From Fibreglass Dreams To A Paddling Legacy Mackay Man Reflects On 50 Years Of The Gregory River Canoe Marathon

By Amanda Wright

He’s called Mackay home for the past 20 years, but David Ferguson’s legacy runs much deeper out west, cutting through the rapids and memory banks of the iconic Gregory River.

Fifty years ago, David was one of four young blokes from Mount Isa who, armed with little more than enthusiasm and a borrowed TAFE course, decided to make a race of it.

“We weren’t even canoeists,” he said.

“We’d done a beginner course at TAFE and then a fibreglassing course, made our own canoes, and started paddling on Lake Moondara. One day, we thought—why not race 43 kilometres down the Gregory?”

What began as a wild idea became one of Australia’s most remote and revered paddle marathons. The Gregory River Canoe Marathon celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, drawing more than 140 competitors—including a handful of proud Mackay paddlers—through the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf.

“There was no way we could’ve imagined this back then,” David said.

“Seeing it grow into such a major event, with champions and interstate competitors… I’m in awe of it.”

Event organisers described the 2025 edition as a test of endurance and spirit: “There was fibreglass flying, rocks penetrating—and more swims than a school carnival. Even the Cobras didn’t slither through without damage.”

Yet amid the chaos, a special moment paid tribute to one of the race’s original founders. Fellow paddler Ronald Snow’s ashes were scattered on the river, with his son joining the journey down the waterway as a moving act of remembrance.

“Ron was one of us from the beginning. To have his son there, paddling in his honour, was emotional. The river has carried so many of our memories.”

David, who won six or seven of the early races in a variety of canoes and even helped organise one of the events, said he’s especially proud of how far the Mount Isa club has come.

“We’ve had kids who were knee-high to a grasshopper go on to represent Australia. The van Ryt family alone has racked up something like 150 Gregory River races between them!”

David’s paddling pedigree stretches well beyond the Gregory. He and fellow paddler Phil Geeke claimed second place in the Mission Beach to Dunk Island Ocean Race—despite it being their first ever ocean event in a TK2. He also raced in a K4 kayak in the Katherine Canoe Marathon before it was cancelled due to an influx of crocodiles, and teamed up with his mate Ronald Snow for a second-place finish in the Brisbane River Marathon.

“Ron and I shared a lot of miles together,” David said.

One of the most moving moments from this year's event came when an elder Indigenous woman addressed the crowd. She recalled being a young child and racing back to her family in disbelief after seeing “white men in long boats” coming down the river. No one believed her at the time.

“To stand there 50 years later, hugging her and sharing that memory, made me very happy,” David said.

“The river keeps all our stories.”

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David Ferguson at the finish line of the 50th Gregory River Canoe Marathon—reflecting on the event he helped pioneer half a century ago. Photos supplied

A younger David Ferguson pictured during his competitive paddling days, when he raced everything from TK2s to K4s in some of Australia’s most iconic canoe marathons

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