White-Water Rafting, Since 1842

Last update: August 31, 2024 in Wild Numbers
White-Water Rafting, Since 1842
White-Water Rafting, Since 1842 © Maxim Petrichuk, dreamstime.com

In 1842, the first whitewater rafting expedition was recorded. Lieutenant John Fremont of the U.S. Army rafted along the Platte River in Nebraska, USA using a boat assembled from four individually wrapped rubber tubes connected with a wraparound floor. He invented this primitive boat to survey the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains.

However, it was only around 140 years later, in the 1980s, that whitewater rafting became a popular recreational activity. Whitewater rafting is one of the best ways to explore vast wilderness reaches that are untouchable by foot or vehicle.

And Australia, with its unique bush land and diverse mountain ranges, is one of the world’s top rafting destinations - you can experience the thrills with the help of local guides in one of the many organized whitewater rafting tours available here.