In 1914 the population of Yamba was about 500 including children, living in 70 or more houses in the town. Between the two world wars (1914-1945) the tourism industry was booming in the town and many facilities were constructed to cater for this. The permanent population swelled three times or more during holiday periods. This publication attempts to record the development during that period with brief references to former years.

Many of the important buildings established prior to World War One were further developed and upgraded to cater for the increasing population and visitors. More stores and boarding houses were constructed on the Flat and the Hill.

The residents of the town were very proactive during both world wars, offering support and encouragement for local enlistees and associated charities, both at home and overseas.

The fishing and oyster industries that had commenced in the late 1800s were important in the local economy with products being exported to Sydney. A large fleet of trawlers ventured out to sea almost daily. It was not until the 1920s that natural oysters were replaced by tray cultivation in the Clarence River.

In the 1920s there was a threat that the town would be engulfed by a drift of sand from the southern beaches. It was only through the work of William Ager that the town was saved and allowed to develop further. By 1923 the population of Yamba was 645 with 121 occupied residences and 87 unoccupied in the town.

The formation of the Yamba Urban Area Committee (YUAC) in 1930 as a sub-group of Harwood Shire Council (HSC) was a major step forward as this group was totally dedicated to the development of Yamba. It carried out numerous improvements such as street lighting, the formation and drainage of streets and lanes, the development of Ford Park Camping Ground (which cleared the streets of campers), sporting venues as well as the provision of a reticulated water supply.

Motor transport to Grafton progressed from horse and cart to motorised vehicles and finally buses to cater for the increased demand by tourists and residents.

The age of the riverboats on the Clarence finally ended in 1941 after decades of memorable trips by pleasure seekers from upriver to Yamba. The riverboats were the life blood of the river as regards passengers and freight. The development of the Clarence River as a deep seaport was ongoing but failed to reach a conclusion.

Sand mining for minerals began on the beaches adjacent to the township at Miner’s Beach, just south of Pippi Beach, in the 1930s and extended to Angourie Back Beach. TAMCo produced 370 tonnes of mixed (zircon-rutile-ilmenite) concentrates from Yamba in 1935.

Angourie was first settled in 1890 when rock was mined and transported by rail for construction of the middle wall in the Clarence River. It was not until 1917 that the Village of Angourie Point was established and, from very slow beginnings, became a popular holiday destination.

By 1947 the permanent population of Yamba was 815.

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