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
What a beautiful day! How do you pronounce Lluka? Does the double l just be pronounced a l?
Thanks it truly was a beautiful day. Iluka = eye lu ka
What a stunning spot! Looks like you had a beautiful Australia Day.
Thanks Georgie, it was such a great day, great weather and with Family, perfect.
Had so many beautiful days over many years on the Clarence River, Staying in Iluka.
So So Lovely. Thank you. Daphne
Thanks Daphne, I cannot imagine ever tiring of such a gorgeous area.
Idyllic spot Lyn. One to remember for future visitations.
Thanks Gail, it sure ticks many boxes, just loved it.
What a wonderful spot & how perfect to spend it with family.
Yes, it was thanks Kay
Looks stunning. Great photos.
Thanks Sue. It is a lovely area
The beach is so beautiful – hard to believe there are still places like this that are few to no people on the shore or in the water. Just gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your lovely spot in Australia.
Thanks Linda. Yes it is pretty special and a lovely place to visit. There are lots of places like this in Australia
Sounds like a wonderful Australia Day Lyn. Dad and Mum use to take Graham and I to Iluka when we were young we always had a great time and I have very fond memories of our times there. Thank you for bringing back those memories. Great photos as usual. 💜💜
Thanks Leah, yes Iluka is an ideal place for families. It probably has not changed much since you were last there as there has not been much growth. Still beautiful though. Always enjoy hearing from you xx
What’s Australia Day without a good old fashioned BBQ? Looks like you guys had a great one Lyn. :)
Yes, a bbq is a must on Australia day hey. We had the best time, with lots of laughs and great food and perfect weather. Gosh we are so blessed in this country Thanks Lyn
We surely are Lyn. It’s a lucky country alright ❤️
What sort of dog is the short-haired one? Looks like the same body type (and black ears) as my dog, who is a blue heeler AKA Australian cattle dog.
Molly is a jack russell, and Buddy is a papillon cross. They are both quite small.
Thanks. Can’t tell the size from the picture.
How delightful Lyn – what a perfect day in such beautiful surroundings – celebrating with friends and family!
Thanks Mary. Yes everything about it was perfect
Stunning place Lyn, thanks for sharing your Auustralia Day story.
Thanks Lyn, it is pretty nice making it such a wonderful day
Great pictures!
Thank you Lyn
So beautiful as we are in our winter wonderland. Nothing like a pretty beach!
A beach is even prettier when we are in the middle of a cold winter. Thanks Nancy. Lyn
Australia, the beautiful!
That is nice. Thanks Jane
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Great blog, Lyn. I look forward to the next destination.
Thanks Phil. Lots more to come
Good thing I came across your site. The last time I visited Australia, no one told me about Iluka. Thanks for sharing. This small village looks tranquil and pleasant. I surely celebrate here the Australia day in my next travel next year. By the way, if anyone needs a tourist visa to visit this wonderful place, I suggest you apply it here https://www.migrationexpert.com.au/. Just follow all instructions and you’re done. Anyhow, I will look forward to more of this.
Thanks Rosie, Iluka is delightful but it is a bit off the beaten track.
What a glorious blue sky day! You just can’t beat Summer on the coast, can you? Thanks Mel
Thanks Mel. The sky certainly was a glorious blue on a perfect summer’s day
Wow, Buddy and Molly are lucky pooches, surrounded as they are by such beautiful blue sky and water. My Labrador would love splashing in the stuff.
Your Labrador would definitely love it. Buddy and Molly are spoiled and deserve it. They both love the beach. Iluka is a beautiful part of the world. Thanks for your comment.
No worries.
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