Yarrahapinni

About 40 minutes north of Kempsey, Yarrahapinni boasts one of the most spectacular views on the coast. On a clear day, from the top of 498-metre Mount Yarrahapinni in the Yarriabini National Park, you can almost see the entire Macleay Valley Coast.

A significant place for both the Dunghutti and Gumbaynggirr nations, Yarriabini means koala rolling (but they don’t recommend trying that yourself. It’s a long way down, and they love koalas). The place name Yarrahappini is the corrupted version of this original Indigenous word.

When you’ve taken in the amazing view, enjoy a scenic drive or a lovely walk through Yarrahapinni’s dense, old growth forests filled with flooded gums and hoop pines, learn about the local Aboriginal Dreamtime story and see the matching mosaics depicting the legend before making your way back down towards the coast to where the rainforest meets the sea.

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Yamba

Yamba is one of those weirdly magical places that makes you feel nostalgic for it, even while you’re there.

There’s something about the arrangement of the headlands and beaches, the nooks and crannies of the waterways, the trawlers and the pleasure craft in the marina, the pelicans and ospreys, the dolphins and whales, the flap of canvas in the caravan park, the buildings nestled into the hill, the heat coming off the bitumen in summer, the sunscreen and the aeroguard – it feels like you’re in a memory of holidays past, in the here and now.

Put another way, Yamba evokes feelings you might have had as a kid – and for all it’s excellent contemporary dining, cafes, accommodation and shopping – Yamba manages to connect visitors with a sense of fun, joy, and innocence.

It’ll come as no surprise that there’s a number of excellent aquatic experiences available in Yamba: a multitude of fishing options, boat charters, river cruises, barbecue pontoons, paddleboat hire, kayaking tours, whale watching tours in season, not to mention patrolled beaches for surf bathing, and a number of great surf breaks for boardriders.

Standing proudly atop Pilot Hill is the iconic Yamba Lighthouse. From here you get a panoramic view over the surrounding beaches, the mouth of the river and Yamba Bay. Sunrise is special up here!

There are bike tracks galore around Yamba, basically running from one end of town to the other. The ride along Ford Park and Yamba Bay is great, but also try the road down to Angourie (with bike path) and check out the iconic Angourie Point surf break.

All this activity’s sure to bring on an appetite, and here’s another area where Yamba excels! From fine dining to groovy cafés, to quality pub meals to takeaways, it’s all on offer, and if you like your seafood fresh and local, well, you’re in heaven right here.

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Yagon

Yagon is a small area inside Myall Lakes National Park. Nestled behind the dunes in the northern reaches of the park, its the perfect spot for happy campers who love the feel of sand beneath their feet. Yagon is located in the Barrington Coast region, part of the MidCoast Council LGA.

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Wyrallah

Downstream from Lismore on the Wilsons River’s meandering journey towards the sea, the village of Wyrallah was once a bustling river port. Just south of the village, stop off at the Aboriginal Bora Ring at the back of the Tucki Tucki Cemetery, a sacred ceremonial site for the Bundjalung tribes of the region estimated to be at least three centuries old.

Further down the road, the Tucki Tucki Nature Reserve is a koala haven which was planted out in the 1950s by concerned locals to preserve the natural habitat of these national treasures. Look high in the trees and you may just spot one of these sleepy little locals.

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Woombah

If you are heading the seaside town of Iluka be sure and stop in at the hamlet of Woombah on the way.

Located to the south of the World Heritage listed Bundjalung National Park, Woobah is excellent for enjoy fishing for blackfish, whiting, bream and flathead from the shore and rocks.

You can explore the town’s pottery gallery, coffee plantation, old school house and recreational reserve.

Wildlife spotting is their favourite here, what will you find today?

How about a picnic or even a barbecue? There’s a fantastic park for the kids to stretch their legs on West Street and Iluka Road. Bring the soccer ball and frisbee.

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Wooli

Wooli, famous for its oysters! The Wooli Wooli River is known to be one of the most pristine river systems in NSW, and thus the purest, most delicious oysters are cultivated. The season for fresh oysters is October through to April.

It’s not just their barnacly friends who appreciate this river! Get out and kayak, hire a boat or try some stand-up paddle boarding, all in this gorgeous location surrounded by national park.

Wooli marks the start of the final, and some say best, section of the mighty Yuraygir Coastal Walk. This southern section is just you and the coast, as nature intended it! Hiking across rock shelves, wending your way over headlands and along untouched beaches –truly a wilderness experience.

Just north of Wooli is a series of forest tracks that allows you to trek the magnificant coastal bushland. The tracks offer the chance to take in woodlands, mangroves, salt marsh, swamps, wet heaths and grasslands. A feast for the senses of any nature lover!

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Woolgoolga

Woolgoolga – affectionately known as ‘Woopi’ among locals – is a pleasant seaside town 25 kilometres north of Coffs Harbour.

The town has the largest regional Sikh/Punjabi population in Australia. The imposing Guru Nanak Sikh Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) is not only the town’s number one landmark, but also the place of worship for the local Punjabi Sikh community, who make up half of Woolgoolga’s population. The temple is open to visitors on weekends.

Woolgoolga Headland is known as Whale Watch Headland. With some of the best coastal views in New South Wales, it’s the perfect place to see migrating Humpback Whales pass the coast between May and November. It is truly a magical spot to stop and rest.

About four kilometres inland are Sherwood Nature Reserve and Woolgoolga Picnic Area. Enjoy the two kilometre riverside walk along Woolgoolga Creek through subtropical rainforest to the spectacular waterfall.

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Wollongbar

Throughout the plateau surrounding Wollongbar are subtropical parks and gardens, including Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a remnant of the ‘Big Scrub’ – the vast rainforest which once blanketed the region.

There are numerous farms producing many different foods and produce on the rich red volcanic soil of the plateau – flowers, coffee beans, macadamias, stone fruit, citrus, honey and more. The area boasts some lovely bed and breakfasts and venues for weddings and functions.

Only four minutes to Alstonville.

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Woodburn

Woodburn, known as “The Travellers’ Rest” is a delightful and peaceful town situated next to the Richmond River on the Pacific Highway. The town is well known to regular travellers on the Highway as a junction town, with roads leading from Woodburn to Evans Head in the east, Broadwater and Ballina in the north, and Coraki, Casino and Lismore to the west.

The river has always been an important part of life in Woodburn. It is an excellent focal point for recreational water sport activities including rowing, sailing, swimming, fishing and water skiing. The riverside beach, park, and picnic facilities provide the perfect spot to relax for an hour or a day, while the nearby Bundjalung, Broadwater and Bungalwalbyn National Parks are just a short drive away.

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Wingham

Wingham offers visitors a step back in time. Its rich heritage is evident in the many splendid National Trust listed Federation buildings, which surround the town common modelled on the English square.

Take a self-guided Heritage Walk around Wingham. The walk highlights a number of built and natural items of significance to the history of the town. The walk is approximately five kilometres and brochures are available from the Manning Valley Historical Society Museum at Wingham. The Museum is located in the town centre and is open seven days.

Also found at Wingham is Wingham Brush Nature Reserve, part of the last 10 hectares of sub-tropical flood plain rainforest in New South Wales. Giant Moreton Bay figs dominate the Brush along with the grey-headed flying foxes; the Brush is a roosting and maternity site for the flying foxes. There are also over 100 species of birds and many native marsupials.

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