Nelligen on the Clyde River

Nelligen brings together the Clyde River, a history as a former port and kayaking routes on the water. Along the riverbank, you’ll also find a playground with ship-shaped play equipment and a picnic area. Whether you want to spend time by the river with your family, paddle or explore historic buildings, Nelligen’s varied character gives your trip a clear focus.

Kayaking routes on the Clyde River

The Lower Clyde River offers a 15-kilometre, one-way kayaking route between Batemans Bay and Nelligen. Another route description follows the river from Nelligen: from there, the kayaking route winds for 25 kilometres to the tidal limit at Shallow Crossing. These two descriptions refer to different sections and provide a starting point for familiarising yourself with each route in advance.

The Upper Clyde River kayaking route also has its own particular conditions: paddlers can explore several tributaries and encounter shallow stretches of water and gravel rapids. If you’re planning a river trip, you can take these features into account when deciding. They describe a different way to experience the river from a route characterised mainly by its length between two places.

In Nelligen, a landing point for the Lower Clyde River kayaking route is located at a small beach downstream of the western boat ramp. Picnic tables and toilets are also available in Nelligen for the route. Nelligen Kayak Hire offers sit-on-top single and double kayaks, as well as WenoNah canoes for exploring the Clyde River. This gives you a choice of different types of boats, without limiting the river trip to just one way of paddling.

Nelligen is also a good place for fishing. If you’d rather spend time by the water than take a longer kayaking trip, this is another way to include the Clyde River in your visit.

The port’s past and historic buildings

Nelligen was once a busy port on the Clyde River. It supplied the agricultural district of Braidwood and the Araluen goldfields. This former role gives the town its own historical perspective: the river is not only a setting for activities today, but also part of Nelligen’s history.

Along historic Braidwood Street, you can pass preserved historic buildings and the war memorial, then continue to the former Catholic church dating from 1896. The street and its buildings bring the town’s history to life on a walk. If you’re particularly interested in Nelligen’s past, you can make this stroll the centrepiece of a more leisurely day of discovery; if you’d rather get out on the water, kayaking offers a very different way to experience the Clyde River.

Family time by the water

The riverside playground in Nelligen has ship-shaped play equipment for young children. Together with the picnic area by the water, it gives families a reason to plan time by the river, even if they’re not going paddling. The playground and picnic area have long been popular with visitors from Canberra and Braidwood. Nelligen’s riverside also appeals to people who don’t necessarily want to explore the river actively.

When choosing a holiday rental in Nelligen, you can consider which of these aspects you want to shape your stay: kayaking routes and fishing, historic discoveries or time together by the water.

Discover more places

You can also discover these places: Possum Brush, Corlette, Collaroy, Wollomombi, Picton, Dural, Sanctuary Point and High Range.

For the broader travel overview: New South Wales.