Beez Neez now Chy Whella

Yamba Bimble

Big Bear and Pepe Millard

Fri 15 Apr 2016 22:27

Yamba Bimble

John, Will, Tori and Judy.

We left the ferry on the Yamba side of the Clarence River and as we stood deciding whether to go left or right a lady we had chatted to on the ferry came over. Judy asked if we would like a lift to the top of the hill, she would show us the local beauty spots. Such wonderful kindness. Off we went with grandchildren Will and Tori (Victoria). Along the way I was taught ‘Spotto’. If you see a yellow car you arm thump the person on the you are playing with and call ‘Spotto’. Well done Will and Tori for handling the ferry so professionally and teaching me a great game I can officially and legitimately hit Bear with.........

At the top of the hill we had a wonderful view across the main beach..........

.......... to Yamba Lighthouse.

Then Judy took us past the museum to the lighthouse itself. “Would you like a cup of tea”. John welcomed Judy’s strays with a big smile. We sat and chatted for a while. Judy and John were housesitting for friends for a couple of days whilst workmen did their stuff. They live further north in a stunningly beautiful area.

The view over Yamba from the verandah. A smashing cup of tea and a delicious bun that had been made by Tori. We said our ‘thank you’ and headed toward the lighthouse. The population of Yamba is around five and a half thousand but this can triple in the high season. We saw visitors but no crowds.

As we left I was rather taken with what I thought was a rather handsome flower. “No its a weed”. Oh. Later we looked it up the Dutchman’s Pipe is a real baddie. A pest weed in Queensland, this is what they say about it.

Native to South America and the West Indies, Dutchman's pipe is a fast-growing vine that has been widely promoted as an unusual, easily cultivated ornamental plant.

Dutchman's pipe looks similar to native plants that are used by native butterflies for feeding and egg-laying. However, it is poisonous to butterfly larvae that hatch and feed on its leaves. The survival of the rare Richmond birdwing butterfly Ornithoptera richmondia is threatened by Dutchman's pipe.

Dutchman's pipe has naturalised in parts of Queensland and New South Wales.

Declaration details:

· This is a declared Class 3 species under the Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002.

· Supply or sale is prohibited.

· Landholders may be issued a pest control notice to control a Class 3 pest if the pest is causing or likely to cause a negative impact on an environmentally significant area.

A driftwood picture, not only a great piece of art on the side of a house but a good way to deal with clearing the beach. A little lady hopped by, her chap not too far away.

We walked past another view of the Yamba entrance. There was a sign at the start of the beach path – shark warning – a first for us. The view to the right.

We enjoyed our picnic by Yamba Lighthouse.

Beyond the lighthouse, we stood and looked from Pilot Hill Lookout and watched Pied a Mer III leaving for the north.

At the edge of the path was an information board. The Creation of the Clarence River: The Clarence River has great importance to the local Goorle (Aboriginal) people. This mythological story relates to the creation of the Big River and it surrounds.

In the dreamtime there was a small stream that flowed into the sea at Yamba. Out of a water-hole at Grafton a giant eel appeared and started to slowly swim its way down towards Yamba. As it moved its huge body it began to push back the banks of the small stream, making the stream follow its winding path as it made its way to Yamba. When the eel reached Yamba at the mouth of a small creek that is now the Clarence River, it turned around because the water there was too salty. The eel went back up the river, but this time it traveled up the north bank past Goodwood and Chatsworth Islands before returning to the main river. Then it proceeded up the south arm of Woodford Island and back to Grafton to its own waterhole.

It is said that this giant eel from the Dreamtime formed Goodwood, Chatsworth and Woodford Islands on its way back from the point where the Grafton bridge now stands. Story by Local Aboriginal Elder Mrs. Della Walker.

The Yaegl People are the traditional custodians of the coastal areas around Yamba, Iluka and Maclean, having lived here for 60,000 years. Yaegl country covers a relatively small area due to plentiful resources both from the ocean and the Clarence River that could support a larger population. For the same reason, the Yaegl people were also less nomadic, moving less frequently between a few main camps. Other groups did visit and they travelled great distances to other regions, including southern Queensland, for ceremonial and other special events. The first white man they saw was Matthew Flinders in 1799.

A nearby tree had a plaque to Sheryl, known as “Dick”.

“Dick” has a lovely view over the bay near the sea going breakwater channel.

Main Beach to our right.

We walked back to Yamba Museum but sadly, closed today. What can I see on the front porch ???

There was a lovely story outside about the building.

This building was once the Yamba Presbyterian Church. Built in 1921, it was previously located on Wooli Street, north-west of Yamba Street, until its deconsecration in 1999. Until the property was sold, the building had been continually for worship and, as one of the few churches in Yamba, it was an integral part of the town’s social and cultural fabric through most of the last century. It was the venue for many ceremonies including local weddings and funerals.

At times during its eighty eight year history, the building was also the meeting place for other denominations and community groups. The new owners, Dougherty Bros, donated the building to the Port of Yamba Historical Society and relocated it to the museum precinct on the 11th of May 2009.

Refurbishment in its present location was possible by the Australian Federal Government under the Regional Infrastructure Program. Work was completed in September 2009, and the building was opened for its new role as a community exhibition, cultural and celebration space on the 12th of November 2009, By Peter Ellem on behalf of Janelle Saffin MP, Member for Page.

Of course we had to check in with the Wise Owl.

Not quite sure what he’s doing here and not on a boat. He’s having his Easter holidays I suspect. Oh.

We left the museum and bimbled toward town. On the opposite side of the rad was a caravan for sale – a 1980 Millard. Us Millard's hold their value you see. I said nothing but couldn’t stifle a giggle..........

A lone ibis went about his business as we walked past the children's play park – cricket ground beyond. Then a really cute little Fire Station.

On a crossroads along the High Street we saw an information board with fascinating a picture. Yamba’s First Surfboard Rider: Tommy Walker is recognised as a surfing pioneer and legend, being the first Australian to ride the waves at Manly Beach, Sydney and Main Beach, Yamba.

At age 18 Tommy became a seaman on the Sydney wharves. He visited Hawaii in 1908 and had a 14-foot Hawaiian Redwood surfboard custom-built for him by the father of modern surfing, “Duke” Kahanamoku, which Tommy brought back and surfed for the first time at Manly Beach in 1909.

It was during the summer of 1911-12 that Maclean photographer and Yamba Surf Club member Osric Notley captured Tommy in a stand up position riding a wave.

It is now established that Tommy was in fact the very first surfboard rider in Australia, as it wasn’t until the summer of 1914 – 1915 that ‘The Duke’ visited Australia for the first time. Local newspaper reports favourably compared Walker’s surfboard prowess to that of the Duke’s during his visit.

Tommy was often billed as the headline act on New Year’s Day surf carnival programs at Manly, Freshwater and Yamba, where he would demonstrate the sport of “shooting the waves” and his famous surfing headstands.

Tommy was an early member of both Manly Surf Saving Club, where he was one-time surfboard champion, and then the Yamba Surf Life Saving Brigade.

We popped in for a few bananas and couldn’t resist a scoop of ice cream. Huge. I didn’t make it to the bench outside before I was dribbing – love that word, coffee and whole almond down my fingers. I nipped back for a plastic cup and got Bear, busy with his rum and raisin, to hold the beast whilst I de-stickied myself.