The unpretentious town of Yamba sits at the mouth of the Clarence River, roughly halfway between Byron Bay and Coffs Harbour on the New South Wales far North Coast. The bulk of this fishing village turned surf hotspot spreads out over the southern headland of the river overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with beaches on three sides of the town centre. You can hire a kayak and explore the inlets of the Clarence River, but Yamba is best known for its surf breaks, which range from the powerful waves at Angourie Point to gentle beach swells that are great for kids and newbies.

Yamba is also a great fishing spot. You can cast a line off the beach or the rocks here, or head offshore on a charter following deep-sea species. The local prawns and oysters are excellent, and you can pick up seasonal fresh produce from local farmers (and sourdough bread and pastries) at the Yamba Farmers & Producers Market every Wednesday morning.

The town is around a 70-minute drive from the domestic Ballina Byron Gateway Airport (BNK), just under two hours from the nearest international airport at the Gold Coast (OOL), or around 3.5 hours from the major hub of Brisbane Airport (BNE). Wherever you land, you’ll need to pick up a rental to get to your accommodation, as public transport options are very limited. The Grafton to Byron Bay bus stops in Yamba (but not at Ballina’s airport), and you can get to Grafton by train from Sydney or Brisbane, although from Sydney it would take more than 11 hours, or 12.5 hours from Brisbane. Once you’re here you’ll be able to get around on foot, with Yamba Main Beach, Convent Beach, and Pippi Beach all within easy walking distance of the compact town centre.

Yamba enjoys mild weather most of the year, and you can swim at the town’s beaches pretty much all year round. Spring is generally dry and warm, but expect some cool nights in September before it starts to heat up in late October. Summer is the busiest time of the year along the North Coast, especially during the school holidays and the summer break. January is the hottest month, with rain most likely from the new year through to April. In autumn and winter, make the most of the cool dry days with hikes in the nearby national parks and nature reserves. Yamba is positioned on the Humpback Highway, with whales migrating north past the town from June and making the return journey south to the end of October.

Angourie Point

A 10-minute drive south of Yamba, Angourie Point has one of the best surfing breaks in Australia. It’s so prized by wave riders that it has been named a National Surfing Reserve. The swells are consistently powerful, with the beach breaks on either side of the point best tackled by experienced surfers.

Iluka Rainforest walking track

Across the mouth of the Clarence River from Yamba lies the tiny village of Iluka, your gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gondwana rainforest of Iluka Nature Reserve. Take the old ferry across the river to Iluka; from the wharf it’s around a 20-minute walk to the southern entrance of the Iluka Rainforest walking track, which leads past strangler figs and vines to an ocean lookout inside beautiful Bundjalung National Park.

Yuraygir National Park

One of the most biologically diverse regions in the country, Yuraygir National Park stretches from just outside of Yamba along 65 kilometres of coastline, rivers, and lakes. There’s a multi-day Yuraygir coastal walk along the length of the park, where you may encounter sea eagles, black cockatoos, rat-kangaroos, and coastal emus, while the Angourie to Brooms Head track takes around seven hours.