Australia is home to some of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful beaches of anywhere in the world. Being an island, more than 10,000 beaches can be found around the coastline of Australia, which stretches over more than 35,000 kilometres (the mainland alone!). As a result, Australia is famous for its laidback and friendly beach culture.
With such a huge number of beautiful beaches accessible, it is no wonder that beach camping is a popular and very enjoyable activity with Australian tourists as well as with visitors from all over the world. After all, you just can’t beat pitching your swag or tent close to the shore and listening to the ocean as you fall asleep under the stars.
With so much choice when it comes to Australian beaches, it can be tricky to decide where to explore next! In this article, we shall introduce to you four of our top picks when it comes to incredible beach camping locations in Australia.
Bruny Island, Tasmania
Bruny Island, which is often thought to be two separate islands (thanks to the narrow strip of land that runs down the middle called ‘The Neck’), is located a mere 20 minutes away by ferry from Kettering, a quiet town just over half an hour’s drive south from Hobart. Bruny Island is 50km in length and is “separated” into North Bruny and South Bruny.
Bruny Island is famous for its breathtaking and awe-inspiring wilderness and incredible views. The towering cliffs Bruny Island is famous for can be found on South Bruny. The island is also home to an astonishing array of unique and diverse wildlife. On the island, you may have the opportunity to spot wallabies, exotic birds, fur seals and fairy penguins.
South Bruny is where you shall find three key campsites on the island. Water supply is not available at any of the campgrounds (Jetty Beach, Cloudy Corner and The Neck Camping and Day Area) and hence it is essential you bring your own. Non-flushing toilets however are available.
Image Credit: brunyisland.com.au
Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park, Western Australia
Picturesque Lucky Bay in Western Australia is famous for its incredible pure white sand, clear turquoise ocean water and calm swimming conditions. Situated in Cape Le Grand National Park roughly 40 minutes by car from Esperance, Lucky Bay is a must-see beach camping destination for lovers of the outdoors.
Lucky Bay beach is five kilometres long and is surrounded by an array of amazing bush walks, enabling you to take in the magnificent beauty of not only Lucky Bay itself, but also its beautiful neighbouring islands. If luck is on your side, you may have the opportunity to see local kangaroos lazing about on the white sand, and perhaps even whales as they migrate.
Lucky Bay campground has 22 camp sites in total and is located right by the beach amongst lovely coastal scrub. Lucky Bay campground is unique in that bookings are not taken – instead, you must rock up and try your luck! Facilities on offer for guests at the campground include toilets, solar hot showers, a camp kitchen, picnic area and a boat launch at the beach.
Image Credit: westernaustralia.com
Fitzroy Island, Tropical Far North Queensland
Fitzroy Island is ideally located just off the coast of Cairns in Tropical Far North Queensland and can be reached by boarding the island’s Fast Cat at the Cairns Marina. A 45-minute trip across the ocean shall see you arriving at the tropical paradise that is Fitzroy Island.
With a very laidback and welcoming vibe, Fitzroy Island Resort in fact offers a variety of different types of accommodation, including camping, the perfect option for nature lovers. Imagine falling asleep on a tropical island, to wake up the next morning, grab your snorkelling gear and swim straight out onto the Great Barrier Reef, right from the shore!
Fitzroy Island Resort manages the island’s campgrounds on behalf of the Cairns Regional Council and accommodates up to roughly 20 sites at any one time. Facilities at the Fitzroy Island campground include toilets and showers, a pergola-covered eating area and beachfront BBQs. You will need to bring with you to the island all your own camping equipment, and when you arrive, you’ll be blown away by the array of incredible adventure activities on offer!
Your beach camping adventure on Fitzroy Island is made complete by taking the opportunity to go snorkelling, sea kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and hiking, just to name a few awesome activities!
Johanna Beach, Victoria
Located just 200 kilometres south west of Victoria’s capital (Melbourne), you shall find the raw and stunning beauty of Johanna Beach, part of the Otways National Park. Johanna Beach is situated a mere twelve kilometres from Lavers Hill on the Great Ocean Road.
Johanna Beach has long been a favourite with locals and travellers alike, for its amazing surfing, bushwalking and picnicking sites. In fact, it is a popular stopover location for bushwalkers enjoying the 100km-long Great Ocean Walk (which begins in Apollo Bay and ends at the Twelve Apostles).
Two camping options are available at Johanna Beach – a drive-in campground and a hike-in camping area. The hike-in camping area is set on a ridge for those adventuring along the Great Ocean Walk and offers magnificent ocean views. Untreated tank rainwater is available at this site in addition to composting toilets.
In contrast, a large, grassy area bundled among the dunes forms the drive-in campground. Drinking water is not available and non-flushing toilets are on site.
We hope this list of four of Australia’s best beach camping locations inspires you when you are planning your next beach camping adventure!
