clarence river

Arguably the best river in Australia, the Clarence is a mighty waterway that provides for every imaginable activity from fishing to sailing, from water skiing to scenic drives along its riverbanks.The City of Grafton and numerous smaller towns and villages such as Maclean, Ulmarra, Larence and Yamba/Iluka, are to be found straddling its course or dotted here and there along its banks. It's history is one of romance and bustling trade, but its contemporary appeal draws visitors from near and far to marvel at the natural beauty of this outstanding riverine environment.And the leisurely pace of life in the Clarence valley is infectious, meaning there's always time to enjoy a slow coffee at one of the splendid cafes that abound along it shores.Visit the Clarence. It's a river that delivers. Big time!

One of the better rivers on the drive north and quite a few activities for those who want a break on the drive. Lots of options for activities, cafes and accommodation.

This is a great and different place to stay. We were made most welcome by our hosts who cooked a wonderful dinner. We relaxed over wine and nibbles before dinner. We opted for a home cooked meal and wine and sat around the dinning table with our hosts discussing all sorts of subjects from art to books and records. A most enjoyable evening was had by all.

The Shed is a gorgeous restaurant in Maclean with starched linen napkins and the most delicious Yamba prawn dish I have ever had. Eric is a wonderful chef and delightfully entertaining host. A'must try'

The Clarence is a maize of river, with creeks & streams to explore. Known for fishing & prawning as well as the Bridge to Bridge race. Water skiing, boating or hire a house boat. Moor at various villages along your travels & call into some of the pubs for a bite.

Wonderful river system, full of bream and had the pleasure of watching a pod of dolphins including babies fishing no more than 20 metres from the shore. Amazing.

nice place to stop and stretch your legs on a long drive. didn't throw in a line but others were but no luck for them while we sat there.

Nothing special, nothing of any real scenic glamour. Now need to use up 50 characters to submit this feedback.

The Clarence River is known locally as the Big River and the name is appropriate. It can be enjoyed along all of its length, so if in the area, spend some time on it or next to it. A great place to be if you enjoy fishing, boating or kayaking or simply like sitting sipping on a refreshment while overlooking a magnificent river. You will also find many cafes and restaurants in towns and villages along its length, places where you can just sit back and relax while taking in the scenery. On a sunny day, sitting eating fish and chips in one of the many riverside parks is also time well spent.The river supports quite a fishing fleet, including trawlers based as far up river as Mclean.If you have time, get off the highway and follow one of the roads that skirts the river and absorb the country atmosphere.

We spent a few days staying in Yamba and tried a few fishing spots and also had an afternoon kneeboarding off a secluded beachThe river offers tremendous variety including open waters, mangrove, fast flowing tidal and sleepy backwater. We fished several spots close to the mouth on the advice of the tackle shop in Yamba all produced nothing.On the recommendation of Paul at Maclean bait and tackle we also put the boat it at the ramp in Maclean. The ramp near the Police station was ok but parking is not obvious ( round the corner) and is very limited so check you can park before putting your boat in. As soon as you hit the water there are great little spots that Paul directed us to - the sounder was showing fish everywhere. Paul had directed us to a couple of spots to get livies from which delivered more than we could want. Back up river some of the spots got us onto some good bites, landed a few but lost at least as many in snags on the river bed so - be ready!All in allnthe river is beautiful, for the family and recreation the mouth area is great and it's easy to fing a sheltered spot, but for fishing there was far more action up river near Maclean.