The Port of Yamba

Europeans settlement of the area did not begin until 1839 when cedar cutters arrived. The timber trade grew for many years despite the danger that ships faced in negotiating a reef of sunken rocks and a sandbar at the entrance to the river.

At the mouth of Clarence River were a bar and reef that endangered and delayed shipping, especially at low tide and in stormy weather. Also, because the river was very prone to flooding, the channel through the sand shoals across the entrance was constantly changing. What was needed was a stable channel that was deep enough and therefore safe enough for ocean going ships. Therefore the construction of Yamba Harbour took place.

The Port of Yamba has encountered many issues in concerns of the coastal management. The building of the Yamba Harbour has been of great concern. The construction of it has attracted many ships to its port with the shipping of goods. But although the shipping of goods benefits many people with jobs, it is also destroying the coast. The building of the harbour has moved the land itself. Islands have started to form and enlarge through the construction of the Harbour. Rabbit Island has deformed with parts simultaneously being added and removed.  Hickey Island has also drifted to form with Yamba. Ways to stop this from progressing anymore is to leave Yamba Port as it is and to not try to alter the harbour or the port anymore to make it more convenient for humans.

Yamba is also seen as an important industry for tourism. It has numerous surfing beaches including that of Whiting beach, Pipi Beach and Turners Beach.  Recreational fishing and boating are also popular activities for holiday- makers, as well as caravan and camping. Yamba’s success is indicated by a number of development proposals for some of the islands in the river. On Freeburn Island, for example, there are plans for a theme park, to be known as “Gilligan’s Nature Island”. Many homes and estates of which has access to the river have been built due to popular demand. The development of Yamba can be viewed as both positive and negative. The development of housing facilities too close to the water causing possible sand erosion at the beaches that so many have come to love and enjoy. A success story in this is that canal estates are now illegal in New South Wales.