A letter to the Editor of the Clarence and Richmond Examiner written by Hermann Rieck, describing changes to the area after his arrival in 1880, included the following paragraphs:

But how have things altered now, after the last ten years on our coast! We used to travel (about the year 1880) along the sandy beach until the rocks of headlands blocked this convenient progress. Then one had to torment himself by making way up slantways to the mountain spur, and arrived at the top - to find a convenient grade amongst logs and craggs sideways down the beach further on. If you unhappily should determine upon some comfortable track, it certainly would turn out to be a cedar track, and guide you to sylvan solitudes hard to get out of. There was, then, not a single selector to ask about the road all along the 85 miles of knotty road which then led from Ulmarra, via Pillar Valley, Bahgungary, Corinda, Woolgoolga and Coff's Harbour, to Fern-mount on the Bellinger. The few named stations used seldom to be inhabited by white men, and we found them sometimes in charge of old blacks, and often quite empty. To-day there are numerous roads leading towards Coff's Harbour.

1. Corinda road-from Coff's Harbour to Grafton, via Woolgoolga and Glenugie.

2. Bucca Creek road, via Sharp's and Glenreagh stations, to Grafton.

3. Road to Upper Orara, Nana Creek, to Grafton. 4. Road to Bellinger River (Raleigh, Fernmount, Boat Harbour) via Bungil and Beuambee Creeks.

These roads in the present dry season, are in best condition ; but it must be stated that in wet times, as we had them lately, our rich lands on the Orara, Bungil, Beauambee and Bucca Creeks are not fit for roads of the general description of the Australian country make. The hard pipeclay flats had always splendid roads, also the tops of high dry spurs, but those road parts leading through our rich flats and slopes of brush land were in the last wet season knee deep, "pug gutters" in the boldest meaning of this expression.

When, ten years ago, the writer of these lines made up his mind to settle in the midst of this lovely wilderness, it was not only the loveliness; not the great richness of soil and adaptedness for sugar cane, bananas, &c.; not only the most healthful, moderate, moist temperature, without the extremities of frost and heat ; but it was also, and to a great extent, the vicinity of this Coff's Harbour, where just then a brig was anchoring, taking in a cargo of cedar for Messrs. Bradley and Carroll Bros., which made me decide to drop anchor. In that time no farming was done here, and the only population cosisted of cedar getters and black fellows, the latter as savage looking as they were entirely harmless and friendly ; walking about with boomerang, elamang and spears, and living on yams, grubs and bush fish, and on the "sugar bag " (honey) which they used to gather by bucketfuls from hollow trees. The blacks have almost entirely disappeared, and at present the wide lands are densely dotted with bark-covered slab huts, as well as iron and shingle-covered ones. You hear not only the dreary concertina at the homesteads of the numerous batchelors of all ages, but also the melodious tinckle of the pianos. And see the neat appearances of housewives, babies and staunch and lovely little larrikins and lassies.

Progress at Coff's Harbour and its Back Country. (1890, December 20). Clarence and Richmond Examiner (Grafton, NSW : 1889 - 1915), p. 3.