White Water Rafting Locations in Australia & the Top Places to Visit!

The Best Places to Go White Water Rafting in Australia

With hundreds of rivers all across the country, there are dozens of amazing waterways and rapid runs for white water rafting enthusiasts in Australia.

To help you narrow down your options, we have provided a list of the top 23 places to go white water rafting in Australia.

White Water Rafting in Queensland

Home to the mighty Barron and Daintree River, the state of Queensland’s hot tropical weather makes it one of the most exciting white water rafting locations in all of Australia.

The coastal city of Cairns provides access to some of the state’s best rapid ways!

Some of the state’s best white water rafting spots include…

• Cairns
• Barron Gorge
• The Tully River 
• The Daintree River
• The Mulgrave River (Great for beginners and families) 

White Water Rafting in New South Wales

New South Wales is one of Australia’s most diverse states with a unique landscape of rainforests, mountain ways and hilled valley passes.

For every stunning biome in NSW, there exists a river that meanders its way through forests and hills. This allows you to get an insider’s peek at the beauty and wildlife that can be found there.

New South Wales is rich with rainforests, tranquil pools, stunning gorges and a host of white-water rapids for every level of rafting.

Some of the state’s best white-water rafting spots include:

• The Upper Nymboida River
• The Murray River
• The Gwydir River

White Water Rafting in Victoria (VIC)

Australia’s most southern state, Victoria, has around 80,000 kilometres of riverways. This makes it one of the best white water rafting locations in Australia.

You get to raft through picturesque gorges with stepped riverbanks and even mountain river passes that provide heart-pounding drops and thrills unlike any other. 

Melbourne, its capital city, also offers travellers lots of things to do outside of the water. It provides the perfect base to enjoy white water rafting in Australia. 

Some of the state’s best white-water rafting locations are located at:

• The Yarra River
• The Mitta Mitta River
• The Kings River
• The Murray river – Hells Gates pass (Advanced winter rafting opportunity) 

Related Article:

• A Beginner’s Guide to White Water Rafting in Australia

Marchway Dry Bag/ Sack

Need a way to keep things dry when you go white water rafting?

Packing a dry bag can be a great way to keep your valuables safe and ensure that your spare clothing stays dry when you go white water rafting.

As an added bonus, it will also help your items float at the water surface in the event that your raft capsizes.

Click here to learn more > 

White Water Rafting in Tasmania (TAS)

The island of Tasmania offers rafting experiences for all ages and abilities.

Its rivers are filled with surging rapids and challenging water routes that cut through gorges and beautiful valleys of pristine ancient forests.

Tasmania’s riverways will also have you drifting through beautiful world heritage sites including the white knuckle canyon runs.

No matter what kind of rafting experience you’re after, you will find it in Tasmania!

Some of the best white-water rafting locations in Tasmania include:

• The Franklin River
• The Picton River 
• The Derwent River
• The Mersey River 

White Water Rafting in Western Australia (WA)

One of Australia’s most remote states is also one of its most stunning.

With around 208 river ways that drift through miles of undisturbed countryside, Western Australia has a huge range of white-water rafting locations for beginners and advanced rafters. 

You will get to enjoy one of the most serene river experiences in Australia, followed shortly by some of the most intense rapids you’ve ever seen!

The best white water rafting locations in Western Australia include: 

• Scrap Pool 
• Baden Powell Waterspout
• The Avon River

White Water Rafting in South Australia (SA)

South Australia is well known for its low mountain ranges that create white water rapids that tumble into steep and arid valleys.

Its longest river, the Murray, ends here as it empties into the Great Australian Bight.

The region boasts plenty of variety for adventure-seekers to conquer.

The best places to go white water rafting in South Australia are:

• Port Adelaide 
• The River Murray exit

Related Article:

• A Beginner’s Guide to White Water Rafting in Australia

White Water Rafting in Northern Territory (NT)

While the Northern Territory is best known for its outback desert landscape, it would be wrong to assume that it lacks the water rapids needed for an awesome rafting experience.

In fact, it offers similar white water rafting opportunities as many of the other states in Australia.

In the Northern Territory, you can expect a more relaxed rafting adventure.

You’ll get to drift past riverbanks lined with rocky escarpments, sandy beaches and a host of bird species including eagles and cockatoos.

Some of the best places to go white water rafting in the Northern Territory include: 

• The Katherine River
• Nitmiluk Gorge

In Summary:

So there you have it….

The Best Places to Go White Water Rafting in Australia.

In this article, we highlighted some of the top locations for rafting in the following Australian states:

• Queensland
• New South Wales
• Victoria
• Tasmania
• Western Australia
• South Australia
• Northern Territory