Yamba

With a little lighthouse, a big river, a marina, a fishing fleet, great beaches with Norfolk pines and some groovy restaurants and cafes, Yamba somehow combines just about everything people enjoy in coastal towns. To top it all off, the CSIRO and Stanford University described the area has have the …

Woombah

If you’re feeling in need of a coffee whilst in the Maclean region, take a 4km detour from the Pacific Highway to Woombah and you can taste coffee grown on the world’s southern-most coffee plantation, which offers regular tours. Woombah Coffee, established in 1982, led to the growth of the …

Maclean

The tartan connection is hard to miss in Maclean (“The Scottish Town in Australia”) with many street signs carrying a Gaelic translation and promotion of its heritage through the annual Easter Highland gathering. Australia’s oldest Free Presbyterian Church still carries on the services to the descendents of the early settlers, …

Iluka

Just a scenic ferry-ride across the Clarence from Yamba, or a short drive off the highway,Iluka is quieter and more laid-back than its trendier cousin. With a winning combination of superb fishing locations, uncrowded beaches and one of Australia’s rarest, but most accessible rainforest remnants, Iluka draws residents and visitors …

Brooms Head

“The Broom” is a great spot for anyone who would like to enjoy the beach close to the way the whole coastline was just a century ago. Because Brooms Head village is surrounded by the Yuraygir National Park, there are often sightings of wallabies and emus as well as smaller …

Angourie

Way back in the seventies when the surf at Byron Bay was just starting to feel a little bit overcrowded to those who’d been accustomed to lots of space, surfing legend and former world champion Nat Young decided that it was time to look for a new slice of paradise. …

Grafton

The beautiful purple-flowering jacaranda trees are an integral part of the image of Grafton, and their flowering is celebrated in the famous annual Jacaranda Festival. Combining the arts, sport, ceremony and fun, the festival, which originated in 1935 is Australia’s longest running floral festival and showcases a cross-section of this …

Woodburn

Woodburn may be a riverside farming town, but it has its own beach. Established by the local Apex Club, the small sandy beach is appreciated as a picnic and swimming spot; and the local jetty adds to the fun for fishing and boating. All roads seem to lead from Woodburn, …

New Italy

The fascinating history of New Italy was recently commemorated in an opera, The Mercenary (composed by Paul Grabowsky, and librettist Janis Balodis) which was performed by international star Lyndon Terracini in capital cities on the east coast of Australia and in regional NSW. Many Italian settlers in the region trace …

Evans Head

For decades families have flocked to this quiet coastal town, and the town has one of the largest caravan parks in NSW. This park is located on the banks of the Evans River and offers plenty of shade, safe swimming in the river, a fantastic surfing beach just one hundred …