Best Beaches, Australia Edition

Finding the best beaches in Australia seems like a much easier task than it actually is. The mainland alone has about 35,900 kilometres of coastline, and once you throw in Tasmania and the islands, that figure swells to nearly 59,700 kilometres. That’s enough to wrap around the equator one and a half times.

This is a nation hopelessly in love with the coast - almost nine in ten Australians live within 50 kilometres of the coast. If you stretch that radius to 100 kilometres it jumps to almost everyone - about 95 per cent of the country's population.

Then there are the beaches themselves: somewhere around 12,000 of them (though counts wobble between 8,000 and 15,000 depending on who you ask).

Visit one new beach every single day and it would take you 32 years and two months. Slow down to a weekly pace and you’re looking at nearly three centuries. With that scale of choice you'd be hard pressed to find two people who agree on the best beaches in Australia.

Instead, this guide takes you to the most famous beaches in Australia, the stretches of sand that define the coastline, known for their waves, wildlife, and natural wonders.

Bondi, it’s Australia’s most famous slice of sand. Aussie lifesaving clubs were born here in 1907, and the beach has seen everything from mass baptisms to Hollywood film shoots. The 'Backpackers’ Rip' keeps surf lifesavers on their megaphones, and the Icebergs pool has seen tough old boys swimming through winters since 1929.

Weekends bring the iconic Bondi Markets and a steady stream of festivals, from Sculpture by the Sea in spring to surf comps that turn the promenade into stadium seating. The Bondi to Coogee walk is a coastal classic, winding past sandstone cliffs, pocket beaches and sea-sprayed lookouts. The heritage-listed pavilion (once a 1920s changing shed, later a ballroom) hosts galleries, theatre and, a very good coffee after your swim.

Backpackers with rolled-up sleeping mats, fitness influencers pounding the sand at sunrise, and old-school locals still swimming their daily laps. It’s Sydney at its most sociable, a beach that has grown from working-class suburb to international icon without losing its everyday buzz.

"Seven miles from Sydney and a thousand miles from care” was the slogan for Manly Beach in the 1940s, and it still holds true.

A 30-minute ferry ride across the harbour is half the fun, delivering you to a tree-lined promenade of beach volleyball, surf schools, snorkelling at Shelly Beach, and the heritage-listed Fairy Bower rock pool. Families love the safe swimming zones, while foodies flock to the foreshore resturants or the craft breweries that dot the backstreets.

Locals brag that this is where surfing was first introduced to Australia in 1915, courtesy of Hawaiian legend Duke Kahanamoku.

Once a hardscrabble steel town, Newcastle has swapped hard hats for surfboards. Its city beach is framed by the Art Deco Newcastle Ocean Baths, the beautiful Bathers Way coastal walk, and waves that consistently rank in the top tier of Aussie surf competitions.

Dolphins are regulars here, sometimes catching waves alongside humans, making it one of the best beach towns in New South Wales.

For post-beach refuelling, Merewether Surfhouse and the cafés along Hunter and Darby Streets do a strong trade in flat whites and craft beer.

The Guinness Book once declared Hyams to have the whitest sand in the world, and while that’s now debated, it’s certainly blinding enough to require sunglasses. The fine quartz sand squeaks underfoot and contrasts with the protected waters of Jervis Bay, making it a favourite for families and snorkellers.

The village is tiny - one good café and a general store - but that only adds to its low-key charm. Early morning walks often reward you with kangaroos grazing near the dunes.

Arguably the most photogenic beach in Australia, Whitehaven's sand is the biggest contender for Hyams' with 98% silica sand that never burns your soles. Hill Inlet, at the northern end, twists tides into painterly blue and white patterns that shift hourly.

Arrive by boat, but don’t expect kiosks or bars - this is a protected national park, which means pack your own picnic. Sea turtles nest along the shore, and the waters are patrolled by rays and reef fish. It’s impossibly pristine.

Despite extreme popularity Noosa still walks the line between luxury and laid-back charm. Its north-facing orientation keeps surf gentle, ideal for beginners. At the same time, the annual Noosa Festival of Surfing draws longboarders from around the globe.

Hastings Street, directly behind the beach, offers gelato shops, designer boutiques and bars serving oysters and Aperol spritz. Nearby Noosa National Park shows off with koalas, coastal trails and secluded coves. This is the Sunshine Coast at its prettiest and most polished.

Once Bondi's biggest competitor for most famous beach in the country, Surfers is still the picture of the Australian ideal. A three-kilometre stretch framed by skyscrapers and neon, this is where surf culture collided with big tourism.

Lifesavers patrol daily, the sand is broad and flat, and the surf is reliable. Step off the beach and you’re in a world of arcades, rooftop bars, and theme-park energy. It’s brash, busy, but iconic and for many international visitors, their first real taste of Australia’s beach culture.

Darwin’s Mindil Beach may be less about swimming (unless dodging crocodiles and box jellyfish sounds like your idea of a good time) and more about spectacle.

The Mindil Beach Sunset Market, running April to October, pulls in thousands with laksa stalls, Aboriginal art, and live didgeridoo performances against a crimson sunset. Locals spread out rugs, crack open BYO drinks and make an evening of it. The sand is stage, the market is show, and the vibe is pure Darwin.

Twenty-two kilometres of golden sand stretch into Broome’s horizon, where camels plod the tideline at sunset, a tradition started in the 1980s. The Indian Ocean here serves up turquoise water and fiery skies, best enjoyed with a cold Matso’s ginger beer in hand.

At low tide, you can even glimpse dinosaur footprints fossilised in the rocks, dating back 130 million years. The dry season (April to October) is the sweet spot, when stingers vanish and sunsets look like brushstrokes.

For Perth locals, summer means "meet you at Cott". The heritage-listed Indiana Tea House dominates the foreshore, and the offshore pylon is an unofficial rite of passage for teenage divers.

Families spread out on the grassy terraces, and every March the annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition transforms the sand into an open-air gallery. With trains running directly from the CBD, Cottesloe is one of Australia’s most accessible and best-loved iconic beaches.

If surfing has a cathedral, it’s here. Bells has hosted the Rip Curl Pro since 1961, making it the world’s longest-running surf contest.

The sandstone cliffs create a natural amphitheatre where spectators watch legends tackle powerful Southern Ocean swells. Off-season, the vibe is quieter: rugged walks along the Great Ocean Road, whale sightings from May to October, and small coastal towns like Torquay offering craft beer and surf museums.

This is the beach that turned surfing from pastime into religion.

This Tasmanian wonder is a stretch of 50 kilometres, named by Captain Tobias Furneaux in 1773 after seeing Aboriginal campfires along the coast. The orange lichen-covered boulders glow against turquoise waters, creating a landscape that looks painted by a colour-blind artist.

Birdwatchers love it for sea eagles and oyster catchers, while kayakers can paddle into lagoons so still they reflect the sky.

With few cafés or bars, this is more BYO esky territory, although nearby St Helens dishes up fresh Tasmanian seafood for post-beach indulgence.

The best beaches to visit in Australia include Bondi Beach for its culture, Whitehaven Beach for pristine sand, Bells Beach for surf heritage, Bay of Fires for raw beauty, and Cable Beach for dinosaur footprints and camel trains. Together they show the staggering range of what “a day at the beach” means in Australia.

Hyams Beach in New South Wales is often said to have the whitest sand in the world. The quartz grains are so fine they squeak when you walk, and they reflect so much light you’ll want sunnies even on a cloudy day. Whether or not Guinness still keeps the crown, Hyams has become a pilgrimage spot for sand-seekers.

Mostly, yes - if you use common sense. About 300 surf lifesaving clubs patrol popular Australian beaches, and swimming between the red and yellow flags is the golden rule. Still, rips are responsible for more deaths each year than sharks, so never underestimate them. In northern Australia, stinger nets and warnings about crocs exist for good reason. Stick to patrolled areas and you’ll be fine.

The best time of year to visit Australian beaches depends on the postcode. In the north (Darwin, Broome, Cairns), the dry season April–October offers perfect conditions. In the south (Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmania), December–March is prime time. And in Western Australia, spring (September–November) brings wildflowers to the dunes and comfortable water temps. With a coastline this long, there’s always somewhere in season.

Australia has many beaches that are ideal for families with children. Noosa Beach's gentle north-facing waves and ice-cream-fuelled Hastings Street are family heaven. Cottesloe Beach's grassy terraces double as picnic space. Bondi Beach has playgrounds, patrolled zones, and easy transport. For quieter escapes, Hyams Beach and Whitehaven Beach offer shallow, protected waters.

Bondi, Whitehaven, and Surfers Paradise are the global poster children when it comes to famous Australian beaches. But fame has siblings: Bells Beach is legendary among surfers, and Bay of Fires recently topped Tourism Australia’s “Best Beach” list. For wildcard fame, Western Australia’s Turquoise Bay often lands in the world’s top ten, thanks to its snorkelling drift that lets you float above coral gardens without lifting a fin.

Bells Beach in Victoria is the holy grail for surfing in Australia and has been home to the Rip Curl Pro since 1961. But it’s far from the only contender. Sydney’s northern beaches, Margaret River in Western Australia, and Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast all rank highly as top surf beaches in Australia. For a full breakdown of breaks, boards, and bragging rights, read this guide to Australia’s best surf spots.