The 6km down the Pigna Barney to its confluence with the Little Manning are through hilly and very scenic farming country. The river itself consists of flowing water with rocky races except just above the junction where there is a 50m long tricky grade III rapid. This is best shot by working your way down the left side for about 40 m when rocks ahead force a crossing to the right side. There is a small fall leading to a rock at the end of the rapid which must be negotiated. After this the main stream (the Little Manning) is encountered and the nature of the country dramatically changes. It becomes steeply wooded and closes in and the river becomes twisty, noticeably picking up speed. It maintains this speed for the 21 km to the finish. Six kilometres from the junction a 3.5 km stretch of continuous rapids is encountered. This commences with 2 km of solid though straightforward grade III rapids, then a tricky grade IV which should be inspected and portaged by the less competent paddlers. It is a distinct two-stage rapid which must be paddled confidently and consists of two chutes down the left side of the river. The first chute drops through a stopper into a small pool with a boulder straight ahead and the flow of water leading to the second chute at an angle to the right of the boulder. This cannot be seen from the top of the rapid. The second chute is straightforward. There follows about 1/2 km of grade IIIs and the second grade IV. There is a quieter stretch of water above the rapid which allows inspection from the craft or from a rock. The main flow of water is around the right side of this rock but there is an easier run right across to the right. Features of the grade IV mainstream are a sliding wave around the inspection rock to a stopper. Immediately after the stopper paddlers are forced by the flow of water onto a sloping rock shelf. After sliding off this rock shelf to the left, the rapid finishes with a 30 m rock garden followed by a short stretch of grade IIIs and the 3rd (30 m long) grade IV. This rapid cannot be inspected from the craft. Although the main flow of water is on the right it is best shot to the left of the midline. It is a turbulent run which ends in a 1.5 m drop into a pool. This signals the end of the 3.5 km of continuous rapids and is followed by about 3 km of fast flowing water which in places runs between trees requiring quick decisions in finding the best path. The next major rapid (grade IV) has a serious log hazard. The approach to this rapid is from a flowing pool into a sweeping right-hand bend with the water interspersed with trees which makes the rapid difficult to see. Inspection is obligatory and may be effected on the left bank. The main stream of extremely fast water on the right side is blocked in the middle by a large log which makes negotiation impossible. After inspection closely follow the left bank and drop into a small narrow pool. Line up, and then scrape down a long rock slide into a bigger pool. After this the valley starts to widen out and soon farms are encountered. The water in this stretch is fast flowing and rocky and interspersed with trees which require negotiation. For the last 5 km the valley widens further and the river quietens. In this stretch is a bridge which in moderate to high water must be portaged. The finish of the trip is at the second bridge.