Just across the river from Iluka is the township of Yamba. Yamba is located at the mouth of the Clarence River on the southern side. It is about a 3.5-hour drive from Brisbane.

From Woombah we drove around to Yamba via the Pacific Hwy and then along the Clarence River, which took about 25 mins. Sometimes we go across the river in the boat and you can also take the local ferry across from Iluka.

Our main reason for this visit to Yamba was to have lunch at the Pacific Hotel before doing a spot of shopping.

The Pacific Hotel Yamba is etched in to the escarpment of the headland by the river and provides the best views of the Pacific Ocean in Australia. This experience is one to be remembered. From the moment we stepped inside this charming old hotel the 180 degree views took our breaths away. Mind you, I have been to the Pacific Hotel many times over the past few decades and I never tire of these magnificent views.

Upon arrival, we needed to partake in all the Covid rules etc including signing in with the app, showing id’s and then being provided with wrist bands. Then we were advised that there was a waiting time of who knows how long before there would be a table available. We decided we could come back another time and left to find somewhere else to eat. So before departing  I took a few photos of these gorgeous views.

What a great decision. We found a fantastic little café in Angourie.

Along the way to Angourie we stopped at several of Yamba’s world famous perfect beaches. With five options to choose from, Yamba has a beach to suit everyone; Main Beach, Whiting Beach, Pippi Beach, Convent Beach and Turners Beach

After our wonderful lunch there was enough time for us to return to Yamba to do some great shopping in the the local shopping centre.

With mild Winters and long, temperate Summers, Yamba is a perfect escape all year round. There are parks beside the river for picnics, a good golf course and walks to local landmarks, like the Yamba Lighthouse and the 1934-built Pacific Hotel. The town is built around a national park, too, and humpback whales put on breaching shows just off-shore during their annual migration between May and November.

Twenty years ago, if you were looking for a laid-back beach holiday in New South Wales, Byron Bay was your best bet. But with Byron Bay becoming increasingly overcrowded and overpriced, many have started to declare Yamba, 120 kilometres to the south, ‘the new Byron’. To me, it will always be  ‘ Yamba’.