River Rescue-2 Course
While whitewater paddling activities are generally safe, things can easily go wrong in the dynamic and often unpredictable whitewater environment. Whitewater safety is assured through pre-emptive management of risk and pro-active rescue responses.
The Paddle Australia (PA) River Rescue Level 2 Course presents participants with an amazing opportunity to upskill: developing confidence, and obtaining practical swift water rescue skills and knowledge. Assuring greater white-water paddling safety for all.
Do you have a love for whitewater paddling? Do you want to help build our paddle community and make your whitewaterpaddling safer? Would you like to be able to rescue yourself or a paddling friend in whitewater? Then this course is for you!
When: Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 September 2025
Venue: Cotter River (In vicinity of Cotter Bend and Cotter Campground). The course venue will be confirmed in the week prior to this course, subject to appropriate water conditions for the safe completion of the course.
Course Overview: The course emphasises both maintenance of personal safety and building of confidence and abilities in effecting river rescues. Developed through sharing of practical skills, knowledge and techniques and hands-on individual and team/group scenario based learning.
Pre requisites: Course participants should have basic white-water knowledge and paddling skills and should expect to spend time in the river both developing confidence and building understanding of river rescue techniques. This course is a corequisite for the white-water guide and instructor courses.
Qualification Context: This qualification builds upon basic white-water skills and knowledge. It is suitable for recreational paddlers who want to develop their paddling rescue skills.
The qualification is the industry benchmark certification designed to meet the needs of white-water paddling Guides and Instructors for the outdoor industry across education, recreational and tourism sectors nationwide.
To gain the qualification participants must demonstrate their ability to manage and assist in rescue situations, from a paddle craft, and to conduct gear retrieval in Grade 2 white-water.
Payment Details. After registration you will receive an invoice for $450.00 which must be made to PNSW by September 20 2025. Your EFT Receipt must be forwarded to education@paddlensw.org.au to COMPLETE ENROLMENT within 7 days prior to the course. Completion of the assessment and award of the qualification (optional) is a further cost of $25.00.
Course Learning: Learning opportunities include:
• Personal and group Equipment / Rescue Equipment
• Emergency Communications
• Recognition and risk controls for common river hazards, associated with hydrology and river features.
• White water rescue principles & strategies for early management of river accidents.
• Self-rescue skills and techniques, including white water rescue swimming and shallow river crossings,
• Shore and paddle-craft based rescue of others in white-water environments, through development and practice of more advanced rope-based and in-water skills including:
o Throw bagging / throw rope usage
o safe rescue PFD usage
o Knots and anchors
o Rescue scene and group management
o Simulated rescues, including
▪ Deep water Rescues
▪ Recovery from entrapment
▪ Recovery and unpinning of swimmers, paddle-craft and equipment
▪ Pluck / tethered rescues
▪ Tows / Ggear retrieval
o Practical mechanical advantage systems
o River first aid and evacuation
(Course Content covered and sequence of instruction will be adjusted to best fit the participants’ needs, location, weather, water conditions and time allowance)
Assessment: Guidelines for assessment for the qualification are as detailed in the Paddle Australia guidelines as: Canoe & Kayak (Note a minimum logbook is required, which needs to be logged in your Paddlelog ).
Successful assessment requires:
• Independent participation in all course activities, while maintaining personal safety.
• Participants to hold their breath while under water.
• Participants to swim in flow, while wearing a properly fitted lifejacket, and be able to independently turn from a face down to a face up position while keeping their head above water.
• Effective participant communication with the instructor and other course participants
• Participant management of all personal care independently, or with the assistance of a companion.
Assessment can be done in kayak or canoe, but much of the course requires neither:
• Practical: Completed through the training/assessment during the course.
• Quiz: An online quiz is made available to participants upon registration that needs to be completed prior to the practical program.
Course Staff: The course trainers are Mic Doyle and Cam Phelps. Mic Doyle is the assessor.
What Craft: You need to determine which craft you will be assessed in, as the qualification is craft specific (ie. if you are guiding people in kayaks, you will need the “kayak” qualification and if you are guiding people in Canoes, you will need the “canoe” qualification). This should be based on which type of craft you are comfortable paddling in white water and what you would use in a work-based scenario.
Camping / Accommodation: Cotter camp-ground (booking at participant’s own expense through: https://actparks.bookeasy.com/cotter-campground#/accom/132235 ). Friday night Camping is recommended for those travelling to the course location, to assure arrival in time for the course start.
Acceptance of Risk and Waiver of Liability. Participants sign a “Risk Waiver of Liability” at time of registration online if they agree to the level of risks identified as being acceptable. Participants will be required to read the Risk Assessment provided for the course at the course.
Course Resources / Materials:
• The course leader will provide registered participants with access to some online resources by email to allow familiarisation prior to the course.
• Other useful resources include:
o There are numerous whitewater guide related publications and resources available in print, electronically or on Apps. One particularly good publication is: Swiftwater Rescue Field Guide Book, 2013, 4th Edition by Slim Ray.
Participant Equipment: It is expected that participants will supply their own equipment including:
• Kayak (with floatation), skirt and paddle or Canoe (with flotation) and paddle/s Grab holds.
• PFD (Level 50S rescue vest) - Suitable for whitewaterpaddling (We will be doing live bait swims)
• Paddle/s
• Helmet (specialised for white water)
• First Aid Kit
• Repair kit
• Whistle
• Sunscreen
• Wetsuit or Dry suit with warm top and bottom layers
• Paddling shoes / Neoprene booties (enclosed with soles, or neoprene socks and good fitting water shoes)
• Mesh bag(s) for wet gear storage
• Throw bag
• 2 x locking karabiners
• 2 x prussic loops
• 5m of one inch tubular webbing (if available)
• Pin kit / pulleys (if available)
• your own meals, snacks and drinks for each day
• Camp chair
• Be prepared for an outdoor classroom setting (possible warm, cold, wind, rain).
• Please bring a pad and paper; there are no printed material required for this course.
• Personal camping, sleeping, cooking and hygiene gear
• All food, snacks and drinks required for consumption during the course (There will not be opportunity to travel to and from shops during the course)
• Dry clothing recommendations:
o Long underwear tops and bottoms
o Fleece vest, top, warm jacket
o Waterproof jacket and pants (rain gear)
o Quick dry / synthetic shirts and pants
o Hat, with visor
o Appropriate footwear
• Optional - Neoprene skull cap or thin fleece hat for under helmet (if you tend to be cold)
• Optional – Neoprene/thermal gloves or Pogies
