What to See on a Day Trip to Yamba

If you’re on a short holiday to Byron Bay or staying for a longer hiatus from the real world, a day trip or two from the area makes a nice addition to your itinerary. We suggest you do a day trip from Byron Bay to Yamba, just head south on the Pacific Highway about 125km to find this little surfing town. There you’ll find a quaint one-street village, friendly locals who love their town, beaches where you may actually be alone and amazing seafood as well as lots of other things to do in Yamba.

But where is Yamba? Located at the mouth of Clarence River, Yamba features 11 beaches in its area, featuring dolphins often hanging out near the shore, excellent whale watching in season and so much more. Yamba has been listed as the no. 1 town in Australia by the Australian Traveller magazine and was named as having the best climate in the world by CSIRO (along with Banbury, Australia, and San Diego, California, U.S.).

Surfing and Beaches

First off, don’t miss out on the chance to ride some amazing waves here if surfing is your thing—keep in mind that Nat Young and Mick Fanning are known to hang ten here and the owner of the famous Billabong surfing brand calls Yamba home. Because it’s not crowded, you won’t have a problem catching the best waves.

Or try a lesson with a local surfing school as one of the best things to do in Yamba—less crowds means more individual attention. For example, you could try it with Yamba-Angourie Surf School where you can get a two-hour group lesson for $50 or one-hour private lesson for $80. Lessons are held at Turners Beach.

Speaking of Angourie, you really should hit up the Angourie Beach while in town. Besides being an excellent surfing location, Angourie is home to the ‘Blue Pool’ which sits in a bush setting right near the beach and is a deep freshwater swimming hole. Put this on your list of things to do in Yamba and plan to take a swim and have a picnic lunch. But make sure to check the signs at the entrance to ensure it’s safe to swim, since naturally occurring algae can render it unsafe.

Clarence River

Not only is Yamba a coastal town, it also happens to be along the Clarence River. Take a Clarence River Ferry on either its river ruise (leaves at 11 am on Wednesdays and Fridays) or just ride one of the daily ferries across the river to Iluka where you can see boats at the harbour that catch Yamba’s famous prawns.

Another way to see the Clarence River is opt for a kayak tour through Yamba Kayak. One of the recommended Yamba attractions, this company offers up a three-hour tour of the waterways and beaches around the river. The cost is $70 per adult and $60 for children under 16.

Yamba Historical Walks

Learn about the history of Yamba—how it was discovered by explorer Matthew Flinders in 1799—through one of the Yamba Historical Walks where you’ll see such sights as the Yamba Lighthouse and Flinders Wall. Both self-guided tours start and finish at the Yamba Museum; both are 3km walks with one considered an easier grade than the other. There are guides to tell you about the sights you will see along the way on both walks, so check them out online or pick up the paper version at the museum.

Don’t miss the prawns

Collected daily, one of the other big Yamba attractions is great seafood, particularly the prawns, which are famous for being amazingly good. For example, Sassafras offers up plenty of prawns, including a prawn pizza. Or better yet, head for Yamba Shores Tavern where you can dine on any of the many variety of prawn dishes and enjoy the fabulous waterfront view. There’s even a playground on site if you have the kids along! Also, you should note that TripAdvisor’s no. 1 restaurant in Yamba is part of the Shores Tavern, Boardroom and Bar.

Stay at Broken Head while seeing Byron Bay and Yamba

When you stay at Broken Head Holiday Park you’ll be in a great location to not only see Byron Bay proper, but also head further south to Yamba for a fun day trip. Whether you pick the campsites, beach shacks or beach cabins, Broken Head Holiday Park’s accommodation will provide a comfortable place to sleep each night after busy days touring around anywhere from Byron Bay to Yamba. So book yourself a holiday soon!