Yamba

Yamba sits where the Clarence River, the largest on the New South Wales coast, meets the sea, and it has stayed lower-key than the beach towns further north despite steady growth. A lighthouse stands on the headland above a set of small beaches and an ocean pool, the surf at Angourie a few kilometres south is a recognised national surfing reserve, and the town's prawn trawler fleet works out of the river, selling the catch on the wharf. A small ferry crosses the river to Iluka, where the Iluka Nature Reserve protects a remnant of littoral rainforest included in the Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage listing. Whales pass offshore in season and dolphins work the river mouth.

What you actually see

• The river mouth - the Clarence meeting the sea with the prawn fleet working.
• Angourie - the national surfing reserve and the Blue Pool quarry hole.
• The Iluka rainforest - World Heritage littoral rainforest across the river.
• The ocean pool and headland - the lighthouse and small town beaches.

When to go

September to May for swimming and warm water; the region is subtropical and mild year-round. School holidays and Easter fill accommodation. Summer brings humidity and afternoon storms, and the region floods periodically.

Honest expectations

Yamba has grown and is no longer a secret, with holiday crowds in summer. The river mouth has strong currents and is not for casual swimming. The ferry to Iluka is small and weather-dependent.

Nearby

Iluka is across the river; Grafton lies upstream and Byron Bay well to the north.