Susanna Freymark
Why are two blokes in their 70s getting into a tinnie to travel up Richmond River from Ballina to Wiangaree?
And why up – not down the river?
Steve Posselt, 72, and Graeme Gibson, 70, begin their tinnie adventure this Saturday, September 28 as part of the Richmond RiverFest on World Rivers Day.
“Anyone can go down a river,” Steve said.
Graeme said Steve had the idea of paddling up the river a few years ago.
“’You’re mad,’ I said.”
Both men are keen for their crazy adventure because they’ve had enough of the sorry state of Richmond River. Their frustration about the river is driving this journey.
“The river is dying,” Steve said.
Many things are killing the river, he said, such as the blackwater (rotting vegetation), introduced pasture grasses (not native), sediment and the nutrients in the sediment from farming and chemicals.
The tinnie is 3.5metres with a small outboard motor that will take them 240km in five days – up the river.
“We don’t know the obstacles,” Graeme said.
One of the issues is the places where they’ll have to lift the tinnie around rapids and low lying water – and log jams.
Steve said he has seen some big log jams at Dobies Bight – usually made up of eucalyptus trees.
Steve lives at Swan Bay and is an experienced kayaker. His first river adventure was travelling from Brisbane to Adelaide on the Murray-Darling in 2007. He has kayaked rivers in the United States too.
In the prologue to his book about kayaking Tough is Not Enough it says;
My brother reckons I am fearless.
He is wrong. I know fear.
It is what you do with fear that makes the difference.
Graeme Gibson has lived in Kyogle for 10 years and recently moved to Maclean. He has a long held passion Richmond River.
“A healthy river is a public good,” Graeme said.
The guys will be testing water quality on the way to Wiangaree.
“Often there’s mud (in the river) , and it is sometimes putrid rather than sand,” Graeme said.
“You smell dead cattle rather than see them. We’ve seen cows stuck in the river.”
The public had a right to a clean river and Steve and Graeme want to see a single state authority take responsibility for the health of Richmond River and other rivers in NSW.
“My wife used to ride her horses down to the river at Wiangaree and it was crystal clear,” Steve said.
The tinnie has been painted by Casino High School students and Steve and Graeme will be talking to people along the way and gathering their stories about the river.
They set off in the tinnie this Sunday, September 28 at 2.30pm from Fawcett Park, Ballina.
Follow the RESTORE THE RICHMOND TINNIE TRIP on Facebook.
There will be two public forums about restoring the river. They are at:
Kyogle Bowls Club on Tuesday, October 7 at 6pm–7.30pm
Casino Golf Club on Tuesday, October 14 at 6pm–7.30pm
A light supper will be provided.
For catering purposes, register with Graeme Gibson graeme@morethanjusttalk.com.au Phone 0408 676 550 or Steve Posselt steve@kayak4earth.com Phone 0438 138 982.