Hayley’s kayak journey took 14 days – the film took 6 years to make

It took two years for Hayley Talbot to be ready to kayak on her own down the Clarence River.

She had never kayaked before yet she decided she was going to do it solo and kayak the 400km of the Clarence River. Unassisted.

In May 2017, she was the first person to solo kayak the Clarence River. Some stretches of the river are said to be un-passable.

During her preparation she was joined by childhood friend and professional athlete and coach Dan Ross. He helped with her mental fitness for the journey and he helped Hayley learn to be fully self reliant.

She learnt bush survival, navigation, how to hunt and trap, how to forage, and the medicinal uses of plants.

The 14-day journey down the Clarence had setbacks right from the beginning.

Hayley’s pure drive lifted the veil on all things impossible, something she discovered on her journey.

Her trip started at Rivertree, up river of Tabulam.

Shortly after arriving back from this trip Hayley discovered there were a number of junior mining licenses for cobalt approved in the upper Clarence.

Hayley had questions – lots of questions.

Dan, along with Matty Hannon from Thunderbox films and performing artist Ryx joined together and the film RIVERTREE film was created.

The film follows Dan and Hayley as they retrace her 394km journey along the Clarence, stopping to talk to those who live along the riverbanks.

RIVERTREE took six years to make. It will be released on January 20 in an open air cinema in Yamba where the film will be projected onto the side of a water tower.

There are plans for an east coast screening tour from Melbourne to Brisbane.

Watch the trailer here. Entry to the film launch is free.