Red Shed’s 3‑day clinic in Canberra is designed for visiting rowers focused on improving their technique.

Each day layers skills and feedback so you leave confident, connected, and ready to progress beyond your visit.

You can join the clinic as an individual, with your crew, or even bring a club squad.

Upcoming dates:

What's included:

Expert coaching

Qualified coaches experienced helping masters rowers of all abilities. They will identify improvements and provide an ongoing plan to follow beyond the visit.

Holistic training

Each day starts with a yoga warm up, then an on water session followed by either technique analysis or strength and mobility workout.

Elite equipment

Access to new racing boats during your visit (Singles, Pairs/Doubles and Quad/Four are all available) with Coastal boats available.

Welcoming community

Join with the locals for the Big Boat Row around the Lake or get to know them on land in the on-site cafe.

Afternoon recovery or sightseeing

Take time off in the afternoon to enjoy the Red Shed sauna or zero gravity float bed or explore Canberra's museums, culture and food and wine.

Options for new rowers

A tailored Learn-to-Row experience is available for your companion if they are new to rowing and want to join in the fun.

Program Schedule

1 DAY ONE - Assess your rowing to find improvements

Before you arrive, we will send a short pre-trip survey so our coaches can tailor your experience. On the evening before, check in at Red Shed to meet the coaches, each other and set goals for the weekend.

Morning:

Short yoga session focused on breath and warm‑up patterns.
Small boat technical row on the laned race course (with video analysis).
Mobility and strength assessment to map priorities.
Lunch and video review – coaches will debrief with you and set improvement goals.

Afternoon:

Explore Canberra galleries, museums, or lake walk or unwind in the Red Shed Sauna and Float Tanks.

2 DAY TWO - Put feedback into action

Build on day one insights with targeted drills and tailored advice.

Morning:

Short yoga session to reinforce posture and sequencing.
Small boat or crew technical session applying drills to improve technique.
Mobility and strength assessment progress check.
Optional Red Shed Sauna time for recovery between sessions.
Lunch with the coaches – practical Q&A on training habits and rigging tweaks.

Afternoon

Choose a food and wine trail from our curated list or return to the Red Shed spa for recovery.

3 DAY THREE - Join the Red Shed big boat row

Morning:

Short yoga session to get ready.
Lake Burley Griffin Guided Rowing Experience: Big‑boat long row with host rowers from Red Shed and Black Mountain. You will take a tour of landmarks from the water and stop off half way at the Art Gallery for coffee before returning home.
Lunch with the Red Shed coaches to celebrate gains and set your race/training plan.

Meet our coaches

Nick Galea

Director of Rowing

Reuben Bettle

Volunteer Rowing Coach

Where will you be rowing?

Lake Burley Griffin is one of Australia’s best‑known waterways and a popular home for rowing. Located in the centre of Canberra, the Lake has calm, protected water and reliable conditions, making it ideal for both high‑performance training and relaxed recreational rowing.

With several boat‑launching areas, active rowing clubs, and a strong history in elite sport, Lake Burley Griffin works as both an everyday training venue and The National Training Centre for Australia’s Olympic rowing team.

The Central Basin has buoyed racing lanes used for national regattas and time trials.

As you row, you’ll pass well‑known Canberra landmarks such as Black Mountain, Commonwealth Park, and the Parliamentary Triangle, creating a beautiful and uniquely Australian backdrop.

KEEN TO FIND OUT MORE?

Frequently Asked Questions

1 What rowing experience is required?

The performance clinic suits rowers with more than 12 months rowing experience and who have some experience racing. During most sessions, we concentrate on small boat rows to make it easier to match ability levels of visitors. For the big boat row on the last day we will include rowers from our home club to build out crews with experienced rowers. The coaches are very experienced in adjusting the coaching and sessions to match the experience level of rowers.

2 I am travelling alone. Can I join a group?

Yes, you can join the group as an individual the on water and land sessions are designed to introduce the group to each other and Red Shed. Our goal is to build camaraderie amongst rowers from around the world.

3 What coaching and equipment will be provided?

We will provide enough experienced coaches for each on water session to ensure a 1 coach to 4 athlete ratio. Red Shed is blessed with a brand new fleet of race weight boats of all categories and we have boats to suit all body weights.

4 My companion does not row. Will they be able to join?

You are encouraged to bring along your companion who is new to rowing. We are set up to provide an adapted Learn-to-Row program alongside the Performance Clinic and the coaches at Red Shed run more Learn-to-Row sessions than any other club in Australia. So we know how to make novices welcome and ensure they learn fast. To find out more about our companion Learn-to-Row program, please email info@redshed.org.au.

Explore Canberra

After you finish training each day, you have chance to explore our beautiful capital:

For cultural travellers, the Lake is surrounded by major galleries and museums, contemporary studios, and historic precincts that showcase Australian stories and craft.
For gastronomes, cool-climate wineries are on the outskirts of the City and Canberra offers farm-to-table dining, markets, and lively café districts set among leafy landscapes.
For nature-focused travellers, the wilderness is at the capital’s edge, and you can explore summit walks with city views, wildlife reserves and national parks, and lakeside paths for riding, paddling, or strolling.