Evans Head: Coast, River and Stories

Evans Head combines coastal stretches with experiences on the river and insights into the town’s history. If you’d like to spend your holiday by the water, you’ll find a range of options: from surfing at Main Beach and activities on the Evans River to lookouts and nearby beaches. Museums are also part of the town’s character. When looking for a holiday rental in Evans Head, you can consider whether coast, river or culture should be the focus of your trip.

Coastline between surf beach and rocky shore

Evans Head Main Beach is sheltered from the large swells from the southeast, making it suitable for inexperienced surfers. At the same beach, the river estuary attracts plenty of marine wildlife; fishing from the beach is also possible there. Airforce Beach is a different stretch of coastline: it is 4.6 kilometres long, lies north of Main Beach in Evans Head and is in the Richmond Valley. Authorised four-wheel-drive vehicles can reach it via the designated access point on Terrace Street in Evans Head. If you plan to use this option, note that access is expressly intended for authorised four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Shark Bay is a small, sheltered beach south of the Evans River mouth and below Razorback Lookout. Here, you can swim or explore the rocky shoreline. The area is also suitable for picnics and barbecues by the river. There are different ways to enjoy the water: spend time on the beach, explore the rocky shore or take a break by the river. Razorback Lookout offers a different perspective. From there, you can take in the New South Wales coastline and the town of Evans Head; binoculars can be used for whale watching and views of the gentle hills inland.

On the Evans River and around the area

The Evans River is ideal for canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and boating. A walking track runs along its banks. At the southern end of the river, there are two boat ramps, fish-cleaning facilities and pontoon moorings. When deciding what to focus on during your holiday, you can choose between getting out on the water, walking along the riverbank and boating facilities.

Nearby, Chinamans Beach is bordered by the native bushland of Bundjalung National Park and Dirawong Reserve. A walking track leads downhill from the car park to the beach. Further walking tracks lead from Chinamans Beach to Goanna Headland. There, information boards explain its significance to Indigenous people. These tracks combine a visit to the beach with an appreciation of the landscape and cultural context, without requiring a visit to a museum.

Local history in two museums

The Evans Head Living Museum is located in Clarrie Kirkland Reserve on the banks of the Evans River. Its collection includes historical photographs, newspaper articles, Second World War memorabilia and other objects relating to the history of Evans Head. The Evans Head Heritage Aviation Museum is located at Evans Head Aerodrome. Its collection includes aircraft, training equipment and historical artefacts. The two museums have different focuses: one explores the town’s history, while the other focuses on aviation history. If you’d like to learn about local history as well as the beach and river, these collections can add a distinctive element to your trip.

What would you like your holiday to focus on?

When choosing a holiday rental or holiday house in Evans Head, you can start by using your preferred experiences as a guide. If you mainly want to be by the sea, you can consider the beaches and access to Airforce Beach as part of your travel plans. For a holiday with river activities, there’s also paddling, boating and the riverside walking track. Lookouts, coastal scenery and the museums’ collections add further options to this mix. What matters is which side of Evans Head you’d most like to discover during your stay.

You can also discover these places: Warren, Gumly Gumly, Pottsville, Seaforth, Neurea, Gemalla, Neutral Bay and Woollamia.

For the broader travel overview: New South Wales.