Nerang River

The Nerang River is the largest river on the Gold Coast and has a large number of smaller tributaries. Its upper reaches begin in the McPherson Range and Springbrook Plateau where it feeds the two main Gold Coast Dams (Hinze Dam and Little Nerang Dam), which supply most of the Gold Coast's drinking water supply.

The tidal section of the river extends up to Weedons Crossing where it passes through medium and high density urban residential areas. This section has a number of artificial tidal and freshwater lakes and canals, providing a significant area of urban exploration from the water.

Note that the Mudgeeraba Catchment makes up approximately 150 sq km of the Nerang Catchment of 500 sq km. This joins the Nerang River at Broadbeach, close to the river mouth.

What to expect

The lowest 5 km section is part of The Broadwater, a wide open estuary. There are expansive shallow sandflats away from the main channel.

At Main Beach, the waters narrow into the river proper, with the skyline dominated by the skyscrapers of Surfers. From here, the river passes through a maze of canals lined with houses before the semi-urban areas around Nerang.

Above the tidal sections, the river becomes stepper and rockier and potentially not naviagatable. The exception to this is Advancetown Lake, the main reservoir for the Gold Coast that has two major but narrow arms to explore. The source is found high above the beaches on the slopes of the Springbrook plateau.

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Paddling Options

There are multiple options from short trips based at one of the put in locations, to longer trips of the main river itself noting that a full return trip of the tidal section from Main Beach to Weedons Crossing is over 40 km, significantly longer if you start near the Gold Coast Seaway, 52 km.

Wave Break Island

Length: 4.5 km
Type: Circumnavigation
Start: Harley Park
Time: half day
Technical difficulty: Open Water II
Elevation Change: N/A (tidal)
Rating

Surfers

Length: 10.3 km
Type: Return
Start: Naples Avenue Reserve
Turnaround: Pelican Beach Park
Time: half day
Technical difficulty: Grade I
Elevation Change: N/A (tidal)
Rating

Mid-Tidal Reaches

Length: 15.8 km
Type: Return
Start: Naples Avenue Reserve
Turnaround: Pidd Family Park
Time: 1 day
Technical difficulty: Grade I
Elevation Change: N/A (tidal)
Rating

Upper-Tidal Reaches

Length: 15.8 km
Type: Return
Start: Pidd Family Park
Turnaround: Causeway
Time: 1 day
Technical difficulty: Grade I
Elevation Change: N/A (tidal)
Rating

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Logistics

There are multiple spots along the river to put in, mostly around The Broadwater and operated by Gold Coast City Council.

The following are likely the better spots to put in, but there are some other locations that you can use too. Refer to the Distance Table and the Interactive Map for additional details. Parking is easier away from the main strip.

Boat Ramps

1.5 km: Harley Park
1.6 km: Marine Stadium
3.4 km: Broadwater Parklands

17.7 km: Pidd Family Park
24.5 km: Arthur Earle Park

For those paddling solo trying for a longer trip, Bus Route 735 runs between Nerang and Southport to car-bus shuttle. It runs every 30 minutes during the day and hourly at night (last service ~11 pm). It's about a 10 min walk (650 m) and 15 - 20 min bus ride. There is mostly free and easy parking at Nerang, but it tends to be busy and with paid parking at Southport.

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Quick Stats

Source: Mt Hobwee
Elevation 604 m
Mouth: The Seaway
Elevation 0 m
Length: 76.9 km
Navigable: 26 km
Catchment: 493 sq km
Elevation Loss: Elevation 604 m

Council Areas: Gold Coast Council
First Nations: Bundjalung
Directions To: The Spit
Nerang

Surfers Paradise

19.7°C

Feels like 16.8°C

19.4°C
06:40pm

23.4°C
02:04pm

Moderate Breeze
SSE at 28 kph, gusts to 35 kph
Strongest Gust: 48 kph SSE at 6:21pm

0.0 mm since 9am

Fri

Showers.

90% chance 7 to 35 mm

19°C

23°C

Sat

Shower or two.

50% chance 0 to 2 mm

18°C

25°C

Sun

Mostly sunny.

20% chance 0 mm

18°C

26°C

Mon

Partly cloudy.

20% chance 0 mm

18°C

27°C

Tue

Partly cloudy.

20% chance 0 mm

19°C

28°C

Wed

Partly cloudy.

30% chance 0 to 1 mm

20°C

30°C

Sun and Twilight Times

04:41—18:23 / 13hr 41m
Civil: 04:17—18:47 / 14hr 30m
Nautical: 03:46—19:18 / 15hr 32m

Moon Info

Waning Gibbous
▼ Fri 10:25am ▲ No Rise No Rise

Banner image is of a view over the Nerang River to Surfers Paradise from Southport
© Simon Morris

Some rights reserved CC BY-ND

Tides

There is a strong tidal influence for most trips, with care required near the Gold Coast Seaway due to the strong current and ocean waves, and enough flow to provide a noticeable current in the tidal sections that are best paddled with the current.

Tidal info for Gold Coast Seaway

November

Thu

00:00

0.88 m

05:11

0.36 m

12:22

1.50 m

19:21

0.33 m

November

Fri

01:08

0.87 m

06:15

0.44 m

13:16

1.39 m

20:17

0.35 m

November

Sat

02:22

0.90 m

07:30

0.50 m

14:10

1.31 m

21:09

0.34 m

November

Sun

03:30

0.97 m

08:45

0.52 m

15:06

1.25 m

21:54

0.31 m

Tidal info for Broadwater Parklands (Operations Base)

November

Thu

00:04

0.93 m

05:21

0.41 m

12:23

1.54 m

19:33

0.39 m

November

Fri

01:13

0.92 m

06:25

0.50 m

13:18

1.44 m

20:28

0.41 m

November

Sat

02:27

0.95 m

07:42

0.57 m

14:16

1.36 m

21:20

0.40 m

November

Sun

03:37

1.02 m

09:00

0.59 m

15:14

1.31 m

22:08

0.37 m

Tidal info for Bundall, Nerang River

November

Thu

00:45

0.69 m

06:21

0.24 m

13:05

1.07 m

20:28

0.20 m

November

Fri

01:59

0.68 m

07:20

0.32 m

13:57

1.00 m

21:20

0.18 m

November

Sat

03:14

0.70 m

08:31

0.38 m

14:48

0.94 m

22:10

0.15 m

November

Sun

04:26

0.76 m

09:51

0.42 m

15:41

0.90 m

22:58

0.11 m

Tides for selected locations on the lower Nerang for Thursday, 21st November

Budds Beach Reserve
Birt Av Boat Ramp