A hidden Aussie bay lands on world’s best beaches list

Rachael ThompsonBy Rachael Thompson
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 The World’s 50 Best Beaches list is out – and three Australian beaches have made quite the splash.

Each year, The World’s 50 Best Beaches team surveys thousands of travel experts, asking them to vote for their top beach in the world and explain what makes it special. The team then reviews submissions to compile the final list, considering a unique mix of natural beauty, wildlife presence, remoteness, tranquillity, water accessibility, calm conditions, low crowds, and consistently idyllic weather.

Three Aussie beaches appeared on this year’s list, further showcasing the breathtaking allure of our coastline. Whitehaven Beach and Lucky Bay are also featured on The World’s 50 Best Beaches’ Best of the Best list – a collection of beaches that have previously been ranked No. 1 in The World’s 50 Best Beaches and are considered worthy of continued recognition.

Here are the three Aussie coastal spots that made a splash as some of the best beaches in the world. 

#11 Turquoise Bay

An aerial shot of the white sand at Turquoise Bay.
Turquoise Bay is a snorkeller’s paradise. (Image: Tourism Western Australia/@saltywings)

Topping the list of Australian beaches at no.11 is the aptly named Turquoise Bay in Western Australia, located on the traditional lands of the Baiyungu, Thalanyji and Yinigurdira people. Situated near Exmouth in the Ningaloo Marine Park, it’s a snorkeller’s paradise, renowned for its gentle currents that make it ideal for drift snorkelling. Marine life such as fish, turtles, rays and vibrant coral reefs thrive in the bay’s crystal-clear waters, which lap against pristine white sand. 

The World’s 50 Best Beaches cited the beach’s incredible wildlife, serenity and natural beauty as key reasons for its high ranking – you won’t find crowds at this untouched piece of coastline.

Visiting Turquoise Bay during the dry season – from April to October – is recommended to see it at its best, with early mornings in April to August offering the calmest waters. 

#21 Wharton Beach

An aerial shot of Wharton Beach.
This unspoiled stretch of coast offers easy-to-wade-in waters. (Image: Wirestock)

The second Aussie beach to make the list is another remote Western Australian gem. Wharton Beach is nestled on the other end of the state, an hour’s drive from Esperance in the Duke of Orleans Bay. Sprawling white sand meets sparkling azure water where snorkellers can relish an underwater world teeming with marine life, and surfers can enjoy the rolling waves. The World’s 50 Best Beaches emphasised the lack of crowds and easy-to-wade-in water as reasons for Wharton Beach making the list. 

#37 Nudey Beach

The white sand and turquoise water of Nudey Beach.
Jewel-toned waters meet a white coral and sand beach. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Despite its name, swimming costumes are in fact required at this tropical paradise. Located on the South-West shores of Fitzroy Island, Nudey Beach boasts shimmering jewel-toned waters and a white coral and sand beach surrounded by lush rainforest. Part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, visitors can enjoy snorkelling off the shore in its year-round warm waters. A 1.2-kilometre walk along a rainforest track leads beachgoers to this hidden gem, which The World’s 50 Best Beaches acknowledged for its untouched beauty, tranquil atmosphere and lack of crowds.

Rachael Thompson
Rachael Thompson is Australian Traveller's Evergreen Editor and a self-proclaimed cheese and Chablis connoisseur. In her role, she creates and manages online content that remains relevant and valuable over time. With a background in publishing and e-commerce in both interior design and travel, Rachael is dedicated to curating engaging content that informs and inspires. She began her career at Belle magazine, then went on to become Senior Content Producer at Homes to Love focusing on Australian House & Garden and Belle, followed by Editor at Bed Threads. Her work has also appeared in Qantas Travel Insider. When she's not writing, editing, or optimising content, Rachael enjoys exploring the city's newest restaurants, bars, and hotels. Next on her Aussie travel wish list are Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park and Lord Howe Island.
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Film lovers need to add these Victorian theatres to their bucket list

    Ricky FrenchBy Ricky French
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    Theatres have always been a cornerstone of regional Victoria, reflecting the character and history of their local communities.

    From grand, gold rush-era masterpieces to Art Deco wonders to repurposed prisons, we’ve rounded up four of Victoria’s best regional theatres to catch a show at next time you’re travelling through.

    Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat

    Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat 
    Her Majesty’s Theatre in Ballarat has been standing for 150 years. (Image: Michael Pham)

    A monument to the immense gold rush wealth flooding through Ballarat in the second half of the 19th century, Her Majesty’s Theatre (‘Her Maj’ to locals) celebrates its 150th anniversary as the city’s premier performing arts venue this year.

    Built in a classical style and immaculately preserved (thanks largely to a recent $16-million restoration), this Lydiard Street landmark is the oldest continuously operating theatre in mainland Australia, notable for its double balcony and a stage that slopes towards the front, making it one of the most audience-friendly venues in the country to see a show.

    The Capital, Bendigo

    The Capital Theatre, Bendigo
    The Capital in Bendigo was built in 1873 as a Masonic Hall. (Image: Michael Pham)

    Denoted by its distinctive Corinthian columns, more reminiscent of ancient Greece than regional Victoria, The Capital theatre in Bendigo has been through several iterations since the first stone was laid in 1873.

    Originally a Masonic hall, the renaissance revival-style building became a theatre in the 1890s, falling into disrepair for a time during the 1970s, before being restored and reopened (as the Bendigo Regional Arts Centre) in 1991. Today, the 480-seat venue hosts everything from comedy to cabaret to traditional theatre, dance, opera and live music.

     Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo

    a look insideBendigo’s Ulumbarra Theatre
    Inside Bendigo’s Ulumbarra Theatre, a former prison. (Image: Michael Pham)

    Bendigo has busted out as a regional performing arts hotspot, so it’s fitting that one of its newest venues is housed within a former prison. Meaning ‘meeting place’ or ‘gather together’ in the language of the local Dja Dja Wurrung people, the $26-million, 950-seat auditorium rose from within the red brick walls of the historic Sandhurst Gaol in 2015.

    It’s an eerie feeling as you approach the imposing granite facade, pass beneath the old gallows and pick up your ticket from the box office occupying a repurposed cell block. With the building playing a main character in the show, this is performative architecture at its finest.

    Rex Theatre, Charlton

    the Rex Theatre in Charlton
    The 1938-built Rex Theatre in Charlton is an Art Deco gem. (Image: Jenny Pollard)

    Regional theatres don’t come more romantic than this Art Deco gem in the river town of Charlton, in north-central Victoria. Built in 1938, the 350-seat community-owned theatre provides an essential entertainment outlet for residents in the Wimmera Mallee region, as well as visitors making the trip up the Calder Highway from Melbourne.

    The volunteer-run venue is the last remaining purpose-built cinema in regional Victoria, and hosts the Charlton Film Festival every February, plus three weekly film screenings (Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday).