Camping near Yamba

On the New South Wales north coast, Yamba has always been at the top of the hit list for surfers and beach-goers. Nearby Angourie Point is famous for its much-revered right-hand break, and with six beaches within walking distance of the Yamba town centre (and many more a short drive away), there’s no shortage of places to hit the water. Other highlights include the plunge-worthy Blue Pool—a huge rock quarry that filled with freshwater when an underground spring was disturbed sometime last century—and an enticing saltwater rock pool on Main Beach. And did we mention the prawns? They’re famous, too.

The water is warm enough for swimming from September through April. Jacaranda season is late spring, with a jacaranda festival in early November. The Maclean Highland Gathering takes places in April, featuring Scottish games, music, and dancing. Yamba’s prawns are perfect year-round, and with so many beaches to choose from, there’s always good surf nearby.

• Yamba is a 7-hour drive north on the Pacific Highway from Sydney, or about a 3-hour drive south of Brisbane along the same coastal route.
• Several local surfing schools offer kayak hires and surf lessons, including the Yamba-Angourie Surf School, where three-time Australian surfing champion Jeremy Walters shows newbies the ropes.
• The cliff-top Pacific Hotel is a fantastic spot for a sundown drink with a phenomenal view. This spot also does good pub bistro classics and usually has live music on summer weekends.
• Among the best places in Yamba to buy prawns is the Prawn Shack, run by the Clarence River Fishermens' Co-op at the Yamba Marina. The seafood comes straight from the fishing trawlers, and you can’t get much fresher than that.