Take the wheel and set your own pace along the Tweed River with a hired vessel to suit all occasions. Plan a laid-back pontoon picnic, bring the friends and family for a fun BBQ cruise or spend the day kicking back and casting a line.
All Tweed River boat hire options are self-drive (or you can charter a boat with a skipper included if preferred) with no license required.
Navigate the Tweed and Rous rivers aboard a Tweed Escapes pontoon boat, great for fishing and ideal for calm cruising with a BBQ aboard to cook up eggs for breakfast, snags for lunch or even your freshly caught catch of the day! BYO your choice of food and drinks and all your picnic gear.
Create your own river adventure aboard The Pearl, Tweed Eco Cruise’s picnic and BBQ boat. Kitted out with yabby pumps and fishing rods, you’ll be casting a line in no time. Or for a day of true serenity, pull up The Pearl at a secluded shoreline along the river and while away the day with swims and slow moments.
Hire a kayak to self-power your path through the calm waters of the Tweed River. Paddle the long wide stretches, explore winding narrow sections and take in the stunning natural beauty and birdlife of the Tweed.
Be sure to glide by Stotts Island, an ancient sub-tropical rainforest island, and navigate your way along the Rous River Canoe Trail. The Rous River meets the Tweed River at Tumbulgum and its sheltered waters, surrounded by lush forest, will transport you instantly into an accessible wilderness that feels a million miles away.
The team at Tweed Escapes are on hand for your nature immersion with kayaks to hire (pick up at the Tumbulgum General Store) and lots of local advice to make your self-guided paddle experience one to remember.
Locals tip: Pull up at a valley village along the way when you need a rest – Tumbulgum is a sweet spot to tie up the kayak and take a lunch or coffee break.
If you’re keen to explore more of the Tweed’s pristine waterways, hire a kayak (or SUP, paddle boat or Vu board!) from Watersports Guru in Kingscliff and escape into the upper reaches of Cudgen Creek.
You’ll glide past mangroves, all kinds of birds and maybe even river rays and dolphins if you’re lucky! Keep it short and sweet and paddle just a little way, or set out on a serious expedition to Cudgen Lake (9kms each way).
In nearby Tweed Heads, get in touch with local legend Big Trev at Watersports Tweed to hire a SUP, kayak, paddleboat or Vu board and navigate the calm, safe waters around Jack Evans Boat Harbour. If you’re lucky, you might also spot dolphins and turtles on the paddle. Good news for novices: free lessons come with every hire.
If a day out on the water isn’t quite enough, stay overnight! The long, wide and calm stretches of the Tweed River are perfect for restful nights in a comfy houseboat. Hire a houseboat and start planning sunset drinks, evening stargazing, sunrise mornings and relaxed days ahead with your nearest and dearest.
Aboard your spacious houseboat home-away-from-home, you can map out your days to cruise along, drop anchor, call into a village or two and truly immerse in river life.
From romantic getaways to family gatherings and celebrations, you’ll find a houseboat for all occasions, with no experience needed and no boat license required.
Get in touch with the experts at Boyd’s Bay Houseboats or Berger Houseboat Holidays to learn more.
We wish to acknowledge the Ngandowal and Minyungbal speaking people of the Bundjalung Country, in particular the Goodjinburra, Tul-gi-gin and Moorung – Moobah clans, as being the traditional owners and custodians of the land and waters within the Tweed Shire boundaries. We also acknowledge and respect the Tweed Aboriginal community’s right to speak for its Country and to care for its traditional Country in accordance with its lores, customs and traditions.
