in the winter of 2016 the mersey river had a major flood as a result of widespread heavy rainfall across tasmania. the flood resulted in significant damage to bridges and other riverside infrastructure, as well as extensive erosion of the river bank and uprooting of trees, leading to numerous logjams in narrow gorges such as at big bend. these logjams were so extensive that the many kayakers who use the river were required to portage around them to travel downstream.