With Victoria having very few reliable paddling venues the Mitchell is the one dependable river. With a huge catchment in the Victorian high country there are only a few months toward late summer and early autumn that the river is really too low to paddle, but for a good big water experience spring run off is definitly the time to go.

Not really having a huge gradient the Mitchell breaks it's rapid with some quite long pools, some so long they have been named, 'the pool of doom'.

When the rapids do arriver they are generally quite challenging and in the case of the 3 big ones very challenging; Salolom Rapid (III-III+) is within 2km of the start and as the name suggest formely the site of various Slalom competitions. Amphitheatre (III+ - IV) is the biggest rapid on the river and is made up of three distinct stages. This rapid is always a rapid to respect and has brought many a good boater unstuck. At high levels there is a sneak line on river left around the far side of the island. Final Fling (III - IV) is as the name suggests the last major rapid and is infact after the take out, although you can walk back up after running it.

This river is a fantastic trip in a beautiful surrounding with lots of history. Place like the Old Dam Wall, the Den of Nargen, and the Amphitheatre make an interesting paddle into a excellent trip. There are many campsite down the river on beeches and old flood terraces.