Iluka is a coastal village at the mouth of the Clarence River on Australia’s east coast. It is about a 3 hour drive south from Brisbane and is in the state of NSW.  Iluka is surrounded by Bundjalung National Park, World Heritage listed Rainforest, the mighty Clarence River and the South Pacific Ocean and is famous for fishing for both river and deep sea enthusiasts. It is abundant in rain forests, stunning wildlife, long secluded beaches with clean sand and crystal clear blue waters . The town is off the beaten track and I would describe it as an ‘untouched seaside resort’.

I travelled down to the Iluka area to celebrate Australia day.

Australia Day is our official National Day which is celebrated annually on January 26th. It marks the anniversary of the arrival of the first fleet of British ships into Port Jackson Sydney in 1788. In contemporary Australia, the holiday is marked by the presentation of the Australian of the Year awards. It is an official public holiday in all states and territories and celebrated with festivals, concerts and ceremonies, large and small, in communities and cities around the nation.

For us, it is time with family.

Our celebrations included visiting several of the local Iluka beaches with our dogs who I must say had a fantastic time running in and out of the ocean. Many of the beaches in the area are dog friendly which is wonderful for us.

The beaches are clean, deserted and offer tranquility. When there are people, they are very few so it is most likely that you will have the beach to yourself on most days. Iluka is a popular tourist destination in holiday time however due to its small population the beaches are pretty much empty other times of the year. The beach areas have facilities such as picnic areas, toilets, beach showers and parks which are more than adequate

After our early morning to the Iluka beach we then enjoyed taking the boat out on the Clarence River and driving up to the mouth of the river. Along the way we watched several pods of playful dolphins as they swam beside the boat and often jumped in and out of the water. I took many photos but did not capture the dolphins.

We eventually pulled in to Moriarty beach where we all dived in to the clear blue water. Moriarty Beach can also be accessed from the township of Iluka by foot or by car. Yachts, motor boats and house boats continued to arrive to the “secluded” beach while we were there and before long it was turning in to a very popular spot. And why not, it is beautiful.

As lunch time approached we headed back to the house where friends and neighbours joined us for a very long Aussie Day BBQ lunch and lots of swims in the pool.

Iluka is a perfect location  if you are looking for a quiet, remote break