Address

Graz Auwiesen

GPS

47.013481019871, 15.462849140167

Address

Graz Auwiesen

GPS

47.013481019871, 15.462849140167

Level of difficulty 3 paddles |  Gastronomy 1 pitcher |  Length 8 km |  Time 1.5 - 2 hours

A dreamy river island, abandonned channels and an incredible idyll. You can experience this all year round on the Mur south of Austria's the second largest city.

General information

Navigation rules

The usual water traffic rules apply: avoid other watercrafts in good time, do not paddle up to the weirs but get out of the water or turn around early enough in front of them. Avoid nesting sites!

Dangers and risks

The Mur also has classic moving water hazards in its relatively quiet section in Graz and south of it, so it is always important to monitor the water level and weigh up whether your own abilities allow a tour. Especially after heavier or longer rainfall, the flow rate can increase sharply on these otherwise quite calm river sections.

When entering under the motorway bridge, there is an extreme risk of slipping on the slipway. It is best to put the board in the water from the shore instead of from the slipway.

At the power plants Gössendorf (the first power plant) and Kalsdorf (the second power plant) you should of course get out of the water well beforehand and not paddle all the way to the weir.

Expect increased eddies and swirls by the island (approx. 1.3 km) after the Gössendorf power plant. The same applies to the old channels to the left and right of it. Only paddle through these if the water level is high enough. In general, the right side arm is better suited for this for it is wider and deeper.

When exiting in Kalsdorf, there is no fixed exit point and you have to look for a suitable exit between the bushes along the bank. It is relatively steep, but not very high. There is a risk of slipping, especially in winter when there is snow and ice.

Directions

You can get to Graz via all conventional transport routes. Once in the city, you will also enjoy a great public transport network.

By car you get from the center of Graz to Puntigamer Straße Street either via the district of Liebenau or Puntigam. Follow Puntigamer Straße Street to the roundabout on the southern belt (Südgürtel) and take the exit towards Murfelder Straße (street signage, directly in front of the greenhouses). This takes you to Murfelder Straße, which you drive down about 2.6 km to the club house of the local rowing club (Ruder Club Graz).

If you travel from the city by bus, you have to walk about 600 m from the stop to the water.

Parking

River access in Graz: You can usually park well along the streets Murfelderstraße or Eichbachgasse close to the boathouse of the Graz Rowing Club or the water service of the fire brigade.

Landing Kalsdorf: On Murgruberstraße Street at the gravel works next to the power plant, turn right in the direction of travel, approx. 3 km after the town center of Fernitz

However, it is best to be picked up here, as prolonged parking in the area of the gravel works could result in parking fines.

Swimming

Even in summer, the Mur only stays around 20° C water temperature. Nevertheless, thanks to the new barrages and the low current in the Graz area, you can also get into the water at suitable places. The recreation area Auwiesen, just behind the motorway bridge, is ideal for this. A small artificial lake was also created here, which is still a little warmer as it is a still body of water - although fed by the river Mur.

South of Auwisen, water access is more or less steep, depending on the water level, and leads through bushes near the shore. In the area of the hydroelectric power plants, boarding and swimming is prohibited!

The new port in Liebenau is only mentioned additionally. It also offers excellent bathing opportunities and you can enjoy drinks and the good weather in the sun loungers by the beachbar. Just like the easily accessible bay in Augarten Park., this spot is not along this paddling route.

SUP rental

Bootsverleih Stadtstrand Graz
Marina in Liebenau
Murpromenade Graz-Süd, 8020 Graz
Phone +43 (0)677 63 95 50 96

SUP Sports Club Graz
Phone +43 (0)677 62398706

Tour

From the boathouse of the Graz Rowing Club under the motorway bridge, past the Gössendorf power plant and through the side arms of the river to the Kalsdorf power plant.

Length

8 km

Time

1.5 - 2 hours

Start

Boathouse of the Graz Rowing Club under the highway bridge in Liebenau.

optimal landing

On the left bank of the Mur in front of the Kalsdorf power plant.

On gentle waters towards the winter sun

Over its 453 km Styria's main river not only flows through Graz, but also on to Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary, only to end in the Drava River at the Croatian-Hungarian border. The river sections south of Graz are the ideal starting point for a leisurely paddling tour near the Styrian capital and also well suited for SUP beginners.

We start our tour in Liebenau, the southernmost district of the city, and park our car in the area of the motorway bridge and the rowing club. From here you can easily get on water and you will also find enough space to get your equipment ready to go. As an alternative, it is possible to go under the bridge and to the Auwiesen recreation area about 300 m away, in order to enter the artificial lake from there. There are also sanitary facilities and a SUP rental. In summer you also have the unique opportunity to practice SUP-Yoga and experience the tranquility on the outskirts of the big city.

However, we can hardly wait to stand on the water and therefore get on our boards at the slipway of the fire brigade under the motorway bridge. But be careful: there is a risk of slipping on the ramp! Therefore, it is better to put the boards in the water from the quay. The water is calm here and the current to the south is extremely weak.

We start off to the left and under the bridge because our first destination awaits us 1.8 km from here, just before the Gössendorf power plant. In recent years three barrages have been built in the south of the state capital, which is why the area is now accessible to everyone.

Immediately after the motorway bridge, on our left there is the popular Auwiesen local recreation area, which opened in 2013 and offers the variety of leisure activities. Here you can swim, go for a walk or train at the callisthenics facility. There are also barbecue areas and decks on the 3,500 m² lawn.

The water quality is satisfactory, which has recently even led to the return of some sensitive fish species (e.g. grayling). The river was also awarded the European River Price in 2014. In the following year, the Mur was nominated for the Thiess International Riverprice and took second place.

Along both banks of the river a well-kept gravel path leads down to the village Mellach. It is ideal for cycling, running and walking. Now we finally find ourselves in the quiet zone and only meet a few rowers who are currently training here on the water.

200 m before the Gössendorf power plant there is a staircase on the right bank leading up to the gravel path. Here we have to land just to put the boards back into the water 400 m further down the gravel path after the power station. The stairs leading back to the water about 150 m below the power station are long and steep. Particular caution is required when entering here because increased turbulence is to be expected on the water (eddy, stronger current).

We take advantage of the pleasant momentum and let the water carry us towards the island and its two water channels on the second third of our tour. The further south we go, the more deserted the promenade becomes to the left and right above us. Nobody else is on the water and we can already see the lonely island in the middle of the river approaching. We decide to paddle past it on the right, because after the island we continue straight into the right side arm of the Mur.

It is wider and also deeper than its counterpart on the other bank and we are in the middle of a seemingly untouched floodplain landscape. Here river beginners can practice approaching the eddy in the gentle current because the water is neither deep nor does it wash away the boards quickly if you fall. However, one should keep an eye on the low-hanging tree branches and the bushes by the shore. With increased momentum the water washes us back onto the main river and we paddle towards the bridge that connects the municipalities Kalsdorf and Fernitz.

Here we have to duck our heads and bend down for a moment, and then the last third of the journey lies ahead of us. It's still 2.9 km to the destination, the Kalsdorf power plant, but we'll get out of the water 300 m before that. Before that, however, we have to paddle hard again because the current has become almost zero. We get into a pleasant groove and paddle rhythmically towards the winter sun and the power plant. It doesn't take much to feel comfortable and happy. The serotonin flows and lets us experience a state of flow.

Shortly before the power plant we have to sharpen our eyes to find a suitable landing spot between the bushes on the bank. It is steep, but not very high, but surefootedness is required. This tour clearly makes you come back for more and could be extended further south as long as you like. But we'll save that for another time.

Alternative: The short variant of this tour only leads to the Gössendorf power plant, which was built in 2013. The almost 1.9 km long route (please do not paddle directly to the power plant!) is also good for paddling at a fast pace and turning the laps into a sprint or interval training. On the other hand, you can take a leisurely stroll there - back and forth in an hour.

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