2026 News

Bass Strait Crossing - 9 Feb 2026 to (tba)

Richard Barnes, Andrew Murray & Mark Hancock and Elise & Luke Richmond set off on their Bass Strait crossing on Mon 9 Feb from Port Albert.


Above: obligatory departure photo

Monday night saw them paddle ~50km to Refuge Cove (Wilsons Prom), then another ~50km on Tuesday to Hogan Island.

Wed 11 Feb and Thu 12 Feb saw them sheltering on Hogan Island waiting our some weather (~60km/h WSW and 13 degrees).


Above: Richard, Mark and Muzza scale Hogan Island peak

LCRK – Pondi (Penrith Beach) Sat 31 Jan

As some of the LCRK members will recall, we had an opportunity to paddle around the man made lake /pond referred to as Penrith's Bondi beach or "Pondi", located 1454 Castlereagh road Castlereagh (10klm North of Penrith)

This had been arranged by Steve Shelley and Cassie O’Connor to essentially fill in the gap caused by the postponement of the Wagga Marathon.

It was attended by paddlers from Penrith, Windsor, MPA and of course Lane Cove, a total of some 17 paddlers. The gates opened at 7.00 am by the beach manager (Henry) a very helpful guy and he went to great lengths to welcome us and outlined the genesis of this facility, which has been provided by the NSW Government to activate access to water ways areas in Western Sydney, the actual lake is privately held.

It consists of a clean sandy beach, shade pergolas, carparking facilities, change rooms and toilets, an easy walk down to the beach from the carpark and plenty of laydown areas for boats, spectators have plenty of room and you can effectively see almost the entire course from the bank under shade pergolas.

The guys from Penrith provided a briefing and course instructions (basically) an anti clockwise circuit around the lake/pond which depending on how close you were from the shore line, extended to between 4.6 and 5.0klm.


Above: the beach and lake. (photo: MPA)

The water is crystal clear and a balmy 25-27 degrees, no boats, no rowers, no fisherman no tidal flow no overhanging branches, rocks or other obstacles to contend with, and the general consensus was that the course is fast.

In essence this place is a must visit, and with some more careful planning could be used for a range of paddling events as it has all the attributes including a Portage area of beach (was put to use on Saturday by members of MPA and Penrith).

The author has already raised the use of this facility with Paddle NSW, and will be following up with a more detailed approach, it is understood that as it is privately held, there may be some hurdles to get over regarding liability and insurances, however these issues can be worked through if there is a clear intent to use more, unfortunately it is only open through the summer months at this stage.

If there is any interest from LCRK members to check it out perhaps we can arrange a further event in conjunction with Penrith, Windsor and other clubs.


Above: the paddling crew (photo: MPA)

Newy Paddlers Pride Round - Sun 15 Feb

Get ready to paddle loud, proud and spectacularly colourful as Newy Paddlers turns up the sparkle for our Pride Round! This is your excuse to break out the brightest kit, the boldest outfits and the most fabulous race face you can muster. Dressing up isn’t just encouraged – it’s celebrated!

Join us for a fun-filled short course race with a twist, where the vibes are high, the competition is friendly and everyone is welcome. There’ll be prizes for divisional winners, plus a BONUS prize for the brightest and sparkliest dressed male and female paddlers – sequins, colour and flair highly recommended.

As if that wasn’t enough, all paddlers entering the Pride Day Race at a cost of $10, will score FREE ENTRY to the Throsby Seafood Festival at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club. Paddle hard, then kick back, refuel and soak up the festival atmosphere with family and friends.

  • 🕗 Race start: 8:00am sharp (don’t be late!)
  • Bring your family.
  • Bring a fun attitude.
  • Bring a smile.
  • Bring your race face.
  • This is Pride, paddling-style – inclusive, joyful and just a little bit fabulous.
  • See you there, funky bear! 🐻🌈
  • Rego link here