Wellington (102 km from Adelaide)
Paddle Time 6-8 hours to a day
Moderate (see CAUTION)
Paddle SA is the governing body of paddle sport and recreation in South Australia. It leads and supports paddling in South Australia and encourages the safe exploration of our waterways.
Paddling Trail South Australia has a range of Paddling Trails to suit different abilities.
Know your ability. Trail 12
If you have a smartphone or tablet you can download the free Avenza PDF Map app and have interactive paddling trail maps on hand when you need them. The app uses your device’s built-in GPS to plot your real-time location within the park onto a map. The app can be used without a network connection and without roaming charges. You can also measure area and distance, plot photos, and drop Placemark pins.
Launch Sites: 
Grassed area north of the Wellington Ferry GPS: 35.3312 S; 139.3838 EWellington Boat ramp (1.5 km upstream from the Wellington Ferry) GPS: 35.3303 S; 139.3836 E
Trail Points:
The trail starts at Wellington and paddlers should travel south down the river towards Lake Alexandrina. The destination, Point Pomond (Point A) is located within Lake Alexandrina.
Once you emerge at the southern end of the river, head south – south-west towards the point of land within the lake, effectively following the western shore-line of the lake toward Point Pomond.
The best place to take a break is on one of the white sandy beaches visible on the approach to Pomanda Island.
Take care on the return trip as it is easy to miss the entrance to the Murray River. Follow the advice to keep to the eastern shore of the lake to ensure it is not missed.
NOTE: There is no camping at Point Pomond as it is private property.
Parking, toilets and grassed picnic area at the Wellington Ferry and at the Wellington Boat Ramp
1 – Lake Alexandrina
Lake Alexandrina, together with contiguous Lake Albert and the lagoon we know as the Coorong, forms the mouth of the Murray River. Lake Alexandrina was named by explorer Charles Sturt in 1830 after Princess Alexandrina (later Queen Victoria). It has never been developed as a formal maritime outlet of the Murray due to its treacherous shallow depths (1.5-4.5m). Winds can whip up dangerous conditions of steep sharp waves and a once clear day deteriorate in minutes with mist, rain squalls, and even dust developing without a lot of warning.
Barrages built across the lake’s exits in 1940 prevent the intrusion of seawater upstream and irrigated agriculture is now prevalent around the lake’s shores. The Murray-Darling river system has a low discharge rate and its exit to the sea is maintained by periodic dredging at the mouth. Part of the estuarine district was declared a Wetland of International Importance in 1985 under the Ramsar Convention.
2 – Pomanda Island
Pomanda Island is a low-profile island jutting into Lake Alexandrina at the northern end of the lake.
It has a narrow connection to the mainland. Covered in low shrubs it is a windswept piece of land joined somewhat tenuously to the northern shore. The lakeshore is surrounded by reeds along much of its shoreline in this area, which makes it especially dangerous to navigate from a kayak with its low profile on the sea so using a GPS device is recommended.
This area including Pomanda Island is part of Nalpa Station.
Paddling Trail South Australia has a range of Paddling Trails to suit different abilities.
Know your ability
These are easy to access kayak and canoe trails through the Adelaide, Fleurieu Peninsula, Riverland, Murray River, and the Coorong.
