Duration:
0h
We have developed My Paddle Passport to assist you in exploring the wonders of Sydney’s Middle Harbour, from leisurely one hour trips, three hour breakfast sessions through to all day adventures up into the reaches of Middle Harbour Creek.
Operated By:
The My Paddle Passport booking featured here is for a Deluxe (Light and fast) Double Kayak. You can rent this kayak from 1 hour up to an all day booking.
We take great pride in making sure you have a wonderful kayaking experience. Safety and customer satisfaction are of the highest concern for us.
The entire team at Sydney Harbour Kayaks believe Middle Harbour is one of the most beautiful paddling areas in Sydney.
It is about 15km from our boundary Line at Grotto Point through to the upper reaches of Middle Harbour Creek; it would take a very long time and many paddling sessions to explore all of its secrets.
We have developed ‘My Paddle Passport’ to assist you in exploring the wonders of Sydney’s Middle Harbour, from leisurely one hour trips, three hour breakfast sessions through to all day adventures searching for treasure up in Middle Harbour Creek. Our friends and staff are always paddling this area and we will continue to update these guides and list many of the ‘must see’ features of the area.
You can choose the time and date you wish to paddle.
Paddling with Children?
You need to visit the following website and read our ‘Paddling with Children Policy’ http://www.sydneyharbourkayaks.com.au/privacy-policies
We take great pride in making sure you have a wonderful kayaking experience. Safety and customer satisfaction are of the highest concern for us.
The entire team at Sydney Harbour Kayaks believe Middle Harbour is one of the most beautiful paddling areas in Sydney.
It is about 15km from our boundary Line at Grotto Point through to the upper reaches of Middle Harbour Creek; it would take a very long time and many paddling sessions to explore all of its secrets.
We have developed ‘My Paddle Passport’ to assist you in exploring the wonders of Sydney’s Middle Harbour, from leisurely one hour trips, three hour breakfast sessions through to all day adventures searching for treasure up in Middle Harbour Creek. Our friends and staff are always paddling this area and we will continue to update these guides and list many of the ‘must see’ features of the area.
You can choose the time and date you wish to paddle.
Paddling with Children?
You need to visit the following website and read our ‘Paddling with Children Policy’ http://www.sydneyharbourkayaks.com.au/privacy-policies
In preparation for your kayak rental, please refer to the following info about
what to wear, what to bring, how to get here, and (if you’re driving)
where to find free parking.
Please arrive at Sydney Harbour Kayaks about 10-15 minutes before your kayak rental session starts. That will give you enough time to sign our indemnity form, drop off your bag in our store room, place your valuables in a locker (or purchase a waterproof dry bag to take them with you) and get ready.
If there is an issue with the weather conditions on the day of your rental and it is too dangerous to go out on the water, we will phone you.
Our phone number is 02 9969 4590 or 02 9960 4389 (or you can email info@sydneyharbourkayaks.com.au).
What to wear:
We have bathrooms and a shower on site.
Our location:
Sydney Harbour Kayaks is located at the south-eastern foot of the Spit Bridge, at Smiths Boatshed, 81 [Lower] Parriwi Road, Mosman, directly beside the Spit Road, next to Plonk Beach Cafe.
Please note: Parriwi Road is a split road; the lower section is directly beside the Spit Bridge, the upper section starts at Middle Harbour Yacht Club and goes all the way up the hill.
Coming by car? Parking:
There is free on-street parking both north and south of us – in Upper Parriwi Road, Mosman (you will find free parking all the way up on Parriwi Point) or anywhere on Avona Cres, Seaforth.
Both locations will require a few hundred metres’ walk back to our Spit Bridge location. Please make sure you always check the parking signs.
Alternatively, there is council paid parking directly beside us or across the road in Spit West Reserve car park ($4 an hour on weekdays, $7 on weekends or about $25 for the day).
Catching public transport?
Please visit the transport info website to plan your trip. Enter ‘Spit Bridge’ as the destination.
If you have any other questions, please let us know.
Please arrive at Sydney Harbour Kayaks about 10-15 minutes before your kayak rental session starts. That will give you enough time to sign our indemnity form, drop off your bag in our store room, place your valuables in a locker (or purchase a waterproof dry bag to take them with you) and get ready.
If there is an issue with the weather conditions on the day of your rental and it is too dangerous to go out on the water, we will phone you.
Our phone number is 02 9969 4590 or 02 9960 4389 (or you can email info@sydneyharbourkayaks.com.au).
What to wear:
- Rashie/sun shirt or t-shirt (ideally long sleeve),
- Boardies or leggings,
- Hat,
- Sunscreen,
- Sunglasses (it’s best to use straps for these, so they don’t fall into the water)!
- Footwear
that can get wet: if you are planning to get out of the kayak where there are oyster shells or rocks, you must wear closed-in shoes. Rubber-soled reef shoes are ideal; or an old pair of trainers. If, on the other hand, you are planning on staying in the kayak or only getting out at a sandy beach with no oyster shells you can choose to just go barefoot and take sandals with you, but please take care.
- Dry change of clothes,
- Dry shoes,
- Towel.
We have bathrooms and a shower on site.
Our location:
Sydney Harbour Kayaks is located at the south-eastern foot of the Spit Bridge, at Smiths Boatshed, 81 [Lower] Parriwi Road, Mosman, directly beside the Spit Road, next to Plonk Beach Cafe.
Please note: Parriwi Road is a split road; the lower section is directly beside the Spit Bridge, the upper section starts at Middle Harbour Yacht Club and goes all the way up the hill.
Coming by car? Parking:
There is free on-street parking both north and south of us – in Upper Parriwi Road, Mosman (you will find free parking all the way up on Parriwi Point) or anywhere on Avona Cres, Seaforth.
Both locations will require a few hundred metres’ walk back to our Spit Bridge location. Please make sure you always check the parking signs.
Alternatively, there is council paid parking directly beside us or across the road in Spit West Reserve car park ($4 an hour on weekdays, $7 on weekends or about $25 for the day).
Catching public transport?
Please visit the transport info website to plan your trip. Enter ‘Spit Bridge’ as the destination.
If you have any other questions, please let us know.
Share:
We had a sensational Eco tour up into several Middle Harbour bays, in a very small group. Our guide was amazing, friendly and incredibly knowledgeable of the waterway. Thankyou!
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David
08 Feb 2025
My family and I booked a tour at Darling harbour and it was the best experience. Learnt a lot and had a great time. Shannon is professional and very understanding. Overall, defiantly recommend and worth the try !
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Tina
08 Feb 2025

The kayaking around the middle harbour was bracing, our guide's knowledge of the area provided interesting sights and commentary. I especially enjoyed the paddle through the mangroves. I liked how the tour was a mix of faster and slower paced paddling. I had previously joined the Beginners Tour with this provider, though no experience was necessary for this tour, and even managed to get some more tips on my paddling technique and kayaking skills. Morning tea with dip, cheeses, fruit and coffee (on a cold winter's day) was perfect, enjoyed from a scenic vantage point.
Can't wait to join another kayaking tour with this provider.
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Kim
13 Jul 2024

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Ad
30 Jun 2024

And he explained very perfectly about our tour.
And we really enjoyed the wonderful trip on the day.
Thank you to Shanon and Iba. Until we meet again on the next trip.
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heryo2018
23 Jun 2024

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Harrison
16 Jun 2024

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Melanie
12 Jun 2024

Original session was cancelled same day after I had started my trip to the city requiring rescheduling - reason given "no guide available" but the person making the call was the guide.
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SydneyHarbourKayaks, Owner at Sydney Harbour Kayaks, responded to this review - 2024-06-11
Hi Michelle
Thanks for your review and I am very sorry it didn't meet your expectations.
The original tour needed to be cancelled and I am grateful that you were able to be rescheduled. You are correct in saying that the person making the call was also the guide. I am sorry that the phone call was a little late, however when your tour was booked, the phone number that was given was not your number and we had to wait for a call back from this person to get your number. This did take over a day.
Unfortunately, I did have a family issue that I needed to attend to and when you are a small family business, your family's needs do take priority.
Kayaking at night on Sydney Harbour (especially during Vivid) can be risky, however we have a proven record of strong compliance and safety.
Our Vivid tour stays in Darling Harbour, where a large portion of the Vivid lights are located; this is very clear in our tour description. We are unable to venture out and around to Circular Quay, as there is no way to mitigate the risk with a large amount of large tour boats all wanting to go to the same destination.
As you were a solo paddler, I was happy to paddle with you in a double kayak and we had only a couple of other paddlers (all strong paddlers). Due to this, we were able to extend our usual tour location to get out closer to the Harbour Bridge. It was at a distance; however it was a safe distance, and we could still get to see the wonderful light show.
I am sorry that this experience wasn't at the level that you wished. I do hope we can see you again so we can make it up to you.
Regards
Shannon
Owner

Michelle
10 Jun 2024
I did the 3 hour safety course with Ben this afternoon. It was really worthwhile and I feel so much more confident having learnt how to rescue a fellow paddler as well as self rescue. Ben is a wonderful teacher, very experienced, patient and supportive. I highly recommend this course!
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Lyn
09 Mar 2024
After a hectic few weeks at work, this was the perfect team activity to de stress and remind ourselves how fortunate we are to live in such an amazing place. Middle harbour was like a mill pond, the ocean was crystal clear and we even had the bonus of an unexpected visit from a sea turtle. Shannon is a great guide and only too happy to share his knowledge, his passion for his job is there for all to see. Thoroughly recommend this activity and the team at Sydney Harbour Kayaks.
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Martin
03 Mar 2024

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SydneyHarbourKayaks, Owner at Sydney Harbour Kayaks, responded to this review - 2024-02-10
Hi Alex
Thank you very much for this kind review. It is always an amazing adventure on Sydney's main harbour.
I hope we get to see you again
Regards
Shannon

AlexWillU
05 Feb 2024

From the start, the guide consistently raced ahead, maintaining 15-25m ahead of the group. This gave the impression of impatience, which raised concern about the purpose of having a guide for safety when they remained so far ahead 90% of the time. The only time the group stayed closed was when we were in the mangroves, and there was limited open water.
Being alone in my kayak, I struggled to keep up constantly, especially as the other participates were paired up. I was expected to be as fast as them and the guide. Throughout the entire journey, I had no opportunity to rest and just flat and enjoy the view.
During river crossing to the opposite side, the guide urged the group to paddle quickly as a group due to potential dangers from passing boats/ships. However, the guide and the double kayakers immediately sped ahead, leaving me behind and struggling once again. This was dangerous and unprofessional. Was it hard to slow down and make sure the group stay together and safe?
Paying for a tour felt futile when I consistently felt stressed, tired and made to feel inadequate with my speed.
I was shouted at to ‘paddle faster!’, ‘put your muscle into it!’ were accompanied by an overall lack of consideration and understanding. While I understand my slow speed was holding the group, this should have been taken into the consideration from the beginning. Eventually, I yelled back ‘it is not the spend, it is my strength!’
What was intended to be an enjoyable trip turned into a nightmare kayaking boo camp.
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Katekayak, Owner at Sydney Harbour Kayaks, responded to this review - 2024-01-31
Hi Whitney,
We are shocked and disappointed to hear this. As will see by our review rating and other reviews, at Sydney Harbour Kayaks we are committed to ensuring our customers have a truly wonderful and safe kayaking experience. Our Eco Tours are conducted in double sea kayaks to ensure that everyone has a buddy to paddle with. It is protocol that our tours paddle closely together as a group and we are disturbed to hear that you were made to feel left out. If a solo padder is not confident to paddle a single we generally will buddy them up with the guide, and do not put solos in a single unless they have experience paddling a single and are keen to do so. We have spoken to the guide to find out why this wasn’t the case for you and it seems that morning our doubles were all allocated to other activities, and you indicated that you were comfortable to go in a single at the time. This obviously seriously impacted your enjoyment of the tour and we will be in touch directly to see how we can make amends to you.
Whitney
28 Jan 2024

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SydneyHarbourKayaks, Owner at Sydney Harbour Kayaks, responded to this review - 2024-02-10
Hi Beth
It's so much fun to have tours with kids onboard. Thank you for this review and for paddling with SHK. I hope we get to see you again.
Regards
Shannon
Beth
27 Jan 2024

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SydneyHarbourKayaks, Owner at Sydney Harbour Kayaks, responded to this review - 2024-02-10
Hi Helen
Thank you for bring your family to paddle with us and I am so glad to read that you had a really good time.
I hope we get to see you all again.
Regards
Shannon
HelenAus2019
25 Jan 2024

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SydneyHarbourKayaks, Owner at Sydney Harbour Kayaks, responded to this review - 2024-02-10
Thank you so much for the kind review. I am glad that you enjoyed your tour and felt safe.
Regards
Shannon
Julie
21 Jan 2024

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SydneyHarbourKayaks, Owner at Sydney Harbour Kayaks, responded to this review - 2024-02-10
Karen
Thanks for the lovely review and happy to know that you had a great time. I hope we see you again
Regards
Shannon
karencK8141NV
21 Jan 2024

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J
28 Dec 2023

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Jamie
10 Dec 2023

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kimyee888
06 Dec 2023

The teacher - Charlie was calm, nice, patient and very easy to understand. He gave a lesson with simple but principal techniques in kayaking.
I also met new cute friends.
Totally satisfied with the lesson.
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Sang
13 Nov 2023

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Mark
10 Nov 2023
Had a fantastic sea kayaking safety lesson, free of charge. The rain didn't dampen how much fun we had. We even managed to pick up some invaluable rescue techniques. Highly recommended. Kudos to Ben and the team for the great time we had!
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Jonathan
04 Nov 2023

Shannons tips and induction on using the kayak was very thorough and helpful.
His knowledge of the harbour was very insightful and educational.
We felt very safe with the team during this tour.
The package also included a picnic breakfast which was well earned and a great way to refuel for our journey back.
Highly recommend :)
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Rosa
29 Oct 2023

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Malcolm
22 Oct 2023

Worth every cent!!
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Mick_ta_uk
20 Oct 2023

Thanks again Sydney Harbour Kayaks, we will be back!
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AnnetteCarl
17 Oct 2023

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Claudia
12 Oct 2023

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305verityh
03 Oct 2023

A recipe for disaster? Possibly, but we both had the most wonderful, mystical, sun drenched day.
Ann Marie (our guide) took my limitations in her stride without over managing. She got us all in our life vests and off our group of 7 went. She knew her way around Middle Harbour and would stop at numerous points, giving us some great Middle Harbour tid-bits as we floated beside her.
Easily the highlight was cruising through the mangroves near Fig Tree Cove -mystical, and like we were 'borrowing' a half an hour from a secluded secret from a Sydney of decades gone by.
The morning tea that followed straight after was welcome and generous. "That all came out of your kayak, Ann Marie??"
I was amazed that we had paddled 14km by the time we returned to the Spit. I would absolutely recommend this half day on the water - both for locals and visitors. Oh, and the shoulder did far better than I thought it would go!
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Dottie16
11 Sep 2023

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David
10 Sep 2023

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ansonc496
06 Sep 2023
Both kids and adults LOVED this excellent school holiday tour across the harbour! The staff were very friendly and informative guides - we would highly recommend as a fantastic school holiday activity! We can't wait to do another longer one tour.
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J
16 Jul 2023

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CocoaPod
16 Jul 2023

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Taylor
07 Jul 2023
Such a great day out in sydney harbour, Shannon looked after us so well, he gave us all tips and helped everyone in our group to paddle and be safe, we got all the way to balmoral and back.
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Lucas
02 Jul 2023
The whole experience was fabulous. Thanks to Shannon and kate.They were pretty good whole time ,as it was my first experience in kayaking.Vivid Sydney Was icing on the cake. Shannon provided us coffee and cookies on the board as well , just imagine having coffee and watching splendid fireworks ????. Highly recommended ☺️????????????????
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Baljeet
28 Jun 2023

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nzp0ppy
22 Jun 2023

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338jonathonw
18 Jun 2023

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alisonbX5579UM
17 Jun 2023

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HelenC743
10 Jun 2023

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Mai
01 Jun 2023

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AussieSmallfry
29 May 2023

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dymmmplz
28 May 2023

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Fiona
08 May 2023

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HJ0789
26 Apr 2023

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WasingtonIrving
23 Apr 2023

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molly
10 Apr 2023

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C4330UTpaulf
10 Apr 2023

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TAusercot31
09 Apr 2023
Shannon’s sunrise tour of the harbour was top class. From starting out from the maritime museum as the first rays of sunrise were creeping over the harbour to breakfast looking back at the harbour bridge and opera house. Kayaks were high sod. Making it easy to navigate the entire journey. Would recommend it for anyone up for a bit of adventure and a unique perspective of sydney. Should add that Shannon and his offsider were Super friendly and went that extra mile to ensure the group had a great time.
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Beren
01 Apr 2023

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Katekayak, Owner at Sydney Harbour Kayaks, responded to this review - 2023-03-28
Thank you so much Linda. You were such a fun group and it was an absolute pleasure. Hope to see you again at SHK sometime soon! Kate

linda
27 Mar 2023

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SydneyHarbourKayaks, Owner at Sydney Harbour Kayaks, responded to this review - 2023-04-01
Thank you for your very kind review, I am so glad that you had a lovely seakayaking experience.
Best Regards
Shannon
Sydney Harbour Kayaks
Managing Director

sarahbP9857UN
22 Mar 2023

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SydneyHarbourKayaks, Owner at Sydney Harbour Kayaks, responded to this review - 2023-04-01
Thank you for allowing us to host your son's birthday party. The paddle polo always brings about some huge smiles, no matter what the age of the paddlers.
Best Regards
Shannon
Managing Director

Familycamper4
21 Mar 2023

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SydneyHarbourKayaks, Owner at Sydney Harbour Kayaks, responded to this review - 2023-04-01
Thank you for your review of our FREE Safety lesson as part of our Paddle Safe program. We do hope we get to see you again
Best Regards
Shannon
Managing Director

X9660KGscotts
19 Mar 2023
My friend and I had the best experience ever with Sydney Harbour Kayaks this morning. It was my birthday and the 2 people leading the laying were amazing and so friendly! They prepared a lovely breakfast half way through and made it so enjoyable for all of us. Highly recommend using this company!!
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Hebe
15 Mar 2023

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Woteap
12 Mar 2023

These guys are amazing kayak guides and story tellers and Shannon is a very passionate and patient guide. We have also done the Middle Harbour eco tour which is next level and I want to do it again.
Just remember, even though it says tour, this is better if you know you will be in a double kayak and expected to steer and control. And stay with the group. This is not for people expecting they will be in a boat that is managed by someone else.
That said, it’s cruisey and not strenuous. The kayaks are stable and steerable and you get plenty of instruction. My only request for future groups, please know where you are going and show up in plenty of time. It really throws the group if you don’t.
Sydney Harbour Kayak are amazing!,
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Francesca
12 Mar 2023

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U6410IGgrahamt
12 Mar 2023

And delightful set-up during the coffee break.
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367honeyg
12 Mar 2023

We learned how to use the paddle correctly and the different methods of turning and stopping.
I felt very safe in the water and the level of instruction was first class and great value for money.
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BondiBuddy2222
11 Mar 2023