If you can dodge the odd rock and handle moderate rapids, kayak guide Naomi Kilby says the stretch of Barrington River at Bindera is the perfect white-water adrenalin rush.

But outdoor enthusiasts say the public is being shut out of this and other popular nature spots as the NSW government sells thousands of Crown roads, denying access to bushwalkers, kayakers, fishers and other recreational users.

Brian and Naomi Kilby oppose the closure of a road running through a farm that gives their family access to the Barrington River. Credit:Jonathan Carroll

In less than three years, more than 5000 publicly owned roads have been sold to private landholders, pouring more than $43 million into the state's coffers – a move the government says benefits farmers, generates revenue and cleans up the unwieldy Crown roads system.

However critics say the roads provide important routes to waterways, public reserves and other areas of Crown land – access that is being lost to the public forever.