I teamed up with Trav as Paddle & Portage Canoes expanded, now fulfilling our dream in Kangaroo Valley. Together, we run Valley Outdoors, an ecotourism adventure company, aiming to inspire outdoor connections. With a diverse background, I'm dedicated to supporting customers for seamless and enjoyable experiences. We are passionate about Mother Nature and hope to instill the same love in others.
I am an outdoor professional with 20+ years experience leading and teaching groups in all manner of outdoor activities in the Australian bush.
I firmly believe that people should recreate in natural places in the outdoors, because those experiences provide unique and positive outcomes for participants, the environment and our communities. And I am delighted that my job at Valley Outdoors is to help people spend time in nature together, so that they can connect to what is important for them.
In 2004, I moved to the Southern Highlands, driven by my love for the outdoors and proximity to Morton National Park. Exploring hidden gems, I noticed a gap in adventure offerings for the public. With a degree in Environmental Science and an extensive outdoor career, I first founded Paddle & Portage Canoes in 2011, expanding now to offer diverse guided experiences. I’ve had a love for the outdoors for as long as I can remember and am honoured to be able to create experiences for others to enjoy.
I first started guiding back in 2012 thinking it would be a “gap year”. As I spent more time outdoors, I discovered that time in nature is the best teacher anyone could ask for. My gap year turned into a career as an expedition guide doing up to 18 day programs in places like New Zealand, Northern Territory and all over NSW.
I am a firm believer that time in nature allows us to better understand ourselves and those around us and it is vital that everyone takes time in their life to connect with themselves and others in the outdoors.
The Kangaroo Valley is just over 2 hours from Sydney and Canberra.
Here are some great driving routes from Sydney and Canberra.
The Valley Outdoors office is located at 2 Jenanter Drive, Kangaroo Valley.
To get to our office:
- from the Kangaroo Valley Village: head west on Moss Vale Road. Turn left onto Jenanter Drive about 50 metres after the Mobil Service station (the only petrol station in the town), then right into the first driveway.
- from Hampden Bridge: having crossed the single-lane historic Hampden Bridge over the Kangaroo River, after 250 metres take the first right onto Jenanter Drive, and then right again into the first driveway.
We strongly recommend that you check for any local road closures before planning your trip to the Gangagruwan, Kangaroo Valley. Please check livetraffic.com for up to date information.
Here is a handy Google Map location for our office.
Free all day parking is available at our office.
The Gangagruwan, Kangaroo Valley is nestled between the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven Coast. The Valley regularly begins the day with a misty morning that burns off by mid morning. This is caused by air cooling at the bottom of the valleys overnight, which rises as the day begins.
The climate here is mild, and generally warm and temperate (globally speaking). Temperatures are rarely below 3°C (37°F) or above 35°C (95°F). Summer can be muggy, and winter can be foggy.
Rainfall varies throughout the year. While summer has fewer days of rain, it has a higher likelihood of afternoon thunderstorms and large downpours. Winter is drier and when it does rain it tends towards persistent light drizzle.
This link has some excellent information about the climate in the area: https://weatherspark.com/y/144490/Average-Weather-in-Kangaroo-Valley-Australia-Year-Round for details
The weather is often very localized: just because it is raining in one part of the Southern Highlands or Shoalhaven Coast, does not mean the weather for the whole area is the same.
We generally run our experiences in all but the most extreme weather conditions. Moderate wind, drizzle, rain and mist do not impact on the safety of our operations and your adventure will depart as normal. Of course if we have concerns about the weather we’ll try to let you know in advance, and if you’re concerned then please feel free to give the office a call; we are always happy to chat.
On the rare occasions that the weather surprises us we sometimes find ourselves making safety decisions on the day of your adventure. In the event that we are unable to run the adventure that you had booked in for, we endeavour to provide you with 3 options:
1) We’ll try our darndest to find a suitable alternative location or adventure that is protected from the weather, and we’ll happily take you there so you still have a great time. We’d hate for you to miss out! But if this alternative isn’t suitable for you, then…
2) We’ll give you a full credit for the adventure you had paid for. We’ll also try and book in an alternative date that suits you because we’d still love to adventure with you one day. Of course, sometimes you can’t make it back on another day (e.g. you’re visiting the area from overseas). If that is the case…
3) We don’t think you should be penalised if we make a safety decision, so there are no “admin fees”, and certainly no “cancellation charges” - we’ll provide you with a full refund and do our best to recommend some other excellent things to do for the day. We want to make sure you have a great time in the Kangaroo Valley and surrounds no matter what the weather is doing.
Having said all that, our full booking terms and conditions are available online in our terms and conditions and you should still read them before booking with us.
But don’t worry too much about the weather. We are well equipped and have a lot of local knowledge to ensure you have a great experience in just about any conditions.
We regularly have non-swimmers participate in canoeing tours and hire. We provide life jackets for all participants. Lifejackets are available for all body sizes and ages (including infants).
Please ask us about any concerns that you have. Your guide will ensure that you have a great time and can participate safely in the activity.
Our tour prices are all inclusive; you’ll find no hidden charges or extras when you arrive. We’ll provide you with all the gear you need, pay any national parks entry fees, and on full day adventures we have a delicious lunch for you too. Generally, all you need to bring is comfortable clothes appropriate to the weather and the activity and we’ll look after the rest. Of course, when you book in we’ll provide you with a comprehensive information sheet outlining all the details for the day including what to expect, how to find our office and some advice about what clothing would be best to have with you on the day, but if you have any specific questions then please don’t hesitate to ask. Finally, we thoroughly encourage people to bring and use their own cameras to capture their experience but recommend that you only bring waterproof cameras on any canoeing trips.
Food is a very important part of your day. We’ve worked hard to provide food for all of our experiences that will provide enough fuel for your adventure. And food that is tasty too! We are able to cater for most other dietary requirements with notice.
