Chowilla Game Reserve

Detour into one of SA major arid wetlands

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.

Chowilla Game Reserve is an integral part of the Riverland Biosphere Reserve, comprising 18,000 hectares of floodplains and wetlands. This is a quick look at the waterways of the reserve and those just across the border in NSW. For more details about the reserve itself, please visit National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia

My intended first detour is to paddle Salt to Punkah to Chowilla (56.6 km) with a possible extension on Monoman creek (tad longer at 58.1 km). This detour is only about 10 km longer than the Murray River itself, depending on detours taken on the detour.

The second detour is technically a shortcut. Aiming to paddle both the Big Hunchee and Ral Ral Creeks at 34.9 km 1, 5.1 km shorter than the mainstem of the Murray.

Other online guides for the area include:

• SA Paddle, Chowilla Suggested Routes
• Paddling Trails South Australia:
  • Grand Junction Island (Salt and Hypurna Creeks)]
  • Punkah Island Loop (Salt, Hypurna, Punkah and Slaney Creeks)
  • Chowilla Island Loop Trail
  • Monoman Island Loop Trail (Monoman and Chowilla Creeks)
  • Nelbuck Island Loop (Ral Ral, Nelbuck, Bulyong and Kylie Creeks)
  • Bulyong Island Loop (Bulyong and Kylie Creeks)
  • Ral Ral Loop

• Big Hunchee Creek
• Boat Creek
• Bulyong Creek
• Chowilla Creek
• Hypurna Creek
• Kylie Creek
• Monoman Creek
• Nelbuck Creek
• Pilby Creek
• Pipeclay Creek
• Punkah Creek
• Ral Ral Creek
• Salt Creek
• Slaney Creek
• Suders Creek