River rafting returns to the Barron River after Jasper destruction

After being closed for seven months due to the devastating impacts of Cyclone Jasper, the mighty Barron River has reopened for whitewater rafting.

More than six months after Far North Queensland's worst flood on record, the Cairns Adventure Group has recommenced white water rafting tours on the Barron River. Cairns Adventure Group owner and operator Roderic Rees sits with tourists Jasmine Talbot, Mitchell Talbot, Zoe Zhou, instructor Carlos Van Horck, Xin Wu, Jacob Talbot and Pete Talbot as the rafts return to the river in the Barron Gorge. Picture: Brendan Radke

Rafts of thrill seeking tourists will once again take on the rapids of the mighty Barron River as Cairns Adventure Group relaunches its adrenaline-pumping tours for a limited time only.

The adventure offering has been closed for seven months due to the devastating impacts of Cyclone Jasper and its subsequent flooding.

Six months after Tropical Cyclone Jasper wreaked havoc on Far North Queensland, CleanCo announced that Barron Gorge Hydro Power Station is back online, producing clean energy for Queensland and rapids for adventure seekers.

In December, just weeks after celebrating its 60th birthday, the hydro power station was swiftly taken offline due to the inundation of water in the Barron River following Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

More than six months after Far North Queensland's worst flood on record, the Cairns Adventure Group has recommenced white water rafting tours on the Barron River. Cairns Adventure Group owner and operator Roderic Rees. Picture: Brendan Radke

Extremely high water levels in the Barron River caused significant damage to critical infrastructure at the Kuranda Weir which stores water required for power generation.

“We are also very pleased that local tourism operators, like Kuranda Riverboat and Cairns Adventure Group, who rely on the Barron River for their livelihoods can now resume operations,” CleanCo Customer and Energy Markets general manager Rimu Nelson said.

The rafting trips will only be available for a short time due to the scheduled system maintenance of the power station so thrill seekers are urged to get in early.

Barron River rafting will only be available from July 4 2024, until the end of August 2024 with limited spots available.

Owner of CAG, Roderic Rees, said the milestone has been achieved thanks to a close and collaborative effort between CleanCo Queensland, Cairns Regional Council, and Cairns Adventure Group, ensuring that operations can recommence safely despite ongoing works in the area.

“We are immensely proud of the combined efforts that have enabled us to open the Barron River for rafting once again,” he said.

Cairns Adventure Group owner Roderic Rees and CleanCo Queensland's Jessica Hespeler and Claire Butler have worked non stop for six months with the Cairns Regional Council and the Queensland Government to bring back rafting tours in the Barron Gorge. Picture: Brendan Radke

“We have been operating water-based adventure tours in the Cairns region since 1986. We are invested in the future of our people, our place, and the World Heritage Areas within which we are privileged to operate.

“We’re very pleased that CleanCo has been able to complete the enormity of work, on schedule, providing our business certainty around when water will be flowing down the Barron River again, we are immensely proud of the combined efforts that have enabled us to open the Barron River for commercial rafting activities once again.”

Mr Rees said the “resilience, dedication and passion for community” shown by the team at CleanCo had been “extraordinary” and was a “testament to a great working relationship developed over many years”.

The rafting trips will only be available for a short time due to the scheduled system maintenance of the power station, so thrill seekers are urged to get in early.

Rafting trips on the Barron River will be available until the end of August 2024, with limited spots available.

At the end of the Covid pandemic and before the Jasper devastated the region, the Adventure group expanded with the construction of a new depot and office for their rafting, tubing and rainforest tours and the addition of five new buses.

Originally published as River rafting returns to the Barron River after Jasper destruction