What did Yamba rank in top Aussie towns?

Rodney Stevens

As the population of the Lower Clarence grows, so does the nation’s fondness for Yamba, with travel app Wotif naming the paradise at the mouth of the Clarence River in the top 10 in the Wotif 2025 Aussie Town of the Year Awards.

Yamba gained national prominence in 2009, when it was named the Best Town in Australia by a panel of tourism and travel experts in a survey conducted by Australian Traveller Magazine.

In the 2023 NSW Top Town Awards, Yamba was a finalist in the Top Tourist Town with a population greater than 5000 people.

In December 2024, Yamba was named as one of the 10 best Australian destinations that Time Out Magazine’s editors travelled to in 2024.

The Wotif Aussie Town of the Year Awards recognise trending Aussie destinations for the year ahead and are based on the Wotif data index that looks at accommodation affordability, quality, and traveller satisfaction.

Wotif travel expert Rebecca Hurley said this was the eighth year of the Aussie Town of the Year Awards.

“Aussie Town of the Year is about celebrating the destinations and world class travel experiences in our own backyard,” she said.

“From Cairns to Port Campbell, and Mandurah in the west, Aussies are spoilt for choice and by all accounts, 2025 promises to be a positive year for domestic travel.

“We know value for money will continue to be important in 2025 and this year’s top ten destinations offer affordable accommodation options, with an average daily rate on Wotif between $175 and $300 per night.

“With Easter and the school holidays just around the corner, now is the perfect time to lock in a short break.”

This is how Wotif described Yamba.

“At the mouth of the Clarence River on the North Coast of NSW, Yamba is a nostalgic beach town surrounded by national parks, pristine beaches and top surf spots.

“Whether you want to surf at Main Beach, visit the Yamba markets, kayak the Clarence River, or relax in the region’s first (and new) bathhouse, there is something for everyone.”

New research by Wotif in collaboration with YouGov revealed that 78 per-cent of Australians plan to travel domestically this year, which is an increase of 9 per-cent on 2024 figures.

The Wotif 2025 Aussie Town of the Year top 10