The Australian Bucket List

New South Wales

YambaEnjoy uncrowded beaches, go for a swim, hit the surf, find a peacful spot to fish, explore neighbouring national parks or simply soak up Yamba's stylish village charm...

Yamba is one of those weirdly magical places that makes you feel nostalgic for it, even while you’re there. There’s something about the arrangement of the headlands and beaches, the nooks and crannies of the waterways, the trawlers and the pleasure craft in the marina, the pelicans and ospreys, the dolphins and whales, the flap of canvas in the caravan park, the buildings nestled into the hill, the heat coming off the bitumen in summer, the sunscreen and the aeroguard – it feels like you’re in a memory of holidays past, in the here and now. Put another way, Yamba evokes feelings you might have had as a kid – and for all it’s excellent contemporary dining, cafes, accommodation and shopping – Yamba manages to connect visitors with a sense of fun, joy, and innocence. It’ll come as no surprise that there’s a number of excellent aquatic experiences available in Yamba: a multitude of fishing options, boat charters, river cruises, barbecue pontoons, paddleboat hire, kayaking tours, whale watching tours in season, not to mention patrolled beaches for surf bathing, and a number of great surf breaks for boardriders. Standing proudly atop Pilot Hill is the iconic Yamba Lighthouse. From here you get a panoramic view over the surrounding beaches, the mouth of the river and Yamba Bay. Sunrise is special up here! There are bike tracks galore around Yamba, basically running from one end of town to the other. The ride along Ford Park and Yamba Bay is great, but also try the road down to Angourie (with bike path) and check out the iconic Angourie Point surf break. All this activity’s sure to bring on an appetite, and here’s another area where Yamba excels! From fine dining to groovy cafés, to quality pub meals to takeaways, it’s all on offer, and if you like your seafood fresh and local, well, you’re in heaven right here.

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Things to do

Go Whale Watching

Yamba Whale Watch is Yamba's only dedicated whale watching business. Running trips out of the port of Yamba from June to October and operate every day the weather permits. Leaving from Yamba Marina Monday to Friday and Yamba Shores Tavern on Saturday and Sunday, the boats are big and comfortable and they limit passengers to 10 - 12 people so you won't be overcrowded. For the best up-close experience with one of the most amazing mammals in the world contact Yamba Whale Watch.

Visit Yamba Main Beach and Ocean Pool

With the archetypal east coast ‘ocean pool’ built into the rocks at its southern end, one of NSW’s oldest Surf Lifesaving clubs centre-stage, and the iconic Pacific Hotel overlooking it all, Yamba’s Main Beach is so quaint, lovely and Australian you can’t help but grin when you’re there. Main Beach used to be called Wooli Bay and was also known as Andersons or Grahams Beach because of the boarding houses that overlooked it. The beach is patrolled on weekends and during school holidays between September and Easter and has well-considered disabled access. Slightly more nestled into the bay than neighbouring Turner’s Beach, swimming and surfing here is a mellower affair, though the shore break can be heavy at times, particularly towards the northern end. As always, swim between the flags. And if the ocean is a little too intimidating, the swimming pool is an absolute ripper, cleaned out like clockwork by the changing tides.

Take a historical walk

Retrace the steps of the explorer, Matthew Flinders, as you make your way around Yamba, exploring the historical highlights and landmarks such as the Flinders Well, Yamba Lighthouse, and the Yamba Historical Museum. There are two self-guided walking tours available: The 'Up Down and All Around' (medium grade, four-kilometre walk) to discover the historical sites on Yamba Hill and the 'Sea Level Stroll' (easy grade, five-kilometre walk) for the sites on Yamba's flatlands. All the walks start and finish at the Yamba Museum, next to the Yamba Golf and Country Club.Pick up your copies of the Yamba Historical Walks guides at The Yamba Museum, or scan a QR code or DCM code into your handheld device from the special museum postcards, and access historical photos and information as you travel around Yamba.

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