The Tamar Canoe Club (TCC) was established in the 1970’s and was incorporated in mid 90’s. Membership is typically around 50. The club members are a relaxed group with one thing in common, the love of paddling. River Trips, Sea Kayaking, Freestyle, Slalom, Wild-water and Multi-Sport Racing are the core pursuits of the club. The primary goal of the club is to get people into boats and having fun. The club is affiliated to Canoe Tasmania, which is in turn affiliated with Australian Canoeing. The TCC serves mainly the north of the state and is based in Launceston. Canoe education is actively pursued in conjunction with the Tasmanian Board of Canoe Education (TBCE) and some members are qualified instructors.
Winter and Spring really are the best seasons for whitewater river trips as regular rainfall keeps most of the rivers flowing strongly. The water is colder in winter but wetsuits and Dry Tops (special spray jackets for the upper body) enable the majority of paddlers to a lot of great paddling in. After good rain Tasmania is nothing short of a paddlers paradise. Popular river trips in the North vary from easier trips such as sections of the South Esk, and the lower sections of the Meander and Mersey. Through to extreme river gorges such as the North Esk and the world famous Cataract Gorge. Many members also often travel throughout the State for other fantastic rivers.
During this time Launceston is blessed with numerous top-quality play spots close to town. Many Tamar paddlers take advantage of this both on weekday afternoons and on weekends.
A forward calendar does have river trips listed but due to the unpredictable nature of Tasmanian weather many trips are organised on the spur of the moment by telephone.
From the wild west to the idyllic east coast, Tasmania has an amazingly varied coastline and regions suitable for all levels of ability. Many of the states inland lakes, surrounded by rugged mountains, also provide unique flatwater paddling opportunities. The club has sea kayaks for hire and many members of the club enjoy sea kayaking.
Ben Lomond Descent
It is a multisport event with the emphasis on fun and participation. Consists of a Moutain Bike leg, a Canoe/Kayak leg and a cross-country run leg. Each leg begins with a mass start. The event is based at Ben Lomond mountain and the surrounding Blessington area. Race Categories: Individual Male, Individual Female, Teams, Female Teams. When: First Sunday in August each year.
Trevallyn Classic
It is a multisport event with the emphasis on fun and participation. Consists of a Moutain Bike leg, a Canoe/Kayak leg and a cross-country run leg. The legs are run in a triathelon fashion, with a central transition area. The event is based at the Trevallyn Aquatic Reserve, Launceston. Race Categories: Individual Male, Individual Female, Teams, Female Teams.
One of the best introductions to paddling is in the warmth and safety of an indoor swimming pool. The club hold training/practice sessions, usually over the winter months, at Launceston Aquatic as part of the Canoe Polo roster. Check for session dates on the calendar. Many of the clubs expert paddlers attend to refine their skills and to assist newcomers.
Back Canoe Polo
Canoe Polo is a great fun game, fast, fantastic and great for learning and practicing kayaking skills.
Two teams in short kayaks play on a swimming pool , which have a goal suspended at either end of the pool. The goals are 1m by 1.5m and suspended 2m from the water level. A waterpolo ball is thrown (or flicked with the paddle), by the players with the object being to put the ball into the goal!! As often as possible.
Experience not required, learn as you play. Get some mates, work or school colleagues together. We play at Launceston Aquatic on Wednesdays over School Terms 2 and 3.
Surf Kayaking
Tasmania has thousands of kilometres of coastline, which contains hundreds of world class surf breaks. Surf kayaking is a year round pursuit of many whitewater paddlers, but is particularly popular when there is a lack of water in the rivers during summer. There has been an increased interest in surfing amongst club members since the advent of ‘playboats’, of which many perform as well at the beach as they do on a river.
Club Meetings
Meetings are held at 8pm on the first Tuesday of every month (excluding January) at the Launceston College Gym. Meetings often feature short selections of photos and trip reports by members and a canoeing video of interest.
Boat Hire
The Club has a range of Kayaks and Equipment available for hire. View Boat Inventory
- Boat hire is a “members only” facility. Other users, i.e. schools, who have appropriate insurance and responsibility may be excepted.
- Hire includes: Boat, Paddle, PFD (Buoyancy Vest), Spray deck, Helmet
- The hirer is responsible for any loss or damage to hired equipment.
- The club can cater for large groups.
- Please contact the club Bosun to arrange bookings and pick-up/drop off times or any further information.
Newsletter
The editor will gratefully receive all articles and photographs for the Newsletter.
Joining the Club
Joining the club is easy, you have several options:
- join online through the membership page
- come along to one of the monthly club meetings
- contact of one the executive directly (details listed on Contacts page)
Competition has been a part of the club since its inception although many members only ever compete for fun. However, there is occassionally a small dedicated group training for either Freestyle, Slalom or Wild-water Racing, Marathons, or Multi-Sport races. The Mersey River and Forth River Slalom and Wild-water Course are some of Australia’s finest and have hosted many National Championships. Some club members have even represented Australia at International and Olympic events. Tasmania also hosted a major World Cup competition in 1992 on the final rapid (now known as ‘Slalom Rapid’) of the Cataract Gorge.
Various slalom, and wild-water squads exist to assist paddlers achieve their potential. Tasmania’s success has been principally due to the excellent training facilities and rivers that develop good whitewater skills.