Best Australia Beaches

By | Last Updated:

The Best Australian Beaches...

  • 31. Meelup Beach // Western Australia

    Meelup Beach
    David Jones
    Great for:
    • Snorkeling
    • Swimming

    Meelup Beach is a 400m long strip of sand at the mouth of the Meelup Brook situated in a small and secluded valley inlet.

    Getting to Meelup Beach is easy as it is just 10 minutes from the small town of Dunsborough, however it can be busy. There is road access to the car park and a grassy picnic area with benches and BBQs right beside the beach with shady… read more »

  • 32. Swanbourne Beach // Western Australia

    Swanbourne Beach
    Mark Pegrum
    Great for:
    • Surfing

    Located roughly 20 minutes from Perth by road, Swanbourne North Beach is part of a long ribbon of soft white sand which stretches for 12 kilometres.

    One of only two officially-recognised nudist beaches in the Perth area, this clothing-optional section of the larger Swanbourne Beach can be found around 300 m north of the car park, where dunes 10-20 m high begin to form. The dunes are fenced off to protect… read more »

  • 33. Warnbro Beach // Western Australia

    Warnbro Beach
    Calistemon

    The white sands of Warnbro Beach arc for almost the entire 8.5 kilometre length of its bay. Pointing west towards The Sisters tree-topped offshore rocks, it lies on the Indian Ocean coast of Western Australia in the southern Port Kennedy suburb of Perth.

    A dog-friendly beach, there is a 900 metre section about midway which has also been designated a "Free Beach", making it one of just six officially-sanctioned read more »

  • 34. Coolum Beach // Sunshine Coast

    Coolum Beach
    Aerutopian
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Surfing

    The small, laidback beachside town of Coolum Beach is set towards the northern end of Queensland's Sunshine Coast. The name refers to both the town and the beach, but that's not a problem as pretty much everything about Coolum is geared towards the beach.

    There are actually a few beaches at Coolum Beach; the main beach and then, just around the headland, a trio of small bays. These are imaginatively named… read more »

  • 35. Dee Why Beach // New South Wales

    Dee Why Beach
    © Merbabu / CC BY
    Great for:
    • Swimming
    • Surfing

    Located in the heart of the Northern Beaches, Dee Why Beach is about 22 km from Sydney's CBD, just north of Curl Curl and south of Long Reef Point. The sandy 1.2km spit of beach backs onto the Dee Why Lagoon and Wildlife Refuge.

    Dee Why Beach has excellent facilities for families including an ocean swimming pool for safe swimming on the point, picnic areas and a special toddler play… read more »

  • 36. Nudey Beach // Queensland

    Nudey Beach

    Nudey beach is the archetypal tropical beach; pristine powder white sand, crystal clear azure water and coral reefs teaming with marine life. Behind is a verdant backdrop of rainforest containing Nutmeg, Tamarinds, Turpentine, Sheoak and Indian Beech whilst dotted along the beach are time-worn granite boulders which create the feeling of an ancient paradise.
    It isn't hard to see why Nudey beach has made it to the top spot on several surveys… read more »

  • 37. The Basin // Rottnest Island

    The Basin
    Brian Carlson
    Great for:
    • Family
    • Snorkeling
    • Swimming
    • Surfing

    Previously named Australia's top beach, an award not easy to come by in a country with 25,000 kilometres of coast, The Basin is just ten minutes from the main settlement of Thomson Bay.

    Edged by rocks and a fragile dune system, The Basin's sparkling sands slip into shallows that have long attracted swimmers, while its less-sheltered offshore reaches are a major attraction for surfers.

    At the peak of the surfing season, during… read more »

  • 38. Williamstown Beach // Victoria

    Williamstown Beach
    © DroneImagineNation
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Swimming

    Perhaps the best way of reaching genteel Williamstown Beach to appreciate its grandeur is by hiking along the Hobsons Bay Coastal Trail, although it's also possible to arrive via car or train. A broad, clean sweep of sand with views towards Port Phillip Bay, you won't be disappointed by the facilities, which include toilets, showers, sealed paths and several dining options.

    Tucked into areas of coastal reserve beside Williamstown botanic gardens,… read more »

  • 39. Hungry Beach // New South Wales

    Hungry Beach

    Hungry Beach gets its memorable name from a fisherman who took shelter in the cove for three days while waiting for a large shark to leave the area. I guess his overwhelming thought was hunger, hence the name. The area was historically known as a prolific fishing area for shark, turtle and mulloway.

    Hungry Beach is on the north side of Sydney in the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The densely vegetated… read more »

  • 40. Malabar Beach // New South Wales

    Malabar Beach
    © Adam.J.W.C. / CC BY
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Swimming
    • Surfing

    Malabar Beach is one of the less well-known beaches in the south of Sydney, not far from the airport. The name comes from one of two shipwrecks that lie in the bay: the MV Malabar, with the other being the the Goolwa.

    Facing southeast, Malabar Beach is enclosed by rocky headlands at either end with cliffs providing shelter from offshore winds. Generally it's ideal for all types of watersports as the… read more »

  • 41. Dreamtime Beach // New South Wales

    Dreamtime Beach
    © Daniel Pink / CC BY

    Sitting to the south of the little headland of Fingal Head, near the NSW/Queensland border, is the beautiful 5km stretch of golden sand known as Dreamtime Beach. The beach here is a different world to the busier, more developed Fingal beach on the other side of the scrubby headland with Tweed Heads and the Gold Coast beyond.

    The beach's name harks back to a time when the indigenous Minjungbal people laid… read more »

  • 42. Palm Beach // New South Wales

    Palm Beach
    © Alex Proimos / CC BY

    Palm beach sits on a narrow spit of land at the far end of Sydney's North Shore, roughly 40km from the city centre. The beach is overlooked by the imposing bulk of Barrenjoey Head to the north. It's well worth a climb to check out the lighthouse and take in the fantasic views back over the sands and beyond.

    "Palmy", as the beach is known locally, is really two beaches in one.… read more »

  • 43. Fraser Island // Queensland

    Fraser Island

    Situated just of the Queensland coast Fraser Island is considered the largest sand island in the world. Stretching around 120 km in length there is an awful lot of beach here, and very few people. In fact there is actually even more beach; Fraser island is dotted with large freshwater lakes all of which are fringed by the same beautiful white sand that is found along the coast.

    read more »
  • 44. Margaret River // Western Australia

    Margaret River
    © Chris Putnam / 123RF

    The beaches of Margaret River in Western Australia are not only beautiful but also home to some of Australia's biggest and best surf. Margaret River is not just one beach but a stretch of coast bursting with fantastic beaches. Whilst the backdrop varies from beach to beach you'll find white sand and turquoise waters the length of this coastline. As an added bonus, Margaret River is also a renown for… read more »

  • 45. Manly Beach // New South Wales

    Manly Beach
    © Enochlau / CC BY

    With a regular ferry running between downtown Sydney to the North Shore suburb of Manly it is no surprise that this long stretch of fine sand is as popular as ever. The town here is very much centred around the beach and this in turn attracts travellers from all over the globe who come here to soak up the sun, party and ride the world-famous waves. 

    Perhaps Manly beach's most iconic… read more »