Sydney Uni Canoe Club

Adventure by Kayak!

Calling all athletes, adventurers, and those with a love for the epic sports! Join us and discover the awesome thrill of kayaking!

Camping Trips!

Love hiking, mountaineering, climbing, or canyoning? Join us for adventures that go further and faster that you've ever gone before, exploring the world from the water!

Flatwater Trips.

Looking for a weekly workout? Sydney Harbour is our gym. Join us for real kayaking, three days a week, as we explore every bay and cove that our blue backyard has to offer!

Whitewater!

From the Barrington Gorge to the the Snowy's alpine torrents, level up from flatwater and join us for the boldest and best trips of the kayaking world!

Canoe Polo!

Stick ten kayaks in a pool, throw in a ball, and watch the feeding frenzy! Canoe Polo = Water Polo + Kayaks. Join us for Intro to Canoe Polo, March 7th 2026. 

Surf Sessions!

Join us for an afternoon blast in the surf at Maroubra Beach, on every month or two when the weather’s good!

Blackwater!

For those who stick around and train with us every week, our blackwater trips take things to the once-in-a-lifetime level of awesome: Hunting phosphorescence or fireworks, in the middle of the night on Sydney Harbour!


Welcome Week 2026!

Drop round for a chat at our stall on Eastern Avenue. Feb 18-20.

New to kayaking?

Watch our intro video to learn the basics!

WATCH

Found Us On Socials?

Welcome! We're a volunteer run uni club. Please use this website as your first source of info.



Upcoming Trips & Events:

Simply click on a trip on the calendar for more info. Please note that trips may sometimes be created at short notice.

Keen to join?  

Interested in joining our club? It's easy! Just click the button below to go to the sign up page, enter your details, and you'll be paddling in no time! Membership is $75.00 for USYD students, and $175.00 for everyone else. We look forward to meeting you on the water!

Our Club:

Every Type of Kayaking!

201

Active Members

16

Trip Leaders

2.7

Events / Week

Active All Year Round!

Frequently Asked Questions:

No. Our club is open to anyone!

No. We provide all boats & gear needed for our trips at no extra cost. There's no per-trip cost beyond the initial membership fee, apart from a $6.50 pool entry for Canoe Polo, and perhaps some contributions to fuel on our camping trips if you’re car-pooling.

Our current 12-month membership rates are:

  • New USYD Student Membership: $75.00
  • USYD Student Membership Renewal: $50.00
  • New Community Membership: $175.00
  • Community Membership Renewal: $150.00

There's no per-trip cost beyond the initial membership fee for our flatwater and whitewater trips. The only exception to this is a $6.50 pool entry for Canoe Polo, and perhaps some contributions to fuel on our camping trips if you’re car-pooling.

We welcome anyone of any experience level. Our club runs a wide variety of trips to suit everyone from beginners to experts!

  • Beginner trips, such as our Friday Social Paddles, are fun for all. You don't need any experience, and our trip leaders will teach you how to paddle. These are typically 5 to 8km long and run for about two hours.
  • Intermediate trips include longer (15 to 25km) flatwater paddles, whitewater trips, surf sessions, and sea kayaking. For these, you should be able to confidently steer a boat and paddle at a consistent pace.
  • Advanced trips can include grade 3+ whitewater trips, or fast-paced flatwater trips in more difficult boats. These trips are great for confident paddlers looking to try something a bit more adventurous, or advance their skills & paddling technique.

Yes. You must be able to swim at least 50m (one lap of a pool) to join any of our trips. For Whitewater Trips, Surf Sessions, and Sea Kayaking, our trip leaders may expect a stronger swimming ability. The university offers free swimming lessons to students if you would like to improve your swimming ability.

We run an open boatshed day twice a year in the first few weeks of semester where you can come and try before paying the membership fee. We’ll have a BBQ, and go for a very short paddle around Blackwattle Bay.

No. We no longer offer a six month membership.

Yes. It is imperative that you are able to speak fluent English, so that you can easily understand important saftey instructions when we're out on the water. If you have trouble communicating in spoken English, our trip leaders may decide that it is too dangerous to accomodate you on our trips.

No.

No.

A canoe is any type of boat designed to be propelled with a paddle. A kayak is a type of canoe designed to be propelled with a paddle that has two blades. So, 'canoeing' is the broader term. 'Kayaking' is a type of 'canoeing', in much the same way that 'jogging' is a type of 'running'.

An oar is attached to the boat by rowlocks, and is used for rowing, by someone facing backward. A paddle is held entirely in your hands, and is used for canoeing, by someone who likes looking where they're going.

Photo Gallery: