Yamba Museum has displays and collections on the evidence of the settlement of Yamba and its maritime history.
The history of Yamba is diverse and the collection highlights this diversity. It has a telescope that belonged to Francis Freeburn, a pioneer of Yamba and its first maritime pilot.
Francis Freeburn was appointed in 1854 to steer ships safely in and out of the river at Yamba. Using two four-oared whaleboats, Francis Freeburn guided schooners, brigs and barques to cross in or out of the river.
By the late 1800s, the whaleboats were replaced with steam powered vessels.
The Yaegl People were the traditional custodians of Yamba and the surrounding areas along the Clarence River, including Iluka and Maclean, for 60,000 years. The area is small because of the bountiful resources given by the ocean and river, there was little need to travel far to support a larger population.
Yaegl People were less nomadic and moved less frequently, although they would travel great distances to other regions for ceremonials and gatherings.
Yaegl People were displaced when white settlers came to Yamba. Displacement was not planned but the effect happened and the traditional way of life disappeared. In 1904, the Aboriginal Protection Board set up a reserve on Ulgundahi Island, an island in Clarence River near Maclean.
Yamba as a town was proclaimed in 1864. The Clarence River was the main means of access and limited the towns growth. Once the railway reached Grafton and Yamba Road was started to be sealed, the town began to develop as a tourist destination.
The appearance of motels and holiday apartments started to replace guest houses and caravan parks established with camping becoming popular in the 1960s.
Fishing and oyster beds were important industries from the late 1800s, prawn trawling was pioneered in the 1940s.
Note: The museum was closed when we were there so the information shown is from the museum’s website.
