19 Best Beaches in Australia You Must Visit

The ongoing battle for consensus on Australia’s best beaches is a debate without end and highlights Australia’s overabundance of sandy riches. With nearly 12,000 different stretches of beach to choose from, we have come up with a “debate starting" list of 19 of the best beaches in Australia.

Asking an Australian to pick their favourite beach is a bit like asking an Italian to choose their favourite pasta dish – they will name their regional classic but in reality, they love them all, and almost equally.

When Australians passionately argue about the exact location of our best beaches, we somewhat smugly know that of the nearly 12,000 beaches in Australia, 6,000 would be tourism icons in any other country – such is our luck.

Australian Traveller’s Quentin Long has compiled his ultimate list of the “three best beaches" per state – plus one for the NT – to reignite Australia’s best beaches debate.

NSW’s best beaches

1. Parsley Bay Beach, Sydney

The magnificent beaches of Sydney Harbour are often overshadowed by the bigger names of Bondi and Manly (although lifeguards at Bondi probably wish a few more backpackers would take to the calm waters of the harbour).

Vaucluse’s Parsley Bay Beach is spoken about in hushed tones by those in the know; a vain attempt to stop the word from getting out. The park, bushwalk and small protected beach are a hit with families. The cherry on top? The picturesque pedestrian suspension bridge, built in 1910, that connects both sides of the narrow inlet.

Parsley Bay beach walkway — This hidden gem is one of our favourite beaches. (Image: 24hourslayover.com )

2. Seven Mile Beach, Gerroa

Seven Mile beach is everything most of us want from a beach. At the northern end, under the dozey watch of Gerroa, you will find long languid gentle waves, the mouth of the Crooked River and a flat stretch of squeaky sand. For something different, grab a lilo and mosey down the river to the gentle beach break.

As you head south towards Shoalhaven Heads 12 kilometres away, the waves increase in size and the bush pushes all signs of humans into the hinterland.

Seven Mile also has some history. Sir Kingsford Smith’s record-breaking trans-Tasman flight in 1933. The long relatively flat beach gave Smith’s heavily laden Southern Cross enough runway to lift off.

3. Zenith Beach, Port Stephens

The beaches of Port Stephens are probably the single biggest victims of our embarrassment of riches. In any other country, Port Stephens would be the eighth Wonder of the World.

So it is fitting the pick of them is called Zenith… stroll with a coffee bought from the Shoal Bay cafes in hand through a short stretch of Aussie bush to be greeted by a gently curving crescent beach protected by two peaks standing guard at either end of the beach. Tomaree Headland, great for a stroll and magnificent views, at the northern tip and Stephens Peak at the southern end create a sense of sheltered oasis. Just remember this is an unpatrolled beach so only experienced strong beach swimmers should have a dip.

High shot of Zenith Beach in Port Stephens - one of the best beaches in Australia — Zenith Beach is one of the many incredible beaches in Port Stephens. (Image: Destination NSW)

Vic’s best beaches

4. Smiths Beach, Phillip Island

It’s Southern Ocean facing sure, but the variety of waves on this idyllic slice of the penguin-peppered island is deceiving (we have our own guide to just the beaches of Phillip Island). Salted surfers and green novices all find a great wave while the non-board riders can frolic on the shoreline or in rock holes.

To sum it all up, Phillip Island is a sublime slice of Victoria filled with sweet holiday homes and luxury villas, emerging producers and foodie outlets and of course those penguins (and a surprising military museum).

People enjoying Smiths Beach on Phillip Island — Smiths Beach is perfect for all types of beachgoers.

5. Fairhaven Beach, Aireys Inlet, Great Ocean Road

Between Anglesea and Lorne on the Great Ocean Road, Fairhaven is known for having the best waves on the Great Ocean Road after Bells Beach. Don’t think this is a wax head zone only – Fairhaven is six kilometres long and the best waves are on the eastern end.

The other drawcard is at the height of summer, Fairhaven remains relatively crowd-free.

The vvastness of Fairhaven Beach at Aireys Inlet — Fairhaven is known for having some of the best waves on the Great Ocean Road.

6. Norman Bay Beach / Tidal River, Wilsons Promontory

Ask any Victorian for the best beaches in the state and Norman’s would be mentioned first or second for a reason – when anyone says how beautiful Wilsons Prom is they visualise Norman Bay, its beach and the mouth of Tidal River.

The shallow aquamarine water with gentle waves, and the meandering flow of the Tidal River all based on endless stretches of fine sand make for the perfect family beach. Kids will spend hours and days snorkelling, beach cricket, body surfing, and building sand castles in what is the magic pudding of beaches; every time someone lays down a towel, an identical-sized stretch of beach seems to appear making it impossible to crowd.

Sunrise at Norman Bay Beach - one of Australia's best beaches — Norman bay Beach is next level.

Qld’s best beaches

7. Noosa Main Beach, Noosa

Noosa Main beach is a magnificent spot for both aquatic sandy leisure and people-watching.

The soundtrack of the rhythmic lapping of gentle waves on Queensland‘s only northerly facing beach is rather soothing for the exhausted elites who are drawn to this beachside destination that delivers probably the single greatest holiday mix of sun, surf, food, wine and all-round “counting your blessings" relaxation.

Sure the Noosa Main Beach boardwalk is rammed with more activewear than Lorna Jane’s attic and there is a steady stream of the influencer class (as you bob in the water you can see their felt hats bob along Hastings St). But that is part of the allure of the destination.

The perfect Noosa day is to combine a run, walk or stroll through Noosa Headland National Park with a swim, snorkel or paddle board on the beach followed by a lunch and shop on Hasting St, snooze swim and dinner back on Hastings St or Noosaville or Sunshine Beach if one can be inspired to leave the indulgent milieu.

Aerial shot of paddleboarders at Noosa Main Beach - one of the best beaches in Australia — You won’t regret a trip to Noosa Main Beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

8. Lake Mackenzie, K’gari (Fraser Island)

Surprise! A beach that is not on the coast.

A perched lake (so it sits above sea level on the sands of K’gari) it is fed only by rainwater. Lake Mackenzie is pinch-yourself beautiful. Not even the millions of over-saturated Instagram shots do it justice.

Ringed by talcum-soft white sand, you dive right into cool iridescent green water that becomes coffee stained as you move deeper.

And for an extra touch, at the shoreline rub your valuables in the wet white silica for a free jewellery clean.

Woman sitting under umbrella on sand at Lake McKenzie. — Lake Mackenzie is pinch-yourself beautiful. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

9. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays, Qld

It is no wonder that any self-respecting list of the best Australian beaches must have Whitehaven on it. It is a non-negotiable for a reason.

In the dictionary under perfect beach, just stick in a photo of Whitehaven: turquoise water and blinding white fine sand that stretches for more than six kilometres. The sand is in fact 98 per cent silica giving its pure whiteness. And forget the hot sand jig, the pure white colour reflects the heat so it never gets too hot for your feet.

And as if that was not enough, Whitehaven is protected by the Whitsundays Islands National Park making it not just an incredible wilderness area, but one of the cleanest beaches in Queensland (for example smoking is banned to avoid stray butts ending in the sand or water).

Stand up paddleboarder on Whitehaven beach - one of the best beaches in Australia — Whitehaven is the ultimate non-negotiable. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Tassie’s best beaches

10. Wineglass Bay, Freycinet Peninsula

Tasmania’s most famous beach makes global lists of top 10s with such regularity that we can become a little blasé about its beauty and let’s be honest, perfection. Until of course, you walk to the top of The Hazards, the spectacular mountain range that climbs steeply from the water to form the northern edge of Wineglass Bay, to peer down on this ridiculously exquisite beach.

If the relatively easy walk to the lookout is not floating your boat, then join a cruise to explore the entire remarkable Freycinet Peninsula.

And, hate to break it to you, but the name Wineglass Bay comes from the water being stained by whale blood at the beginning of the 19^th century when it was a major whale processing beach.

High shot overlooking Wineglass Bay - one of the best beaches in Australia — Wineglass Bay is Tassie’s most famous beach. (Image: Lauren Bath)

11. Boat Harbour Beach

Ask locals (particularly if they are from the northern section of Tasmania) their favourite beach and without hesitation, they will respond Boat Harbour Beach.

The north-easterly facing beach is protected from the wind by rocky headlands on both edges of the beach. A gentle slope and north facing provide a gentle wave. And some serious rock-hole exploring is an option in the remarkable geology of the headland.

Scenic shot of Boat Harbour Beach in Tasmania — Boat Harbour Beach is protected from the wind by rocky headlands. (Image: S. Group)

12. Cosy Corner, Bay of Fires

Picking the best Bay of Fires beach is the greatest exercise in futility, no one usually tries. When international lists of best beaches in the world are released they don’t even bother and collectively name Bay of Fires which in fact covers more than 15 different beaches.

Collectively the beaches of the Bay of Fires have the mandatory remarkable white sand and aquamarine water but these Tassie gems like to up the ante with a big dollop of dazzling orange thanks to the lichen that is found over the boulders in the area.

We went with Cosy Corner as the top pick for purely pragmatic reasons; it is the stunning selection of beaches (like a Babushka doll, even Cosy Corner has three different sections) most accessible from the Binnalong Bay township.

Pink sunset over Cosy Corner beach in Bay of Fires Tasmania — The Bay of Fires covers 15 beaches and Cosy Corner is our fave. (Image: Kathryn Leahy)

SA’s best beaches

13. Long Beach, Robe

Such is the fabulousness of Robe’s Long Beach that it should be a national icon. There are several ramps to drive your car onto the beach and the surf break from the third ramp onwards is most loved by those with waxy hair.

The beach itself is very deep from the shoreline to land and, stretching for more than 14 kilometres, it is always easy to find a slice for yourself and to renew old rivalries in the annual family beach cricket grudge match.

Make the most of it, take the 4WD (although some 2WD handle it perfectly fine) and set up camp for a day. The fishing is pretty good as well so you can even catch a lunch of whiting and perhaps flathead or snapper.

People canoeing at Long Beach in Robe — Long Beach should be a national icon. (Image: Mark Fitzpatrick)

14. Stokes Bay Beach, Kangaroo Island

Stokes Bay beach is confusing to the uninitiated. Arriving at the car park you will be very let down; the shoreline is a craggy mix of rocks and pebbles. Follow the signs through a few rocks and caves and, like the wardrobe in the Lion the Witch and Wardrobe, you merge into a hidden paradise.

The north-facing beach is all the prerequisite white sand and turquoise water. Being northerly facing it avoids any of the big waves from the Southern Ocean and the rockpools are a winner for exploring with the kids. For more Kangaroo Island beaches – check out our guide.

Person floating in the water at Stokes Bay Beach — Stokes Bay Beach is so worth finding its hidden location. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

15. Maslin Beach, Fleurieu Peninsula

The first time you sight Maslins is a wondrous thing. It happens as you crest a hill headed for McLaren Vale and then this magnificent beach and the burnt-red striated cliffs of Blanche Point appear.

The southern end of Maslins (as locals call it) towards the cliffs is Australia’s first legal “clothed optional beach", handy for the many wine buffs who depart Adelaide without swimmers expecting a full day of tasting who are then seduced by the beauty of the beach and emboldened by the tasting to have their first ever birthday suit dip.

Child dancing on Maslin Beach at sunset — Maslin Beach is a breathtaking sight. (Image: Kristy Billing)

WA’s best beaches

16. Cable Beach, Broome

Ok ok ok, this is a legend and deservedly so. The remarkable beach stretches in all directions as far as the eye can see – it is 22 kilometres long and at low tide, as the water recedes, it feels that wide.

Add the famous pindan red cliffs, camel rides and the sunset that is unrivalled around the world and you have an experience that has such an intense sense of place it is the beach equivalent of standing in front of the Eiffel Tower.

The huge expanse of the beach has plenty of space for everyone to swim, surf, fish or just loll around. Being so remote, you may not have brought all your beach accoutrements, they can be hired from the Broome Beach Hut.

Camels on cable Beach in Broome at sunset - one of the best beaches in Australia — Cable Beach is nothing short of iconic.

17. Little Salmon Bay, Rottnest Island

Oh Rotto, you had me at quokka. Sure we all love a selfie with the misnamed ‘rodents’ but it is the incredible beaches of Rotto that really take the cake.

And Little Salmon Bay is by far the greatest beach on Rotto. The relatively small beach is so picturesque, your lizard brain sees the quintessential paradise causing you to be almost teary at the sheer beauty of the place. Being a small beach at the end of a long narrow bay, the snorkelling area is next level big. This also explains why it never feels crowded.

People snorkelling at Little Salmon Bay on Rottnest Island — Little Salmon Bay is by far the greatest beach on Rotto. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

18. Eagle Bay, Margaret River Region

Low-key luxury homes meet that incredible luminescent WA turquoise water and fine white sand.

Almost at the tip of Cape Naturaliste, the beach in fact faces northeast and is well protected from the Indian Ocean swells, add the long gentle sandy beach and you have an oversized sea pool.

The beach is interspersed with the occasional rock outcrop that gives kids endless entertainment.

Drone shot of Eagle Bay in WA — Eagle Bay mustn’t be missed. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

NT’s best beaches

19. Mindil Beach, Darwin

Let’s be honest, the NT is full of incredible beaches that are torturous to us Aussies – so seductive yet unsafe to swim; how can they tempt us so?

Mindil is an icon of Darwin for its outrageously beautiful sunsets and of course the eclectic Mindil Beach markets . Clothing, nik naks and whip stalls mingle with food outlets serving up cuisine from more than 20 different countries to create a must-do of the NT.

The sun setting on Mindil Beach in Darwin - one of the best beaches in Australia — Nothing beats a Mindil Beach sunset.

Slow down and find your rhythm on a Murray River journey through time and place.

Trust is a funny thing. It seems not that long ago that my mother was insisting on pouring the milk into my cereal bowl, because she didn’t trust me not to slosh it over the table, and yet here I am on the Murray River at Mildura in far north-west Victoria, being handed the keys to a very new and very expensive luxury houseboat.

After a crash course in how not to crash, I’m at the wheel of the good ship Elevate – pride of the All Seasons fleet – guiding her upstream past red-ochre cliffs as pelicans glide above the rippled river and kookaburras call from reedy banks. There’s a brief moment of breath-holding while I negotiate a hairpin turn around a jagged reef of skeletal, submerged gum trees, before a cheer rings out and calm descends as the timeless river unfurls in front of us.

The Murray River winding through Yarrawonga. (Image: Rob Blackburn)

Setting sail from Mildura

Murray River birds — Home to a large number of bird species, including pelicans. (Image: The Precint Studios)

A journey along the Murray River is never less than magical, and launching from Mildura makes perfect sense. Up here the river is wide and largely empty, giving novice skippers like myself the confidence to nudge the 60-tonne houseboat up to the riverbank where we tie up for the night, without fear of shattering the glass elevator (the boat is fully wheelchair accessible) or spilling our Champagne.

My friends and I spend three days on the water, swimming and fishing, sitting around campfires onshore at night, and basking in air so warm you’d swear you were in the tropics. The simplicity of river life reveals an interesting dichotomy: we feel disconnected from the world but at the same time connected to Country, privileged to be part of something so ancient and special.

Stop one: Echuca

19th-century paddlesteamers — A historic 19th-century paddlesteamer cruises along the Murray River. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The six-hour drive from Melbourne to Mildura (or four hours and 20 minutes from Adelaide) is more than worth it, but you don’t have to travel that far to find fun on the river. Once Australia’s largest inland port, Echuca is the closest point on the Murray to Melbourne (two hours 45 minutes), and you’ll still find a plethora of paddlesteamers tethered to the historic timber wharf, a throwback to the thriving river trade days of the 19th century. The PS Adelaide, built in 1866 and the oldest wooden-hulled paddlesteamer operating in the world, departs daily for one-hour cruises, while a brand-new paddlesteamer, the PS Australian Star , is launching luxury seven-night voyages in December through APT Touring.

The town is also a hot food and wine destination. St Anne’s Winery at the historic Port of Echuca precinct has an incredibly photogenic cellar door, set inside an old carriage builders’ workshop on the wharf and filled with huge, 3000-litre port barrels. The Mill, meanwhile, is a cosy winter spot to sample regional produce as an open fire warms the red-brick walls of this former flour mill.

Stop two: Barmah National Park

Just half-an-hour upstream, Barmah National Park is flourishing, its river red gum landscape (the largest in the world) rebounding magnificently after the recent removal of more than 700 feral horses. The internationally significant Ramsar-listed wetland sits in the heart of Yorta Yorta Country, with Traditional Owners managing the environment in close partnership with Parks Victoria. Walkways weave through the forest, crossing creeks lined with rare or threatened plants, passing remnants of Yorta Yorta oven mounds and numerous scar trees, where the bark was removed to build canoes, containers or shields.

The Dharnya Centre (open weekdays until 3pm) is the cultural hub for the Yorta Yorta. Visitors can learn about the ecological significance of the Barmah Lakes on a 90-minute river cruise, led by a First Nations guide, or take a one-hour, guided cultural walking tour along the Yamyabuc Trail.

Stop three: Cobram

Continue east to Cobram to find the southern hemisphere’s largest inland beach. Swarming with sun-seekers in summer, the white sand of Thompson’s Beach is shaded by majestic river red gums and dotted with hundreds of beach umbrellas, as beachgoers launch all manner of water craft and set up stumps for beach cricket. But the beach is at its most captivating at sunset, when the crowds thin out, the glassy river mirrors the purple sky, and the canopies of the gum trees glow fiery orange.

The region is also home to some fine resorts and indulgent retreats. Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort has two riverside championship golf courses, luxury apartments and self-contained villas. While not strictly on the Murray, the historic wine town of Rutherglen is rife with boutique (and unique) accommodation, including an exquisitely renovated red-brick tower in a French provincial-style castle at Mount Ophir Estate. Fans of fortified wines can unravel the mystery of Rutherglen’s ‘Muscat Mile’, meeting the vignerons and master-blenders whose artistry has put the town on the global map for this rich and complex wine style.

Stop four: Albury-Wodonga

First Nations YindyamarraSculpture Walk — First Nations Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk is part of the Wagirra Trail. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Follow the river far enough upstream and you’ll arrive at the twin border cities of Albury-Wodonga. The Hume Highway thunders through, but serenity can be found along the five-kilometre Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk – part of the Wagirra Trail that meanders through river wetlands just west of Albury in Wiradjuri country. Fifteen sculptures by local First Nations artists line the trail, conveying stories of reconciliation, enduring connection to culture, local Milawa lore and traditional practices. It feels a long way from Mildura, and it is, but the pelicans and kookaburras remind us that it’s the same river, the great conduit that connects our country.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

New Mildura motel Kar-rama. (Image: Iain Bond Photo)

Kar-Rama is a brand-new boutique, retro-styled motel in Mildura, with a butterfly-shaped pool and a tropical, Palm Springs vibe. Echuca Holiday Homes has a range of high-end accommodation options, both on the riverfront and in town.

Playing there

BruceMunro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura — Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura. (Image: Imogen Eveson)

Artist Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights installation, comprising more than 12,000 illuminated ‘fireflies’, is currently lighting up Mildura’s Lock Island in the middle of the Murray. Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) is a hub for contemporary art, with a rotating roster of exhibitions, and is a major outlet for young and First Nations artists.

Eating there

Mildura’s diverse demographic means it’s a fantastic place to eat. Andy’s Kitchen is a local favourite, serving up delicious pan-Asian dishes and creative cocktails in a Balinese-style garden setting. Call in to Spoons Riverside in Swan Hill to enjoy locally sourced, seasonal produce in a tranquil setting overlooking the river.