Locals and tourists who visit Yamba Museum leave with a strong impression gained through the diverse displays of photographs, some of which pre-date white settlement of Yamba's township and its subsequent strong maritime history.

Yamba Museum's prominence was recognized in 2000 when it won the National Bank Community Cultural Award for the Matthew Flinders Bicentenary Community Celebrations.

Further recognition came in 2005 when it was one of only five regional towns selected to host Sydney Powerhouse Museum's travelling exhibition "Works Wonders". Similar exhibitions are developed annually by the Members.

The Clarence Valley Council Achievement Award was presented to the Society during the 2007 Australia Day Awards for their outstanding contribution to the community. 

Aborigines

Aboriginal tribes were the sole inhabitants of the Yamba region for about 60,000 years. The Yaegl tribe are the traditional custodians of the coastal areas around Yamba, Iluka and Maclean.

Matthew Flinders                        

Flinders came ashore at Shoal Bay in July 1799, just 11 years after Port Phillip was established. He took sightings from Pilot Hill, but it was not until the 1830s that it was realised that the Clarence River's entrance was nearby.

Of Interest

Objects - The replica model Norfolk

Sextant

Publication for Sale - Matthew Flinders and the Discovery of Shoal Bay

Francis Freeburn

Freeburn was appointed to take charge of the first Pilot Station in 1854 and was

to write his name in local history.

Of Interest

Photographs - Original Lighthouse and Pilot Station

Object - Francis Freeburn's original telescope 1860s

Publication for Sale - Francis Freeburn and His Family

The Breakwalls

The story of the construction of the Clarence Heads entrance works between 1862 and 1971 is a fascinating story of governments responding to demands by the local people for help in developing the river.

Of Interest

Photographs - Quarry Workers extracting and transporting the stone

Object - Relief map and illustrated chart depicting the three stages of construction

Township

Yamba town was officially gazetted in 1885 and with settlement, people and supplies moving in and out of the entrance meant that Clarence Heads with its dangerous bar assumed great commercial importance. This led to an influx of workers and the establishment of commercial enterprises needed to provide them with food, shelter and essential services.

Of Interest

Photographs - Pippie Beach that became a threat in the 1920's when the sand dunes became unstable because of pedestrian and cattle traffic and the prevailing winds blew the sand and threaten the township.

Publication for Sale - Yamba Yesterday

- Old Yamba Gazetteer

Surfing Beaches

From the earliest days thousands of people would come by Pullen's boats to surf and picnic. During school holidays Flinders Park and later Pilot Hill would become ‘tent cities' many of whose inhabitants were keen swimmers and surfers.

Board riding began in 1956 when American surfers brought so called Malibu surfboards to Australia.

Of Interest

Photographs - Early beach scenes

Objects - Malibu Surf Board

Early Swim Wear

Yamba Surf Life Saving Club

Formed in 1908 the Yamba Surf Life Saving Brigade as it was called then became the oldest club in country NSW. It has produced some outstanding surfer and beach event contenders, some of whom have represented the club at State, national and International levels.

Of Interest

Photographs - Early Clubhouse and Surf Carnivals

Objects - Early Club Costumes

Angourie

Angowrie/Angourie was a very small settlement until the quarry opened in the 1890s. Angourie was a ‘calico settlement'. The quarry closed but Angourie continued. Cabins were built and a small general store provided supplies in the 1940s and 1950s.

Angourie has developed as a world renowned surfing area and this promotion has seen the village develop in the present day exclusive tourist destination. Publication for Sale - Angourie Surfing Booklet

Riverboats

Yamba was an isolated outpost for the first 50 years of its existence because of poor accessibility by road. Life here on the Clarence might truly be called the Mississippi of Australia. People went shopping, visiting and fishing by river boats, sailing crafts transported timber, sea going paddlewheel and screw-driven steamers shared the waterways with boat-hauled trains of sugar cane barges, ferries, droghers, cream boats and mobile general stores.

Of Interest

Photographs - attest to the fate of many wrecks and the inevitable loss of lives

Objects

Model of the Corbago and Riverboat MV Mulgi

Bell, Binnacle and Helm saved from the wreck HMAS Waree

Publication for Sale - Riverboats of the Clarence

The Fishing Industry

In the early days the industry was hampered by weather, lack of transport and refrigeration to enable a fresh supply to reach the markets. Modernisations of fishing trawlers and equipment, new freezing methods and use of road transport have transformed the industry with many of the original fishing families still being involved.

Of Interest

Photographs - Early oyster leases

Objects - Collection of old fishing rods and reels

Publication for Sale - Fishing Industry Lower Clarence River

Sugar Cane Industry

Sugar cane growing has been an important industry here since the 1860s. The reason for the location of the industry here on the Lower Clarence was the fertile flats and the development of river transport taking the cane to the mills.

Of Interest

Photographs - sugar growing, harvesting, milling and transportation

Objects

Cane cutter's knife used for harvesting the cane

Wooden Shinstick - helpful tool when loading the cane onto the punts bound for the mills.

Australia Remembers

Australia Remembers is dedicated to the local men and women who fought and those who paid the supreme sacrifice World Wars I and II

Honour Rolls

New Testament with bullet hole that saved a life

The School Room

History shows the problems that early settlers had in providing education for their children. What happened in Yamba differed only in detail from the history of public education in other towns

Of Interest

Objects - Iron and Wooden School desks

Publications for Sale - Yamba School History

- History of Education