Yamba

A relaxed surf town at the Clarence River mouth on the north coast of New South Wales. The Angourie blue and green pools and the Yuraygir Coastal Walk are right on the edge of town.

Yamba lies on the south bank of the Clarence River mouth on the north coast of New South Wales, about 3 hours' drive from the Gold Coast and 7–8 hours from Sydney. This town of about 6,000 people retains the laid-back atmosphere of a classic surf town and has been named one of New South Wales' best small towns. The town centre sits on Pilot Hill, where the lighthouse stands, surrounded by beaches on three sides. To the south are the Angourie Surf Reserve and Yuraygir National Park, while across the river lie Iluka and Bundjalung National Parks.

Things to do, by area: (1) Town centre: the main beach, the ocean pool, the lighthouse lookout, Turners Beach and the breakwall, and the seafood restaurants at the river mouth wharf, where Yamba prawns are a local specialty. (2) South: Pippi Beach, the Blue Pool and Green Pool at Angourie, and Angourie Point, with the Yuraygir Coastal Walk further south. (3) Across the river: take a ferry to the Iluka rainforest reserve and Woody Head. (4) Inland: Scottish-heritage Maclean, and Grafton, where jacarandas bloom in spring.

The climate is subtropical. September to April is best for beaches and surfing, though January and February are hot and humid with afternoon thunderstorms. Humpback whales migrate along the coast from June to November. In winter, daytime temperatures are around 20°C, which is good for walking.

The nearest airports are Grafton Airport (about 1 hour) and Ballina Airport (about 1.5 hours), and you can also drive about 2.5–3 hours from Gold Coast Airport. Long-distance buses and trains between Sydney and Brisbane stop nearby, but you will need a car or bike to get between sights within town. Allow two to three days. Accommodation is tight during school holidays and over Christmas and New Year, so book ahead.

Top sights

• Yamba Main Beach – A curved beach in the town centre with lifeguards on duty and a natural ocean pool among the rocks. The grassy park and cafés behind it are…
• Angourie Blue & Green Pools – Two deep pools formed by freshwater filling disused quarries beside the sea. The Blue Pool, where you can dive from the rock walls, is Yamb…
• Clarence River Lighthouse – A white lighthouse on the pilot hill overlooking the Clarence River mouth, its breakwaters and the main beach; the classic viewpoint in Yam…
• Yuraygir Coastal Walk – A multi-day coastal trail running about 65 km south from Angourie, crossing the longest undeveloped stretch of coast in New South Wales; fo…
• Pippi Beach – A long, broad beach south of the town between Yamba Point and Angourie, with good surf and few crowds; at dawn dolphins often swim in the w…
• Iluka Nature Reserve – A coastal rainforest across the Clarence River, part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area and the largest coastal r…
• Woody Head, Bundjalung National Park – A headland and rocky bay north of Iluka, with a national park campground, rock pools and snorkelling spots, and views over the long, wild c…
• Maclean – A town on the Clarence River that calls itself “Australia’s Scottish town”, with power poles painted in clan tartans and riverside strolls…
• Grafton Jacarandas – A garden city upstream on the Clarence River, with about 2,000 jacaranda trees lining its streets. Each spring the town turns purple and ho…

Where to eat

• El Ocaso – A Mediterranean restaurant overlooking the Clarence River sunset, named Yamba's best by several guides.
• Pacific Hotel – A 1934 Art Deco clifftop pub with windows facing Yamba's main beach, where you can watch for whales while you eat.