30/08/2026
🚣♂️ BOOM Wardingarri | Three Days, Three Waterways, One Community 🌿
What a fantastic weekend.
Over three days, BOOM Wardingarri brought together community members from across the region to learn canoeing skills, reconnect with Country, share stories, and spend time outdoors on some of Central Queensland's most beautiful waterways.
📍 Day 1 - Fitzroy River
The weekend started before the canoes even hit the water, with an echidna casually trundling across the boat ramp as we unloaded equipment!
We spent time talking about the local environment, traditional uses of the paperbark tree, and the fish, turtles and other wildlife that call the Fitzroy River home. We also touched on crocodile awareness and the importance of respecting waterways, particularly in a section of river that is planned to host rowing events during the Brisbane Olympic Games.
Once on the water there was plenty of splashing, laughter, learning and teamwork. Sometimes it was difficult to tell which was which.
One highlight from the day wasn't on the water at all. When a young participant spotted a plastic cup floating down the river, they insisted we turn a canoe around to retrieve it and take it back to shore. I love seeing Caring for Country not just talked about, but put into practice.
📍 Day 2 - Waterpark Creek, Byfield National Park
Waterpark Creek is simply spectacular.
Crystal-clear water flowing through rainforest, abundant wildlife and plenty of opportunities to slow down and appreciate the natural world.
Along the way we shared stories about local bush tucker, including blue quandongs (the cassowary love them, most people don't!), native ginger, Dianella, Lomandra and the many plants that thrive in the Byfield area. Bush turkeys and goannas also made their presence known, keeping a close eye on any unattended picnic food.
What was planned to be a half-day activity quickly stretched towards dinner time because nobody wanted to leave.
Perhaps the best part of the day was watching friendships develop. Cousins who had never really known each other before the weekend were now paddling together, sharing stories and discovering that blood really is thicker than water.
📍 Day 3 - Causeway Lake
The final session shifted from fresh water to the coast.
As had become something of a tradition, we started with a bush tucker discussion, sampling fruit from the bush almond trees (Terminalia Catappa) before heading onto the water.
The wind had other ideas, blowing 25km/h and gusting considerably higher. While several canoes successfully reached the shelter of the far shoreline, one canoe found itself upside down in the middle of the lake.
Thankfully it provided a perfect learning opportunity, with Cert 3 student Luhan demonstrating excellent rescue skills and carrying out a calm and competent T-rescue in challenging conditions while Meredith, our other cert three student guided the remaining canoes to a nearby shoreline.
We adjusted our plans and explored a more sheltered bay instead, discovering rocky shorelines, watching stingrays glide beneath the surface and seeing flathead dart away from approaching canoes.
The paddle back home was hard work, but a feed of hot chips at the end soon restored everyone's energy.
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As I watched young people, Elders and everyone in between sharing canoes, conversations and experiences over the weekend, I couldn't help but think about the long history of people travelling, fishing and living along the Wardingarri (Dawson River) and waterways like it.
Programs like this aren't just about canoeing.
They're about connection.
Connection to Country.
Connection to community.
Connection to culture.
A huge thank you to everyone who participated and helped make the weekend such a success.
Thank you to Iman Wardingarri Aboriginal Corporation, Outdoors Queensland, our Cert III Outdoor Leadership students, and all the community members who helped create such a welcoming and positive atmosphere.
Here's to more adventures together. 🌿🚣♀️
