Best Beaches in Australia: Our Top 10 After 2 Years Living in Oz (2026)

We spent over two years living in Australia on working holiday visas, from eight months in Perth to Melbourne, a month up the East Coast and a road trip from Perth to Melbourne via Esperance. Along the way we went to a lot of beaches. These are our 10 favourites, plus five more that are high on our list for next time.

This isn’t based on a study or a survey. It’s our honest opinion, and we’d love to hear yours in the comments.

Our top 10 beaches in Australia at a glance

1. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Queensland
2. Lucky Bay, Esperance, Western Australia
3. Wineglass Bay, Tasmania
4. Cottesloe Beach, Perth, Western Australia
5. Salmon Bay, Rottnest Island, Western Australia
6. Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, Queensland
7. Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia
8. Meelup Beach, Dunsborough, Western Australia
9. Manly Beach, Sydney, New South Wales
10. Bondi Beach, Sydney, New South Wales

We’ve counted them down from 10 to 1 below, with what makes each one special and how to get there.

10. Bondi Beach, Sydney, New South Wales

If you’ve watched Bondi Rescue or seen almost any photo of Australia, you’ll recognise Bondi. Swimmers squeeze between the flags while everyone else hunts for a patch of sand on the kilometre-long beach, or wanders off for coffee and brunch.

It’s the most iconic beach in the country, but honestly, it was a lot smaller than we had imagined. In summer it’s packed; in winter it’s almost empty apart from the surfers.

• Don’t miss: the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk, about 6 km of cliffs, coves and ocean pools.
• Try: a surf lesson at Bondi. The beginner waves at the southern end are perfect for learning.

9. Manly Beach, Sydney, New South Wales

Getting there is half the fun. Take the ferry from Circular Quay, sail past the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, and about 30 minutes later you’re stepping off into Manly’s laid-back surf town vibe.

• Known for: great surf, a long golden beach and plenty of restaurants along the Corso.
• Tip: walk to Shelly Beach, a small sheltered cove that’s great for snorkelling.

8. Meelup Beach, Dunsborough, Western Australia

Like Greens Pool further south, Meelup is all white sand and shallow, calm, crystal-clear water. It’s on the edge of Cape Naturaliste, close to other gorgeous spots like Eagle Bay and Bunker Bay.

• Best for: families and anyone who wants calm water without waves.
• Best time: just after the summer peak, when the water is still warm and the crowds have gone.

7. Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia

Facing the Indian Ocean, Cable Beach is famous for its sunsets, and for the camel trains that walk along the sand as the sun goes down. The 22 km stretch of white sand feels endless.

• Don’t miss: a sunset camel ride.
• Safety: box jellyfish and other stingers are around in the warmer months (roughly November to April), so check local advice before you swim.

6. Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, Queensland

The Gold Coast has dozens of great beaches all arguing over the top spot, but Burleigh is our favourite. It’s a short ride from Surfers Paradise and has it all: great surf, a long sandy beach, clean blue water and postcard views back up the coast.

• Don’t miss: the walk around the headland in Burleigh Head National Park.
• Tip: grab fish and chips and watch the surfers from the grassy hill at sunset.

5. Salmon Bay, Rottnest Island, Western Australia

Rottnest is a short ferry ride from Fremantle and has more than 60 beaches and 20 bays, so you can find an empty one even in high season. Salmon Bay, on the south side of the island, is a favourite, with clear blue water and great snorkelling. No wonder so many West Australians never feel the need to leave the state for a holiday.

• Getting around: hire a bike. Cars are not allowed on most of the island, and cycling between the bays is half the fun.
• Quokkas: yes, they really are that cute, but don’t touch or feed them. There are fines for both.
• Book: your Rottnest Island ferry and bike packages ahead in summer.

4. Cottesloe Beach, Perth, Western Australia

When we lived in Perth, Cottesloe was the Sunday session spot. It seems like everyone comes here to soak up the sun during the day and watch it set over the Indian Ocean in the evening.

• Best for: swimming, sunset drinks and people watching.
• Tip: walk a few minutes north or south and the crowds disappear.
• Event: Sculpture by the Sea is usually held here in March, with giant artworks all along the beach.

3. Wineglass Bay, Tasmania

In Freycinet National Park, the view from the Wineglass Bay lookout is one you will remember for the rest of your life: pink granite peaks, a perfect curve of white sand and turquoise water.

• Getting there: the walk up to the lookout takes about an hour or so return. Keep going down to the beach itself if you have the legs for it.
• Bring: good walking shoes and a rain jacket. It rains a lot in Tasmania, but don’t let that stop you.
• Nearby: the Bay of Fires, with its orange lichen-covered boulders, is also a must on a clear day.

2. Lucky Bay, Esperance, Western Australia

Pure white sand, crystal blue water and kangaroos chilling out on the beach. Yes, you’ve seen these photos everywhere, and yes, it really looks like that. We stopped here on our road trip from Perth to Melbourne and it was a highlight of the whole trip.

• Where: Cape Le Grand National Park, about an hour east of Esperance. There is a park entry fee.
• Tip: spend a full day exploring the other bays in the park, like Hellfire Bay and Thistle Cove. Many are almost empty.

1. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Queensland

No surprise here! Whitehaven is on the cover of every Australian travel magazine for a reason. Its sand is almost pure silica, so fine and white it squeaks under your feet and feels like a mix of sand and snow. Swirling with the turquoise water at Hill Inlet, it’s arguably one of the best beaches in the world.

• Getting there: you can only reach it by boat or seaplane, usually from Airlie Beach. A Whitehaven Beach day tour is the easiest way.
• Don’t miss: the Hill Inlet lookout for the famous swirling sand photo.
• Safety: it’s in stinger territory, so tours provide stinger suits in season.

5 more beaches on our list for next time

We didn’t make it to every beach in Australia (that would take a lifetime). These are top of our list for the next trip:

• Hyams Beach, Jervis Bay, NSW: often said to have some of the whitest sand in the world.
• Bay of Fires, Tasmania: white sand, turquoise water and orange boulders.
• Turquoise Bay, Ningaloo, WA: snorkel straight off the beach onto the reef.
• Wategos Beach, Byron Bay, NSW: a gorgeous little cove below the lighthouse.
• K’gari (Fraser Island), Queensland: the world’s largest sand island, with crystal-clear freshwater lakes. Most people visit on a 4WD tour.

Planning to visit a few of these? Our East Coast of Australia guide and Perth to Melbourne road trip cover several of them.

Taking photos on the coast? Grab our 90+ Australian beach captions or 200+ beach captions for Instagram.

Which is your favourite beach in Australia? Let us know in the comments.

Steve and Sabina

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