Photography by Anna Pihan. There is a certain timelessness about Yamba, a seaside town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Its ageless beauty is preserved, in part, by the people who know the place best. Consider the charming Yamba Cinema, perched on steep Coldstream Street. Its blue and yellow frontage is weathered, but a “$3 CHOC TOP” sign signals that it is still very much in operation. Despite the installation of plush new seats, little has changed since the cinema’s establishment in 1980 by Merv and Elaine Cousemacker. This is likely because it has been safely passed down to their daughter Debbie McCredie. Just outside Yamba is another linchpin of the community: Angourie Cafe & Wine Bar, which was founded by Angie Williams, who grew up on the same street (it’s now owned by Simon McLean, who grew up on the street behind it). The classic weatherboard place offers more than meals; it’s a gathering spot for live music, trivia and comedy.
Even Yamba’s trendier venues display a refreshing lack of pretension. Paradiso, an Asian-inspired restaurant and bar, introduces locals to cocktails with novel ingredients and seafood dressed in spices. Its owner is Jesse Williams, who happens to be Angie Williams’s brother — an illustration of the deep community ties within Yamba’s hospitality scene.
Il Delfino, the town’s new seaside inn, follows a similar narrative. It’s owned by Sheree Commerford, a fashion stylist, designer and founder of the creative agency Canvs. The inn tells the story of Commerford’s lifelong connection to the region. Raised on a cane farm in Clarence Valley, she spent her childhood trekking along the foreshore to Lover’s Point and her young adulthood gazing out at the Pacific through the windows of the pub. Her love for the ocean and the place is huge.
Commerford’s parents were also born in the area. “I look at pictures of them camping and fishing and spending their holidays near the site where Il Delfino now stands, and there weren’t any houses around, which feels so surreal,” she says. Before it was Il Delfino, the oceanfront site was a holiday apartment complex called Seascape, built in 1948. In her 20s and 30s, Commerford lived in Sydney and around the world, but would visit Seascape with friends during time off. On her 30th birthday, sitting on the terrace looking out at the ocean so familiar from her youth, Commerford imagined what it might be like to own the place. This prompted a conversation with the then longtime owner, a close family friend of the Commerfords. Over a cup of tea, the parties agreed that it was best for the property to remain in the hands of a local. In 2021, Commerford, with her partner, Sam Elsom, a climate solutions entrepreneur, and their children, Sugar and Captain, took over ownership, and Il Delfino was born.
The name, Italian for “dolphin”, pays homage to the playful pods frequently seen along Yamba’s shoreline. This marine motif extends to the property’s logo, which also features a mermaid. The concept was inspired by the Nereids of ancient Greek mythology: sea nymphs residing in the Mediterranean Sea. Known for their affinity with marine life, particularly dolphins, they were believed to be guardians of the sea. “The Nereids were protectors of fishermen and sailors — and now, the visitors of Il Delfino,” Commerford says. The Nereid-inspired mermaid is among the original murals painted by Heidi Middleton, a fashion designer turned artist, in each of Il Delfino’s five suites. “Heidi has been with me since the beginning,” Commerford says. “She understands this place better than anyone, creating artworks that resonate with its environment and feeling.”
Il Delfino opened in May, with a Mediterranean-inspired renovation that reflects its philosophy. Each of the suites — three with two bedrooms, one single-bedder and a standalone bungalow — are named after Italian locales: Portofino, Ischia, Scopello, Ravello and Cinque Terre. The Mediterranean theme is woven into the interiors through elements like the shell wall sconces — a collaboration between the object and lighting designer Monique Robinson and the ceramist Lisa Lapointe — and vintage 1970s European sculptures sourced from second-hand stores.
Most original architectural elements remain intact, down to the windows and doors, preserving the site’s storied past and connecting returning guests with their memories of the place. These nostalgic points extend to the old-fashioned shared laundry and the retro-look kitchens (each suite has one), with Smeg appliances and pendant lights.
“I keep telling people that this is not a fancy hotel,” Commerford says. “The philosophy is it being derived from it being an old-school guesthouse, and we have tried to preserve that. We want people to get to know their neighbours and the town when they visit — an experience that is personalised.”
Experiences abound here, whether it’s a chance sighting of whales from your private balcony during winter or an ordered-in breakfast on the terrace in summer. “At its core, it’s a community-oriented business,” Commerford says. “And we want it to feel like that.”
The inn taps local chefs to conjure “Italian feasts” for visitors, or, if guests have had a long trip, an in-house massage can be arranged. “We want to make their time here special,” Commerford says. Washing off the sea salt under the outdoor shower, a view of the ocean framed by bougainvillea dancing in the breeze, Il Delfino isn’t just special, it’s spectacular.
