Yamba
Trip Start
Sep 03, 2007
1
146
220
Trip End
Jun 17, 2009
Yamba,
New South Wales,
Australia
Friday, July 4, 2008
The traffic was steady but not crowded on Hwy 1 in the morning sunshine. Passing through 'Woolgoolga' there was a great seikh temple at the side of the road. This was built by the immigrant community that had come from India to work in the banana plantations and settle in Oz.
On reaching 'Grafton' we stopped at the tourist information to ask for directions to the car rental office. On reaching the street there was no sign of the company. Thankfully our friends, Neil and Sylvia, who had showed us round Sydney, were there to meet us and had found out the new location. Car dropped off we set off for their house
Crested pigeon
.Distance driven 221 km 137 miles
Overall distance driven from Sydney 1505 km 933 miles
Through the green countryside, passing alongside the wide 'Clarence River', which gives this valley area its name, there were many creeks spreading from the river as it ran 25 miles inland. Great fields of sugar cane were all around and being harvested.
We passed through the proudly Scottish town of 'Maclean', with its heritage displayed everywhere, especially on the power line posts, which were each hand painted with individual Scottish tartans.
We reached the town of 'Yamba', sited on a creek and set against the exit of the Clarence into the Pacific Ocean, a beautiful location. After lunch we walked to the beach and through the town. Unfortunately the gathering clouds began to release showers and we returned for a relaxed evening.
Angourie Point
Saturday 5th July
It had rained heavily overnight and the morning was cloudy and breezy. Neil and I went for a bike ride along the coast and around Yamba, while the girls went into town shopping. In the afternoon we went to look at Neil and Sylvia's new house, a fabulous modern design being built in the countryside near to Yamba. We passed several small mobs of kangaroos in the wooded areas around town and at the house kookaburras were 'laughing' in the nearby trees. Another relaxing evening ended an enjoyable day.
Sunday 6th July
Neil and Sylvia's daughter Liz, her husband Chris and children Thomas and Natalie 'visited'. 'Visited' involved a two and a half hour drive from up the coast - the concept of distance here is intriguing! Lunch was a real Aussie barbi, although I was told it was just a quick meal and not the full version, that really must live up to the mythology! The weather was warm and sunny and it was easy to adapt to this concept of outdoor living (and eating).
After lunch we all went for a walk down along the harbour front
Spirit of Australia
. It had now warmed up even more and was a very pleasant afternoon by the water. Returning to the house it was a choice of football in the garden, building blocks or my introduction to the Hamish Mac Fee childrens books. A great day which left us enjoyably tired in the evening after they had gone home.Monday 7th July
Some rain overnight but again cleared up to a very warm, bright, breezy morning - no wonder it's so green round here. Today was a 'tourist' day but, with our local guides, we were really getting a chance to see the area fully.
We visited 'Angourie', a small village on the coast that is a renowned surfing site here. The brisk surf was keeping the group of surfers happy, I'm sure all Aussie kids are born wearing wetsuits! The nearby inland blue pool had been formed from the quarry where all the stone for the Yamba breakwater had been taken. It was just next to the long beach and gave the choice of fresh or seawater swimming. As a surfers beach it was overlooked by some very exclusive property.
Over the hill was the 'Wooloweyah Lagoon', an enormous lake similar in size to the English 'Lake Windermere', a stone's throw from the sea here but connected by the long "Palmer's Channel' to the Clarence river several miles away
Spoonbills
. Both the channel and the lagoon are trawled for the famous Yamba prawns.Going inland to 'Maclean' for lunch and then on to ' Maclean Lookout ', for great views from the hill towards the sea over the Clarence river, as it winds its way to the coast. The Clarence is very impressive, being similar in width to the 'Mississippi', with some levees to protect the surrounding land in times of stormwater. We could see Yamba on the coast in the distance and an intriguing change from miles of sugar cane on the north side to miles of bush area to the south.
Then on to 'Broom's Head'. En route we passed a field where wild emus wee feeding, stopping to warily eye us intruders. Farther along the road a big eagle was feeding on a roadkill kangaroo, disdainfully soaring off into the trees as we passed. Near the Head we walked along (another) long sandy beach with children swimming or playing in the sand. There were tiny holes in the sand and thousands of sand ball bearings where the crabs had cleared their holes after the incoming tide had overrun them. At the nearby Head we looked over the blue Pacific and within a few minutes had spotted whales on the 'Humpback Highway'. In the next bay was (another) long, sandy beach with white breaking surf. This really is some place
Wooloweyah Lagoon
.On the return we passed many fields with dozens of roos in them, all come out of the woods to graze in the fields.
In the evening we ate at the local golf club, an impressive building that was a busy social centre and meeting place. It had a really friendly and welcoming atmosphere.
Tuesday 8th July
It had rained all night and continued into the grey, cloudy morning, as forecast. We had a relaxed morning planning our move northwards, which was looming up far too quickly.
The rain stopped by lunchtime and the afternoon brightened and was warm and sunny. We went for a walk into town and along the breakwater leading the Clarence river out into the Pacific.
In the late afternoon sunshine, the local fishing fleets were making their way down through the boulder edged channel and out into the Pacific for a night's work.
Maclean power pole
They slowly sailed out into the distance, getting smaller and smaller until only their navigation lights were visible, twinkling against the developing sunset driven sky. The mix of cloud formations, set against this multi coloured backdrop, was a fascinating spectacle. As Neil commented, if a painter put those colours on a canvas you wouldn't believe him! It was a glorious spectacle.At the same time as the fleet was leaving, dolphins were making their way inwards towards the sunset, which equally developed fabulous glowing colours, backlighting the whole sky. We sat and watched this glorious world for ages, before it was time to walk slowly back to enjoy a relaxed dinner. What a place.
Wednesday 9th July
Another cold night followed by a cloudy but dry start. We were off for more sightseeing in the countryside south of Yamba. Passing through great sugar fields and skirting the Clarence river, we looked round the tiny village of 'Ulmarra', set on the river banks.
We drove along green fields with cattle grazing and crossed the river on the Ulmarra ferry, a small, cable driven car ferry that is free. Stopping at a river side pub, we enjoyed lunch sat in the breezy sunshine - and this is mid winter!
We passed through more countryside, woods and fields, our image of Australia as a dry, desert country, completely blown away. After crossing back over the Clarence by the Maclean ferry, we passed by a local golf club where we spotted wallabies, smaller than roos and then a big, red roo, taller than a man, who bounced away through the trees
Maclean Lookout
.The evening was a relaxed supper before watching Australia talent shows and a children's spectacular on TV.
They were extremely good, be warned - the Aussies are coming!
Thursday 10th July
A bright sunny morning and after breakfast Neil and I cycled down to the marina to the 'fish boat' a small, moored, floating hut that sells fish. There is a list of the available fish on the quay side and after checking that they had headless prawns, we walked onto the pontoon and climbed down the ladder onto the deck. Here a fisherman was busily gutting fresh fish and throwing the scraps over the rail, where half a dozen pelicans were squabbling over this free meal, each uttering guttural grunts to warn off the other competitors. The seagulls weren't getting much of a look in against these heavyweights and a lone heron sat forlornly on the side, just in case a morsel came his way. The pelicans were an arm's length from us and they watched us intruders, resenting this intrusion on their breakfast. They're intriguing birds, with their fleshy pouches, curved tipped beaks and eyes which seemed able to eyeball us head on
Wild emus
.We returned with a kg of giant Yamba prawns, having chosen the frozen ones because they would be easier to shell. We could have had "today's" from the catch landed this morning but the frozen ones were only "yesterday's", probably coming from one of the boats we had watched going out on Tuesday night. Now that's what I call fresh!
By mid morning the four of us were walking past the golf course, where the rainbow lorikeets were chattering and a honey eater flitting through the trees. We waited at the quayside for the 'Iluka' ferry, a small passenger boat that travels across the Clarence river mouth for the 45 minute trip between Yamba and Iluka.
There was a cool breeze, so we sat inside as the skipper navigated the breakwaters across the estuary, where shags and pelicans were drying their wings in the morning sun. Crossing into the Iluka marina, past the fishing fleet and the mermaid on the end of the inner harbour. We arrived at the small town jetty at Iluka, a popular but quiet holiday spot.
The breeze had lessened and it was now quite warm as we walked along the harbour back towards the marina, the sparkling waters on one side and modern houses on the shore
Crab balls
. On the sandy beaches were two species of oystercatcher, pelicans and seagulls, which ignored our passing by. Many splendid yachts were in the small marina, a couple of them from the USA.A leisurely stroll to the marina, out on to the mermaid breakwater and back for lunch at the jetty side café before catching the mid afternoon ferry back. We stood on the front deck of the ferry, enjoying the afternoon sun and looking for dolphins in the estuary but there were none about this time.
Arriving back in Yamba we went for a final walk along the breakwater and as we returned in the late afternoon, it was just too early to see the fishing fleet or the dolphins.
Dinner was a delicious meal of Yamba prawns and talk of life in Australia. We rounded off the evening by watching the film 'The Dish', a real story of the satellite tracking station in Australia which has played a major part in most NASA projects, including receiving the very first moon landing film. The role of the Aussies in the moon shots was more important than most people realize. We now understood more of the Aussie lingo and jokes, which made it more enjoyable.
Friday 11th July
An early start in a cold, breezy morning. A quiet breakfast and then Neil and Sylvia drove us north, through miles of sugar cane fields. Near 'Woodburn' we passed through thick forests for a few miles before reaching open fields again.
Entering the port town of 'Ballina', we had time for a last coffee before driving to the car rental depot. It was a sad moment, saying goodbye to our friends.
