L, 1935) Russell claimed that "he [Gellibrand] was under the impression that he knew a great deal of the country and of the names of the different landmarks in the neighbourhood of Geelong". Subsequent conversation revealed to Russell that this was not the case.

This 1858 sketch by Eugene von Guerard shows the Warrion Hills which
Gellibrand most likely mistook for the You Yangs. Image held by the
National Gallery of Victoria

Despite Akers' untimely return, it was around a fortnight before those at Geelong who were in a position to help, learned of the non-arrival of Gellibrand and Hesse at their intended destination. At that point a mounted search party consisting of Captain Pollock, John Cowie, David Stead, Thomas Roadknight and Thomas Armytage along with Akers set off to begin the search. Their first day's travel saw them reach the point at which Akers turned back, after which they followed the tracks of Gellibrand and Hesse a further four miles upriver before their path turned westward across a plain, finally losing all trace of them about 50 miles from their starting point at Pollock's. After searching the surrounding area for a further day, they returned empty-handed. Not long after, on the 31st March, a second search party which included Gellibrand's son Thomas, the escaped convict William Buckley and two members of the local Wathaurong tribe set out (Launceston Advertiser, 13th April, 1837) but they also returned, unsuccessful.
By April, reports had begun to circulate that the missing men had been killed by "natives" (The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 25th April, 1837), that they had been murdered and the bodies found (The Sydney Monitor, 19th April, 1837), that Buckley had returned from searching but no trace of either men or horses had been found (The Australian, 25th April, 1837) and so on. On 18th April, a third search party led by Joseph Beazley Naylor and Charles Octavius Parsons, with the backing of the men's families set off for the Lake Colac district, accompanied by native guides and armed with the information that two white men had been killed by Aboriginals in that area.

The above image shows the likely route through the lands of the local indigenous
tribes taken by Gellibrand and Hesse after leaving Point Henry. Image taken from
Donovan, Paul Michael F, Clark, Ian D and Cahir, Fred , 'The remarkable
disappearance of Messrs Gellibrand and Hesse'. What really happened in 1837?:
a re-examination of the historical evidence, Victorian Historical Journal, Vol. 87,
No. 2, Dec 2016: 278-297

At this point, inter-tribal politics came into play when two members of the Lake Colac Guldijin Tribe were murdered by armed members of the Wathaurong Tribe from the Winchelsea area who had joined the search party and were known to be in conflict with the former. The Wathaurong tribesmen captured a Guldijin tribesman by the name of Tanapia  on the shores of Lake Colac from whom, they claimed to have extracted a "confession" for the killings. The bodies it was claimed, had been disposed of in a lake. Upon receiving this information the search party returned to Geelong (Rogers, Thomas, 'Friendly' and 'hostile' Aboriginal clans: the search for Gellibrand and Hesse, History Australia, (2016),Vol. 13, Iss. 2, pp 275-285). Tanapia was later found to be innocent of murder, however he did admit to having speared the horses and other members of the tribe were found with some of the men's belongings.
And there perhaps, things rested until 10th July, 1844 when the Geelong Advertiser published the recollections of a squatter by the name of Henry Allan who - along with his brother - had settled on the Hopkins River. Allan claimed that a group of natives had shown him the location of a grave near Moonlight Heads a few months earlier. The description of the man fitted that of Gellibrand and the tribe claimed that he had lived with them for around two months after stumbling upon them, starving and exhausted, saying that his companion had died about 20 miles further upriver. Their horses it was presumed had been turned loose as they entered the thick bush some 20 miles or more to the north where presumably they were then found wandering by the Guldijin tribe of Tanapia.

This image of logging in the Otways during the 1890s shows how heavily
wooded was the forest to the south of Lake Colac through which Gellibrand
and Hesse struggled. Image from a collection of lantern slides by Roger
Holdsworth, image held by the State Library of Victoria

A similar article published in The Dispatch on 27th July, 1844 (taken from the Port Phillip Herald) gave a corroborative statement provided by John Allan, brother of Henry in which he claimed that an indigenous woman married to a tribesman who lived near the Allans remembered the killing of Gellibrand which had been perpetrated by members of a rival clan which lived a few miles to the east of Cape Otway. He sought the woman out, heard her story and arranged for Henry to travel to the site
where he exhumed the body and took with him the skull and and some personal effects which had also been buried. The general location of Hesse's body was indicated but the weather did not at that time permit travelling to the site. The same information, along with the opinion of a medical practitioner was sent in a letter to Captain Foster Fyans. The letter and details of the report were published in the Geelong Advertiser, 24th June, 1844 and as far as the Advertiser was concerned, solved the mystery of what had become of Gellibrand and Hesse.
Then in 1846, whilst on his third expedition attempting to reach Cape Otway (Clark, Ian D., Scars in the landscape: a register of massacre sites in Western Victoria 1803-1859, Canberra Aboriginal Studies Press for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 1995) Lieutenant-Governor La Trobe noted that the Allans showed him what they believed to be the burial sites of Gellibrand and Hesse (Donovan et al., 'The remarkable disappearance of Messrs Gellibrand and Hesse'. What really happened in 1837?: a re-examination of the historical evidence, Victorian Historical Journal, Vol. 87, No. 2, Dec 2016: 278-297).
This however, was far from the end of the story. For about three years following Allan's discovery, the skull is said to have hung from the roof of his hut (The Colonial Times, 25th August, 1846) and it was not until that time that it was sent to Tasmania for further examination. Furthermore but somewhat at odds with this account is another, earlier description given by a traveller who met the Allans in September, 1839 and claimed that he was shown a skull with fractures - supposed to be from a tomahawk - which they believed to be that of one of the missing explorers (The Austral-Asiatic Review, Tasmanian and Australian Advertiser, 8th October, 1839).
In The Argus of 13th November, 1909 Donald Macdonald published several letters he had received all purporting to give some information on the fate of Gellibrand and Hesse. Mrs Jones indicated that she was shown a box containing Gellibrand's body during a visit to the Allans in 1846 whilst George Somerville recalls hearing that Joseph Gellibrand's son had arrived from Tasmania in 1847 and with the assistance of Allan and the local indigenous tribe had located the body which he was taking back to Tasmania.
And from there, things continue to get muddier, with differing reports of bodies being shipped to Tasmania or remaining some time with the Allans and with some even claiming that numerous skulls were sent for examination with no conclusive proof being found. Of course, Gellibrand and Hesse were not the only white settlers to have disappeared in the area over the years so it is not unlikely that other Caucasian skulls may have been discovered in the district.
It would seem however that by the end of 1837 it was generally accepted that the pair had perished as on 27th November notice was given of the intent to apply for probate of George's will in the Supreme Court (The Austral-Asiatic Review, Tasmanian and Australian Advertiser, 12th December, 1837). Things were a little more difficult in the case of Gellibrand whose life was the subject of an £10,000 insurance policy - the first in Australia it is claimed according to Asteron Life (formerly Alliance Assurance). It was also the first life insurance policy paid out - albeit after a three year wait as no proof of death was available. The payment was eventually made however, to Gellibrand's widow Isabella.

A mahogany and rosewood writing case belonging to Joseph Tice
Gellibrand. Item and photo from the Joseph Tice Gellibrand Collection,
National Museum of Australia

So, despite or perhaps because of the many claims to have found the remains of the two men in the years following their disappearance, the general impression developed that Gellibrand and Hesse vanished without trace and their bodies were never found. Whether deliberately or not, various researchers have contributed to this impression and in the process created one of the most enduring legends of the 19th century Victoria.
One such was Isaac Hebb who, styling himself as IZAAK, in November, 1888 wrote an account of the disappearance of Gellibrand and Hesse which appeared in consecutive editions of the Colac Herald. Dramatically titled "ROMANCE OF THE OTWAY--MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF MESSRS GELLIBRAND AND HESSE", it made the claim that no reliable evidence existed that the bodies were ever found, however more recently, there have been scholarly articles which cast the events surrounding the disappearance in a different light, particularly with respect to the role played by the various indigenous tribes of the region, whose oral testimony was of course not considered admissible evidence (Rogers, Thomas, 'Friendly' and 'hostile' Aboriginal clans: the search for Gellibrand and Hesse, History Australia, (2016),Vol. 13, Iss. 2, pp 275-285). Likewise, Donovan et al., 'The remarkable disappearance of Messrs Gellibrand and Hesse'. What really happened in 1837?: a re-examination of the historical evidence, Victorian Historical Journal, Vol. 87, No. 2, Dec 2016: 278-297 re-examines the available sources through modern eyes, concluding that there is significant evidence to suggest that the mystery of Gellibrand and Hesse is not as much of a mystery as we have been led to believe.

Hesse St, Queenscliff, January, 2018

Whilst most may not realise it today, there are still many reminders of this episode in Victoria's colonial past, from the towns of Gellibrand and Gellibrand Lower; the Gellibrand River which rises in the Otway Ranges near the Barwon River, flowing west and south where the Barwon flows north and east; Mounts Gellibrand and Hesse on the plains west of the Barwon between Inverleigh and Winchelsea and the 19th century squatting runs of the same names which surrounded them; the town of Hesse; the Australian Electoral Division of Gellibrand incorporating many of the western suburbs of Melbourne; Point Gellibrand at Williamstown where the earliest European settlers landed their sheep and the associated Fort Gellibrand; to numerous Hesse and Gellibrand Streets including those in Colac and the coastal town of Queenscliff. The men themselves may be long gone, but their names live on.

Paddling the Barwon - Part 2

In the first part of this post, I gave brief descriptions of the sections of the river which I have paddled up to this point in time.

On the Barwon, January, 2013

Below is a table giving details of the various points along the river from which it is possible to launch small water craft such as kayaks and the type of access involved. I have also included links to a photo of each location.

Access Points	Approximate GPS Co-ordinates	Distance to next access	Comments
Inverleigh Bell’s Bridge, Inverleigh-Winchelsea Rd, Inverleigh	S38 º 6.792’ E144 º 3.787’	16.2km	Access from the north bank via dirt track about 200m downstream of Bell’s Bridge
Murgheboluc Hamilton Hwy, Murgheboluc	S38 º 6.654’ E144 º 8.459’	8.2km	Steep bank access. Entry via 400m grassed laneway to the north bank behind “please shut the gate” sign opposite Murgheboluc Public Reserve, Hamilton Hwy, Murgheboluc
Pollocksford Bridge Pollocksford Rd, Gnarwarre	S38 º 8.627’ E144 º 11.206’	1.8km	Access from the east bank via a rutted track to a small weir about 150m north of the bridge
Stonehaven Dear’s Lane, Stonehaven	S38 º 8.427’ E144 º 14.713’	9.9km	Steep bank access via dirt track from the end of Dear’s Lane, Stonehaven
Merrawarp Rd Bridge Merrawarp Rd, Barrabool (Ceres)	S38 º 8.496’ E144 º 15.750’	5.7km	Steep access to the south bank adjacent to the west side of the bridge via rough access track (approx. 200m)
Ceres Track off Gully Rd, Ceres	S38 º 8.749’ E144 º 16.081’	640m	Access via shallow bank. Entry via 550m gravel track from Gully Rd, however permission is required
Baum’s Weir Cnr Cyril Synot Dve and Degoldi’s Rd, Fyansford.	S38 º 8.946’ E144 º 17.995’	5.1km	Access via 200m gravel track to parking area. River entry from concrete-paved slipway or timber deck
Fyansford Common Moorabool River west bank, Fyansford Common, Fyansford	S38 º 8.672’ E144 º 18.691’	2.4km	Access to the Moorabool about 450m upstream from the confluence with the Barwon via a paved slipway. Portage of around 150m required from nearest parking
Fyans Park Fyans Park boat ramp, Cnr Gairloch and West Fyans St	S38 º 9.389’ E144 º 19.280’	2.6km	Concrete ramp access adjacent to parking
Newtown Marnockvale Rd, Newtown	S38 º 9.893’ E144 º 19.970’	2km	Access via timber deck adjacent to the Geelong Canoe Club facilities
South Geelong Rowing sheds, Barwon Tce, South Geelong Or Boat ramp, Barrabool Rd, Belmont	S38 º 9.930’ E144 º 21.261’	1.9km	Access either from the deck at the rowing sheds (north bank) or ramp access from opposite bank (access via Barrabool Rd)
Breakwater Gun Dog Lane, Breakwater Upstream Downstream	S38 º 10.906’ E144 º 21.861’	1.9km*	Upstream access from timber deck adjacent to road bridge (west bank). Downstream access from the west bank below the bridge
St Alban’s Park Wilson’s Rd, St Alban’s Park	S38 º 12.076’ E144 º 23.140’	3.7km	Access from the bank adjacent to the Geelong Water Ski Club at the end of Wilson’s Rd
Lake Connewarre Tait’s Point, Stacey’s Rd, Connewarre Or Brinsmead’s Lane, Leopold	S38 º 14.217’ E144 º 25.776’ S38 º 12.927’ E144 º 28.922’	7.4km (5.2km from Tait’s Point)	Access via concrete-paved boat ramp or pontoon, end of Stacey’s Rd Shallow bank access via steep track from the end of Brinsmead’s Lane
Barwon Heads River Parade, Barwon Heads Or Ocean Grove Jetty, cnr Peer’s Cres and Guthridge St, Ocean Grove Or Barwon Heads/Ocean Grove foreshore	S38 º 15.922’ E144 º 29.795’ S38 º 15.774’ E144 º 30.475’ S38 º 16.884’ E144 º 29.682’	11.2km	Access via boat ramp, River Parade on the west bank  Boat ramp access from carpark Beach access from either side of the river at Barwon Heads/Ocean Grove

Of course, there are other locations from which it is possible to launch small craft, however they either do not have close enough vehicle access, are on private property or there is another suitable access point with better facilities nearby. For example, it is possible to launch from the decks near the bridge at Queen's Park, but the boat ramp at Fyans Park is within 1km of the bridge and provides easier access to the river.

River access points plotted o Google Earth. Click to enlarge

The first part of this post can be found at Paddling the Barwon - Part 1. Happy paddling everyone!

Paddling the Barwon - Part 1

Several times over the years, I have been asked for advice on paddling on the Barwon; what are the conditions like? Where are the best spots to paddle? Where to launch? How deep/shallow is the water? So I thought it might be a good idea to give a brief description of the sections I have paddled to date and to add a few photos for demonstration purposes.
Before paddling however, it is worth knowing what conditions are like on the day. Below is a table listing some potentially helpful websites:

Useful Links
Waterways Guide	Information: paddling conditions (Inverleigh to Barwon Heads) rapid grades (if any) current river heights some river access points safety information including weather conditions, fire danger estimated paddle times* tips on safe paddling practises
Bureau of Meteorology	Weather information and river heights
Corangamite Catchment Management Authority	Event details and river closures
Geelong Water Ski Club	Event details and river closures
WillyWeather TidesChart	Barwon Heads tide times
Game Management Authority	Victorian duck hunting dates and locations

* paddling times may vary depending on river height in some sections

Over the past four years at one time or another I have paddled most sections of the river from about 1km upstream of Bell's Bridge, Inverleigh, downstream to Barwon Heads. At this point, I have not attempted to paddle further upstream and am not sure how far the river remains navigable by kayak. Below is a brief description of each section I paddled as I have found it at the time.

Inverleigh to Pollocksford

From Bell's Bridge for about 2km downstream to a small weir the river is relatively clear of obstructions and easy to paddle with no rapids.

Above the weir, November, 2014

Below the weir conditions vary, with rocky, reed-lined sections interspersed with long stretches of clear water. During periods of low flow, regular portage is necessary, sometimes for a few hundred metres.

April, 2016

We did not encounter any significant rapids. Higher water levels would reduce the portage required but increase the number and size of rapids encountered (grade II to III according to the Waterways Guide). The guide also estimates a travel time of around 4-5 hours. With low water levels (April, 2016) we took 6 hours to cover the distance from Bell's Bridge to Murgheboluc - around 8km short of Pollocksford.
With the exception of a vaguely-remembered paddle around 30 years ago, I have not paddled the section between Murgheboluc and Pollocksford, but expect it would be similar to the section immediately upstream.
The surrounding countryside is privately-owned farmland with a fringe of eucalypts lining the river.

Pollocksford to Merrawarp Rd

We paddled this section of the river - also with low water levels - in early 2013. Once again there were minimal to no rapids, however there were significant obstructions in the form of several dozen fallen trees which either impeded our progress or required us to carry the 'yaks either over or around them, significantly slowing our pace.

Low water levels downstream of Pollocksford, February, 2013

With higher water levels, many of the trees would be submerged, making for easier paddling, but I imagine some portage would still be required. Water levels varied between ankle-deep shallows and deep sections which were easy to paddle.

Lots of obstructions, February, 2013

I have regularly paddled the lower 2.5km of this section which is an easy paddle with minimal obstructions at any time of year. A further kilometre or more upstream of this is also a relatively easy
paddle, however low water levels do increase the number of obstructions. On the occasion we paddled this stretch we took about six hours to complete the trip.

February, 2013

During periods of low water flow, the river surface at some points can become clogged with Azolla, a surface-growing species of water fern, which can impede paddling. As with the previous section, the surrounding land is privately-owned land which has been cleared for farming purposes.

Azolla bloom above Merrawarp Rd, March, 2015

Merrawarp Rd to Baum's Weir

I have paddled this section of the river many times. Even when the river height is low, this section provides easy paddling with minimal obstructions in the form of fallen trees and branches - many of which are submerged. No portage is required at any stage.

Below Merrawarp Rd, February, 2015

Once again, during periods of low water flow Azolla blooms covering several hundred metres or more may slow paddling speed. As a general rule, I would take about an hour to paddle between the weir and the bridge.
It is not uncommon to see people fishing either from the bank or from kayaks on this section of the river and for some distance upstream of the Merrawarp Rd Bridge. Once again, the land to either side is mostly given to farming, with the Barrabool Hills rising above the south bank as you approach the Geoff Thom Bridge on the Geelong Ring Road.

Under the Barrabool Hills, September, 2014

From this point, the river enters the outskirts of Geelong and bare hills give way to houses and parkland.

Baum's Weir to Fyansford

Between the weir and Fyansford, the river flows over a basalt (bluestone) base and is generally shallow and rocky for a distance of about 1.5km. Much of the water is diverted into the water race constructed for the Barwon Paper Mill in the 1870s. Whilst the mill no longer uses it as a power supply, the water still runs via the race making levels on the river bed too low for convenient paddling at most times.

Bunyip Pool looking upstream, November, 2013

The exception is during periods of flooding when more experienced paddlers often brave the torrent which pours down over the weir and through Buckley Falls in order to ride the rapids. A second smaller weir also dams the flow of the river immediately upstream of the Bunyip Pool.

In flood. Looking upriver from the Bunyip Pool, January, 2011

I have not currently tackled this section, in part because there is pedestrian access along both banks throughout this section which is predominantly parkland.

Fyansford to Breakwater

This section of the river is wide and free of obstructions, its water level being regulated by the breakwater. Above Queen's Park there is little traffic however, below this point and particularly through the "rowing mile" the river is heavily used during much of the year for rowing, water skiing, dragon boating, canoeing and of course kayaking.

The Barwon above Queen's Park, September, 2014

During the summer months the river though Geelong is often closed to the public so that competitive water sports can be conducted. It is advisable to check opening times before paddling to avoid disappointment.

The "rowing mile" September, 2014

I would generally take around 1.5 hours to cover this distance. The land to either side is public property with a walking/cycling track forming a continuous circuit (about 18.5km) around this section of the river. In some sections houses and in others some industrial buildings overlook the river.

Breakwater to Tait's Point

Continuing downriver, portage is necessary to cross the breakwater  or it may be a convenient point to start or finish a paddle. About 1.75km downstream of the break is Goat Island where the river divides briefly around a small piece of land about 250m in length. The island is crossed by the Ovoid Sewer Aqueduct. Built between 1913 and 1916 to carry Geelong's sewage to an outfall at Black Rock, the now decommissioned pipe is in a dangerous state of disrepair and passage underneath - either on land or water - is prohibited, with buoy lines crossing both river channels either side of the aqueduct.

Near the Geelong Water Ski Club, January, 2013

A further 1.75km below the aqueduct are the club rooms of the Geelong Water Ski Club who hold events on this section of the river which may therefore also be subject to closure at certain times.
About 8km downstream of the breakwater is a second break, commonly called the Lower Breakwater for obvious reasons. Portage is necessary here also, however access to the west bank is relatively easy both above and below the break through gaps in the reeds at the river's edge.

River above the Lower Breakwater, January, 2013

From the Lower Break, the river continues through a formed channel for almost 2km before flowing into a branch at the western end of Lake Connewarre. Whilst finding the lake is easy when paddling down river, I recommend using a GPS and marking a waypoint or two at the mouth of the river channel (I do this at home using Google Earth as a guide), to make sure you can find the channel again coming back upstream. There are numerous nooks and crannies which can make finding the river channel quite tricky when heading upriver.

The Lower Breakwater, January, 2013

By this point, the river which at Breakwater flowed through light industrial and semi-rural farmland has become both tidal and saline. The tree cover found above Geelong is mostly absent and thanks to the breakwaters, the river is wider and deeper. Downstream of St Alban's Park, the river channel becomes mostly lined with reeds which block much of the view of the banks to either side. To the left is Reedy Lake which is not naturally accessible from the river and to the right is more farmland.
Below the Lower Break, the river channel is completely reed-lined with swamp to either side.
After entering the channel and the reeds, it is less than a kilometre across the narrow western-most branch of the lake to Tait's Point. The water level in the lake is naturally quite shallow in places depending on tides, meaning some portage through shallow water may be unavoidable. The lake bed is soft and muddy which further complicates the issue. I have it on good authority however, that a seal was seen as far upriver as the Lower Break, meaning that it is - under some circumstances at least - possible to cross the lake without resorting to lugging your vessel. In total I take about 3 hours to paddle this section.

Approaching Tait's Point, February, 2015

This part of the river also includes both the Lake Connewarre Wildlife Reserve and the Lake Connewarre State Game Reserve, meaning that game hunting is allowed along some parts of the river, Reedy Lake, Hospital Swamp and Lake Connewarre during duck hunting season (generally from the 3rd Saturday in March to the 3rd Saturday in June).

Tait's Point to Barwon Heads

The lowest section of the Barwon is quite different to the upper reaches, being a marine environment, with quite different bird life in evidence. Between Tait's Point and the river channel at the south east corner of the lake, the water level continues to be quite shallow in places.

Lake Connewarre, February, 2015

Where the lake flows once again into the river, there are numerous sandbars and small channels which make it difficult at ground level to see which is the correct path to take. Once again I would suggest pre-loading some waypoints into a GPS device to make it easier to find the river mouth at the bottom end of the lake.

Sandbar near the bottom of Lake Connewarre, February, 2015

Once back in the channel, the land to either side is flat, swampy and saline and the banks are increasingly lined with mangroves, however there are no obstructions and the water level is suitable for paddling. See also the above comments about duck hunting season.

Mangroves on the bank, October, 2014

More of a concern along this length of the river can be tide and wind conditions which can make paddling in either direction hard work. Check weather reports prior to going out.

Closer to Barwon Heads, there will be increased traffic as this part of the river is popular with those fishing from small motor boats and with occasional jet skiers. Once past the boat ramp on River Parade, there are channel markers along the river for the boating traffic. Outside the channel, the river rapidly becomes too shallow even for kayaks, with sandbars and mudflats blocking passage, particularly at low tide.

Once at Barwon Heads (a trip of around 2.75 hours), whilst it is possible to paddle past the bridge, caution should be exercised as the current can be strong, particularly with an outgoing tide. As you approach the river mouth, the water can also be quite choppy in windy weather.

Barwon Heads Bridge, October, 2014

In the second part to this post is a list of access points from which small craft such as kayaks and canoes can be launched. The post can be found at Paddling the Barwon - Part 2.