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Yamba, NSW

With stunning beaches, lush forests, amazing wildlife, and a laid-back lifestyle, it’s easy to see why Yamba is so special. Yamba is situated at the mouth of the Clarence River in northern New South Wales and is the biggest river on the east coast of Australia. It is an incredible destination for anyone looking to experience the beauty of Australia’s east coast.

Known For

  • Beautiful beaches and great surfing
  • Laid-back relaxed lifestyle

Yamba

Whether you’re looking for a relaxing getaway or an adventure filled vacation, Yamba NSW has something to offer everyone! From fishing, surfing and swimming in the iconic Clarence River, to bushwalking through the World Heritage listed Yuraygir National Park – this charming coastal town truly has something for everyone.

Yamba has a relaxed lifestyle with access to all services and within easy reach of major regional centres and capital cities.

Yamba is surrounded by Yuraygir National Park, the Clarence River, Pacific Ocean and rural land. The Yaegl people are traditional custodians of the coastal areas around Yamba, Iluka and Maclean

the rock pool at Yamba Beach

A great quiet spot for fishing or prawning, Yamba also contains a host of beaches that are super for surfing or other waterways for diving. In particular, the rock pool at Yamba Beach is an excellent swimming set-up for any family.

Views from the Yamba Lighthouse are striking and two nearby coastal parks, Yuraygir and Bundjalung, are day trips all on their own.

Yamba

For some 60,000 years Aboriginal tribes were the sole inhabitants of the Yamba region, the best known being the Yiegara people. Then the great English explorer and navigator Matthew Flinders came ashore at Shoal Bay in July 1799, just 11 years after Port Phillip, later known as Sydney was established.

Yamba town was officially gazetted in 1885, as the area’s varied tourist attractions became known. In 1908 the Yamba Surf Lifesaving Club was formed, guesthouses and hotels arose, the region’s fishing industry began to expand and sugar cane became an established crop.

Riverboats and steamers that plied between Grafton and Sydney were gradually replaced by rail and better road connections and from the 1970s Yamba’s appeal as a holiday resort started to impact on the people of both New South Wales and Southern Queensland.

Nearest Airport: Grafton

Yamba Area

With 80 kilometres of spectacular coastline, pristine beaches, fabulous seafood, historic towns, the majestic Clarence River and amazing seaside accommodation you’ll love touring the Clarence Coast and the greater Yamba area.

From Iluka in the north through Yamba, Maclean to Wooli Beach, Angourie and Corindi Beach in the south, the Clarence Coast is blessed with idyllic weather – Yamba is known for having the world’s best climate.

In a secluded, coastal fishing village of Iluka, explore World-Heritage listed littoral rainforest at the Iluka Nature Reserve. The Iluka Bluff in Bundjalung National Park has a panoramic whale-watching platform.

Yuraygir National Park

Yuraygir National Park (pictured above) protects the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline (60kms) in New South Wales, with a superb coastal walk from Angourie. Spend time with friendly locals in the coastal hideaways of Brooms Head, Minnie Water or Wooli, perfect for fishing, snorkelling, scuba diving or just relaxing.

On the southern cusp of the Clarence River, Yamba NSW is a great spot for fishing or prawning, contains a host of beaches that are super for surfing or other waterways for diving, and offers a great rock pool.

Treat yourself to the famous Yamba prawns and Wooli oysters at one of the many award-winning restaurants or gourmet cafes. Browse through arts and crafts shops, check out the marina, hire a boat, take a relaxing river cruise, an adrenaline pumping jet boat ride or order up a latte. If you’re in need of a little TLC, pamper yourself at a day spa.

Views from the Yamba Lighthouse are striking and two nearby coastal parks, Yuraygir and Bundjalung, are day trips all on their own.

Serious anglers visit the Clarence Coast with a frypan in the fishing gear. Yamba and Iluka on either side of the mouth of the Clarence River and the Clarence Coast provide a wide choice for fishing. Keen anglers can select the very best estuary, rock, beach or deep-sea fishing.

Surfing at Yamba

Excellent surfing beaches are found all along the coast and just south of Yamba you’ll find the legendary Point Break at Angourie.

Maclean, a historic town on the banks f the Clarence River has over 100 telegraph poles painted in clan tartans. Call into the Scottish shop, track down your family tartan and take home a memory from Australia’s Scottish Town.

Where to stay?

Experiences

  • Rural/Country
  • Nature based
  • Relaxation

Popular Activities

  • Bush Walking
  • Canoeing
  • Kayaking
  • Sightseeing
  • Wind Surfing
  • Swimming
  • National Park
  • Fishing
  • Beach
  • Surfing
  • Snorkelling

About Yamba

  • Locality: Urban locality
  • Yamba Postcode: 2464
  • State: New South Wales
  • Region: North Coast NSW
  • Latitude: -29.43706
  • Longitude: 153.36145
  • Elevation: 7m
  • Population: 6076
  • Median Income: $25324
  • Area (Sq/km): 16.887
  • Timezone: Australia/Sydney

Explore The Outback

Australia has a vast remote interior, much of it largely untouched. By night, the outback is deathly quiet, with the only light provided by the stars and the moon - a perfect oportunity for stargazing. Explore the isolated heart of the country, meet and connect with Aboriginal people and experience one of the oldest living cultures in the world. Go ‘walk-about’ and immerse yourself with Australia’s endless outback horizons.

Outback Experiences

Luxe Accommodation

Enjoy a distinctly Australian luxury experience, such as the unforgettable reefs, islands, beaches and coast; rugged mountain ranges, rainforests and vast national parks; and the many vibrant food and wine regions. Take a once in a lifetime adventure and discover the sheer indulgence of experiencing the wonders of Australia in style and stay in total luxury.

Australia has wide variety of accommodation options to suit most budgets and travelling preferences. Choose from luxury lodges, boutique hotels, serviced apartments, motels, bed and breakfasts, caravan parks as well as youth and backpacker hostels.

Accommodation

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The Glasshouse Mountains in the hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast are actually the cores of 20 million year old volcanoes. The sides of the volcanoes have eroded away leaving only the hardened rock spiremountain cores we see today. Learn more about this awe-inspiring landscape.

Glasshouse Mountains