Located at the southern end of the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, the picturesque Clarence Valley is an area with stunning landscapes, pristine rainforests and quaint country towns. It is a 130km drive south along the Pacific Highway from the seaside holiday town of Ballina, to the city of Grafton, which is the heart of the Clarence Valley area. A driving tour of the Northern New South Wales coast in one a car hire Australia would not be complete without a stop at one of the quaint towns in this area. Whether you plan on staying awhile or are simply passing through there are many activities to enjoy and attractions to visit.

The Clarence Valley stretches from Iluka and Yamba in the north to Wooli in the south and west to Grafton. At the heart of the Clarence Valley is the Clarence River. Over 400km from source to sea, the Clarence is one of Australia's largest waterways. Before development of the road network the river was the main trade route and it is still a vital part of the area's identity. These days the road networks are vast, interconnected and well maintained, so that a driving tour in a car hire vehicle is an absolute joy.

The mighty Clarence River is central to many of the events and festivals held in the area throughout the year. It is also a used extensively for recreation both by locals and by visitors to the area. Active types enjoy white water rafting, canoeing, and kayaking. A more leisurely way to enjoy the river is to take a cruise, or hire a boat to travel at your own pace.

The area also offers a wide range of dry land activities including horse-riding, surfing lessons, water-skiing, abseiling, rock climbing, bush walking and bird watching. Sports fans will also appreciate the wide range of sporting clubs and facilities including basketball, cricket, tennis, hockey, squash, football, horse racing, rodeos, car rallies and speedway.

Grafton

The major city centre is the historic Grafton which can be reached easily in one of our car rentals from the Pacific Highway. Established in 1855 it is located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340km south of the scenic and sunny state capital Brisbane. It is known affectionately as the "Jacaranda City" in reference to the stately trees which line the streets and the annual Jacaranda Festival held in October/November. With its wide tree-lined streets Grafton has the feel of a genteel, old fashion town. Most of the year Grafton is a quiet, sleepy town; the main attraction is cruising on the river or visiting the numerous historic buildings.

Like many other towns in the region Grafton boomed with the arrival of the timber industry. Several beautiful heritage buildings in Grafton have received official recognition for their historical importance. 'Prentice House' built in 1880 is now the Regional Art Gallery and is rated as one of the better provincial galleries in Australia. Leading Australian artist Ken Done continues his connection with the Clarence Valley as one of the gallery's patrons. Grafton has a strong artistic community. It is home to numerous arts and crafts groups, commercial galleries, outlet stores and supply shops.

Grafton is a lovely, relaxed place to visit and makes an ideal base camp for exploration of the greater Clarence Valley area. The accommodation is plentiful and affordable and the roads are wide and well maintained which makes it a great place for visit for international travellers on a car rental holiday.

Yamba & Iluka

Located approximately 50 km north east of Grafton along the Pacific Highway are the twin towns of Yamba & Iluka. These two coastal towns sit on opposite sides of the mouth of the Clarence River. Just south of Yamba is the beautiful Yuraygir National Park which has a range of campsites which are surrounded by isolated beaches and placid lakes. If you are a fan of camping in pristine wilderness it doesn't get any better than Yuraygir National Park. Leave your car rental behind and immerse yourself in the rainforest way of life for a few days.

West of Grafton

If you have time to explore the area, the 160km drive west from Grafton to Glenn Innes passes through rugged and densely forested national parks of the Gibraltar Range and Walshpool. The Gibraltar Range is a plateau with towering granite outcrops intersected by deep gorges. There is a visitor's centre on the highway at Dandahra Picnic Area and a gravel road leads into the park. Inside the park you will find walking tracks, lookout points and waterfalls. Make sure you ring ahead before heading off in your car hire vehicle to make sure conditions in the park are safe for visitors.

Walshpool National Park is a remote wilderness park with rainforests that are worth visiting. The park contains picnic facilities, walks and camping at Coombadjha Creek.

Wooli

Wooli is a resort village bounded by the Wooli river to the west and Pacific Ocean to the east. The river and beach are highlights of the town and provide ideal swimming and fishing spots. The pristine waters of the Wooli river are reputed to be the most unpolluted in Australia. It flows entirely through National Park.

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