Event organiser Shannon O’Brien said around 250 paddlers were registered for the five-day 415km event, including top athletes from New Zealand and the United States.
The successful Dungalayin Mileka team model, which sees at risk Indigenous youth paddling in double kayaks with a Victoria Police member, will have 85 young participants across separate teams inlcuding;
The Marrung Tyema team, run by NSW Police as a reward for Indigenous kids with excellent high school attendance.
And the Echuca College team which consists of local Indigenous kids paddling with mentors from local police, National Parks and community elders.
“NSW and Victoria Police will comprise the largest teams, rowing with Indigenous youth from regional areas across both states as part of the event’s ‘Connecting River, People and Country’ ethos,“ Mr O’Brien said.
“Fundraising has risen this year despite contestant numbers being slightly lower than pre-COVID events with last year’s event raising over $87,000 for charities.
“People who are paddling are raising much more money, which is brilliant,” he said.
In the seven years the Massive Murray Paddle has been under its current management, it has raised close to $1.1m for various charities.
Rising insurance costs and fees associated with parks in Victoria have made organising the Massive Murray Paddle, now in its 55th year, more challenging but support from businesses along the Murray, including a grant from Moama Bowling Club, has helped to continue making the event possible.
“It makes the world of difference. They’re just awesome people at that club,” Mr O’Brien said.
Environmental watering in the Barmah Forest has prevented access to check points on the Day 2 section of the race, Tocumwal to Picnic Point, so as often happens, the race will run the “Day 1 section”, Yarrawonga to Tocumwal, twice.
TFNS (Transport for NSW) returns as a major sponsor for the event, which continues to promote the government’s important on-water safety messages.
On Day 3, “Be Bright Be Seen Day”, competitors are encouraged to dress up themselves and their craft in bright colours, in keeping with TFNSW’s safety slogan “Be Bright, Be Seen”.
Paddlers will cruise into Moama on the event’s third day before departing for Torrumbarry the following morning.
“The best day of all is coming into Moama Beach,” Mr O’Brien said.
“We’re going to have some of the local Indigenous elders do their welcoming and smoking ceremony into the beach. It’s just lovely – day three is the most welcoming.”
Mr O’Brien said the race would finish in Koondrook this year for the first time, following route changes in the previous two years due to flooding and extreme weather.
“Day 5 finish will be particularly exciting,” he said.
“It is a beautiful paddle through the Gunbower Forest, and we are looking forward to a brand new finish at Koondrook, where the local community has really embraced the event.
“The community in Koondrook are super excited. They've never had a race like this finish at their town, and same with Gunbower,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Everybody will stay the night in that region. Hopefully, the pub’s full, the restaurant’s full, and the camping ground is full.”
The 95km Gunbower to Koondrook day 5 leg marks the final stretch of the 415km Murray River Paddle course, which wraps up on Friday, November 22.
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