The Most Beautiful Beaches in Australia

Australia's Top 10 Beaches

It is no secret that Australia has some of the best beaches in the world given that Australia is essentially one gobsmacking, beautiful coastline.

We recently surveyed over 10,000 Aussies to establish once and for all what are the country's best beaches. Here are the top 10 beaches in the country as voted by you - Australia.

1. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays

The most beautiful beach in Australia as voted by Australians is Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays. Iconic images of white sands and crystal clear waters are what immediately comes to mind when visitors think about the Whitsundays and although it seems to good to be true, it really does look that spectacular in person. The sand is silica, an extremely high purity form of sand with fine grains that make it very soft to touch and the vivid blue waters make it a magical experience.

Whitehaven Beach stretches over 7km along the coast and even in peak seasons will rarely be crowded enough to ruin the tranquil atmosphere of this natural wonder. The myriad of coves, lagoons, and inlets with scenic lookouts dot its surrounds and add to the mystique of the island. Come along for a visit and find out for yourself why this is Australia's most photographed and adored beach.

Source — Experienceoz.com.au

2. Cottesloe Beach, Perth

The Cottesloe beach came about when the early British settlers in Perth created the River Swan colony which then struck them with the idea of going to a ‘beach’ and experiencing the luxury of a seaside. Cottesloe Beach is now one of the most popular beaches in Perth, Western Australia. The beach is popularly known as ‘Cott’ among the locals and is one of the most frequented spots, by locals as well as by tourists visiting Perth.

When you visit the beach, you will see flocks of people playing on the beach, relaxing by the shore and some even taking a rejuvenating swim in the waters of the Indian Ocean. The glistening white sands of the beach and the clear waters make it stand out from the rest of the beaches in Western Australia, adding one more reason for the beach’s popularity. The beach is a superb place to catch up with friends and family, whether it’s a long walk, a run along the beach or some super drinks at the surrounding pubs.

Source — Traveltriangle.com

3. Bondi Beach, Sydney

Bondi Beach is one of the most famous beaches in Australia and for good reason. Located in the suburb of Bondi in Waverley, just 7km from Sydney's city centre, the beach is a haven for locals and holiday goers alike. Roughly translating to an Aboriginal word meaning 'sound of breaking waves', Bondi Beach is home to a number of Aboriginal rock carvings in Ben Buckler to the north and McKenzies Beach on the coastal walk in the south.

Approximately 1km long, Bondi's width ranges from 50m in the north all the way to 100m in the south and is Sydney's widest beach. A shark net has been laid approximately 150m off the beach and is set to a depth of 8m however there have been no shark problems for centuries. Water temperatures range of 21 degrees Celsius in summer to 16 degrees Celsius in spring.

The perfect holiday accommodation located right on Bondi Beach belongs to the Swiss Grand Resort & Spa Bondi Beach. Four and a half stars and a whole range of facilities make this resort a great choice for beachfront accommodation close to the heart of Sydney.

Source — Travelonline.com

4. Turquoise Bay, Exmouth

Step into the pristine waters of the aptly named Turquoise Bay near the town of Exmouth and you're swimming within a few metres of Ningaloo Reef. Known as one of Australia's best beaches, Turquoise Bay is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon relaxing, swimming and snorkelling.

When is the best time to snorkel Turquoise Bay? We recommend the site is snorkelled at high tide - 1.2metre and above.

This beach frequently tops the best beach in Western Australia by Trip Advisor and is a drift snorkel spot for swimmers of moderate to high fitness and capability. Moderate/strong currents prevail through the Turquoise Bay area due to a break in the reef further out, weak or inexperienced swimmers are not advised to attempt this snorkel. Walk along the beach on the southern end, then letting the current wash you north to the sandbar where you exit before the point.

You'll see colourful coral, turtles, squid, and plenty of fish - more than 500 fish species reflecting every colour of the rainbow live in and around the reef. Be sure to exit the water onto the sandbar and not allow yourself to be swept out in the rip through to behind the reef!

Respect for the environment is the key to keeping the coral in pristine condition.

To get to Turquoise Bay drive 60 kilometres south of Exmouth. You can fly to Exmouth with Qantas from Perth - it's 90minutes by plane.

Accessible all year

Please check the tide chart at Milyering Discovery Centre or Exmouth Visitor Centre as the site is best snorkelled at high tide - 1.2metre and above.

Source — Australiascoralcoast.com

5. Cable Beach, Broome

With 22 kilometres of pristine white sand edged by the stunning turquoise water of the Indian Ocean, Broome’s Cable Beach attracts visitors from around Australia and the world.

Bounded by sand dunes and ochre red cliffs, Cable Beach is as nature intended, with the convenience of resorts and caravan parks close by. With months on end of perfect warm weather, there is no better place to enjoy a beach holiday.

This white sandy beach offers many great beach activities. Uncrowded even in peak season between May and October, you can always find a quiet stretch of sparkling sand to lay down your towel or hire a deckchair and umbrella, and be lulled into relaxation as the waters gently lap the shoreline.  Broome has huge tidal movements and visiting the beach at low tide will provide you with a large expanse of sandy beach to enjoy.

If you are feeling active, try your hand at swimming, fishing, kayaking, surfing (when the swell is up), a beach stroll along the flat sands, or just relax and soak up some sunshine.

For a spectacular ocean sunset, Cable Beach will not disappoint. With colours ranging from purples and golds to fiery reds, the skies light up as the sun slowly sinks into the sea, providing picture-perfect photo opportunities.

Source — Australiasnorthwest.com

6. Bells Beach, Victoria

Ride a wave at Bells Beach, located near Torquay on the southern coast of Victoria in the Great Ocean Road region. Head to Bells Beach over the Easter weekend and watch the world's best surfers carve up the waves at the Rip Curl Pro Surfing Competition. High cliffs provide a dramatic backdrop to the natural amphitheatre of the beach and large swells from the Southern Ocean, which slows down and steepens over the reef-strewn shallows, creates the outstanding surf.

If you're a sightseer, Bells Beach is a popular spot with great vantage points along the cliff. For surfers, Bells Beach is really for the experienced. The beach is an exposed reef and point break with excellent right-hand breaks, at their best during autumn and winter.

Source — Visitmelbourne.com

7. Bay of Fires, Tasmania

The slice of coastal heaven that is the Bay of Fires stretches over 50 kilometres from Binalong Bay in the south to Eddystone Point in the north. This beautiful part of Tasmania’s east coast has been named by Lonely Planet as the hottest travel destination in the world and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful places in Australia. Walk for miles along sugar-white sandy beaches, swim in the impossibly clear ocean, and feel like you’re the only person to have ever set foot here.

You can explore the Bay of Fires from your base in St Helens or Binalong Bay, choose a campsite with a truly incredible view, or treat yourself to a luxury eco-lodge experience with the award-winning Bay of Fires Walk, or the new Wukalina Walk, a 4 day guided walk based around the magnificent landscape of the Larapuna (Bay of Fires) and Wukalina (Mt William).

Source — Eastcoasttasmania.com

8. Mindil Beach, Darwin

Darwin's best features – its sunsets, Asian-inspired food and relaxed atmosphere – meet in tropical harmony at Mindil Beach Sunset Market.

Running between May and October, the Top End's "dry" or low humidity season,  take place on Thursday and Sunday evenings on parkland next to the ocean.

This is the biggest, boldest and most energetic market. You can picnic at film screenings or live music performances, stroll along the beach and catch one of the city's pink sorbet sunsets, and sample flavours from neighbouring Asian nations at one of Mindil's many food stalls. The market is also a great spot to browse for local craft, art, and souvenirs.

Mindil got its start in the mid-1980s when six locals decided to replicate an Asian-style night market. What began with just a few stalls in the town centre has since grown into a fiesta-style mega-market. More than 300 stalls now operate under palm trees by the beach.

Source — Australia.com

9. Wineglass Bay, Freycinet

Part of the Freycinet National Park on the east coast of Tasmania, Australia, that also includes a large chunk of the rugged Tasmanian coastline, Wineglass Bay has a climate that is similar to that of France, but with more than 300 days of sunshine every year.

Recognized around the world as one of Tasmania’s iconic destinations, Wineglass Bay is more than just a place to picnic or camp. Wineglass attracts tourists who are looking to do some birdwatching (white-bellied sea-eagles are plentiful), deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, mountain biking, beach walking, and rock climbing.

Freycinet is one of the oldest parks in Tasmania, having been founded in 1916 along with Mount Feld National Park. The park is home to not just Wineglass Bay, but also 49 endemic species of plants and several animals, including the Brushtail Possum, the New Holland Mouse, the Tasmanian Bettong, and the Long-nosed Potoroo.

Know Before You Go

Wineglass Bay is approximately 2.5 hours drive from Tasmania’s capital, Hobart (195 kilometres/121 miles) and around two hours’ drive (175 kilometres/109 miles) from Launceston in Tasmania’s north.

Source — Atlasobscura.com

10. Half Moon Bay, Black Rock

When people ask for tips on the best family-friendly beaches in Melbourne, Half Moon Bay always gets a mention.

The poetically named Half Moon Bay is a calm, gentle and shallow beach on Port Phillip Bay near Black Rock. As the name suggests, the little inlet is deeply curved into a half-moon crescent shape and the surrounding Red Bluff cliffs make it a particularly sheltered beach for little kids.

Half Moon Bay is small and very much a ‘local’s’ beach. There’s a couple of colourful beach huts, a surf life-saving club (with public toilets) and the Black Rock Yachting Club, plus the restaurant Cerberus Beach House with gorgeous views of the bay, particularly at sunset.

Half Moon Bay is also home to the shipwreck of HMVS Cerberus which acts as a breakwater and older kids can swim out further out. Just note that the Cerberus is a heritage protected zone and for safety swimmers should stay outside of the protected zone. There’s also a small jetty where the locals go fishing and jetski.

Source — Tothotornot.com