Inspiration for Kate Grenville's The Secret River and muse to John Williamson, the mighty Hawkesbury flows for 120 kilometres — starting from its head at the confluence of the Nepean and Grose Rivers to its mouth near Broken Bay. 

Pittwater has all the beauty of its more famous counterpart, Sydney Harbour, but a much smaller population. So expect your secret beaches to feel even more clandestine than usual, and don't be surprised to find dolphins crossing your path. 

Beginning at Robertson in the Southern Highlands and ending 100 kilometres later — where it combines with the Grose River to form the Hawkesbury — Nepean stops millions of Sydneysiders from going thirsty. 

Paddling around Manly means meeting fairy penguins, pulling up on secluded beaches and, if you're in action shortly after a downpour, quite possibly standing under a waterfall. 

From Spit Bridge, Middle Harbour is your proverbial oyster. And you might well strike a literal one, too. Tiny golden beaches and waterfront parks are abundant here. 

For an urban escape, get started in Sydney's Rozelle Bay. From there, the scope of your journey will depend on how much time — and strength — you have stored up. 

From Rose Bay, you have two options for a day on the water. On one hand, you can cling to the calm, shallow waters near the shore, travelling either northeast towards Vaucluse or west towards Point Piper. 

For a river that's essentially in the suburbs, the 36-kilometre-long Woronora transports you into an incredible variety of pristine natural beauty.

It's at Bundeena, just south of Cronulla, that Sydney gives way to the Royal National Park. Spend all day gliding around Port Hacking's impossibly clear waters and lazing about on pretty beaches, or get more daring with a trip up South West Arm Creek.