Water byNature Tasmania

Brett founded Water by Nature Tasmania in 2003, having guided the Franklin River since 1987, first with Wildtrek and then Peregrine. His lead guides — Klaudia, Nick and Jed — have logged more than 3,000 combined days on the river between them. The company runs the full range of Franklin descents: a five-day Lower River trip of about 45 kilometres, six-to-seven day Upper and Middle sections covering 65 kilometres, and the full 110-kilometre traverse over seven to ten days, the longer version adding an optional side-hike to Frenchmans Cap. Custom trips of four to twelve days can also be arranged. Groups are capped at twelve guests plus two or three guides, and trips are often closed at eight so nobody is turned away from a booked departure. Expeditions start and finish in Hobart with hotel pickups, or at Derwent Bridge. The river runs through the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, and the itinerary — including deluxe sleeping mats, wetsuits and inflatable kayaks for calmer stretches — is built around what the company calls an intimate understanding of how the river behaves in all conditions. The rafting season runs roughly October to April, tracking the river's rainfall-dependent water levels.