Mitchell River
Also known as: Mitchell Gorge
Mitchell River Gorge, red cliffs, warm-temperate rainforest, Den of Nargun (sacred Gunaikurnai site - do not enter cave), Billy Goat Bend lookout
Is there water?
Whether there is a river here on your dates, and what kind of water it is.
Unregulated rain/snowmelt fed; seasonal rains swell the rapids; low in summer
Flow-dependent Jul-Dec; check river levels before trip
Winter-Spring; Jul-Dec best flow (Parks Victoria); Aug-Oct high water. Confirm.
Cold; wetsuit/drysuit advised outside summer; snow-influenced upper catchment
Flash-flood / rising-level risk after rain; cold-water immersion; gorge limits escape in high flows
Grade & who can come
A river changes grade with its level. These grades describe a normal flow - in flood the same run is harder, and often a different run entirely. Check the gauge before you commit.
Grade III-IV (Parks Victoria); mainly Grade II first ~2 km, then Grade III-IV rapids
Kayak / packraft / raft (whitewater self-support)
Day 1 Angusvale to Den of Nargun; competent groups continue to Final Fling same day; otherwise full 2-day trip
Experienced whitewater paddlers only; remote gorge, self-rescue skills required
The run
The Amphitheatre - curves around base of a 150 m red cliff; in high water three sections merge into ~500 m of continuous Grade IV. Confirm. Slalom Rapid (Grade III-IV) is first major drop
Portage/scout Amphitheatre and Slalom Rapid at high water; strainers, undercut rock in gorge; Amphitheatre continuous in flood
Angusvale to Glenaladale (Final Fling)
Low-moderate; quiet remote park, few paddlers midweek
Access & shuttle
National park - no paddling permit; camping via Parks Victoria booking/fees
Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.
Put-in Angusvale campground (end of Mitchell River Rd, gravel); take-out Glenaladale/Final Fling near Lindenow-Glenaladale Rd bridge; all park roads gravel
Self-arranged car shuttle Angusvale to Glenaladale via Bairnsdale-Dargo Rd C601 (gravel)
Bush camps: Angusvale, Billy Goat Bend, Woolshed Creek, Rock Creek along Mitchell River Walking Track; toilets/fireplaces at main sites
Full self-support gear, warm layers, throw bag; no mobile signal in gorge
Bairnsdale hub; Parks Victoria Licensed Tour Operators; Pack Raft Australia (guided packraft trips)
Hazards & exits
Note: Angusvale Track/Hortons Crossing landslip closure reported - no vehicle river crossing there. Confirm. Remote, no signal, cold water
Mitchell River Walking Track (Angusvale-Den of Nargun) parallels river for foot egress; Billy Goat Bend road access; mid-gorge escape limited
Self-supported; no guide required. Parks Victoria Licensed Tour Operators available
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand river run report. Coordinates are approximate.