It’s no secret that Australia is home to some of the most spectacular beaches in all the world. With over 10,000 beaches dotted around its enormous coastline, the odds are in its favour! Australia is famous for its relaxed and laidback lifestyle, and it’s no wonder why with a whopping 85% of its population living near to its coastline, with people of all ages enjoying swimming, surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, walking and other beach activities on a regular basis.
Australia’s beaches come in all shapes and sizes, such as its famous surf beaches (like those found on the Gold Coast) and rugged yet pristine beaches (like those dotted around the southern island state of Tasmania). Victoria’s capital city of Melbourne is also home to a wide array of beautiful bay beaches, and thanks to its magnitude and variety in climate, Australia is also famous for its stunning tropical beaches (think coconut palms and crystal clear turquoise water), such as those found near Cairns on the far north east coast.
Whether you’re looking to explore a popular beach, such as Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast, or prefer to explore in solitude, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to exquisite beaches in Australia, no matter what part of the coastline you choose to visit.
A road trip up the east coast of Australia is a fabulous choice if you are looking to take in as many of the country’s top beaches as possible. The east coast of Australia is also a popular choice for interstate and international visitors, as it is home to Australia’s capital city, Canberra, as well as the capital cities of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Now we shall introduce to you six of our top beaches you should visit when exploring Australia’s east coast, from the southern coastline of Victoria, all the way up to the beautiful Queensland tropics and Great Barrier Reef!
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Noosa Main Beach, Noosa Heads, Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Noosa Main Beach, located on the Sunshine Coast in southern Queensland, is a fantastic surf beach for a whole array of reasons. It is a popular location for surfers and stand-up paddle boarders (beginners and pros alike), and is a great beach for families, due to being north facing. Noosa Main Beach is one of a small number of beaches in Australia that is patrolled by professional lifeguards 365 days a year.
At the eastern end of Noosa Main Beach, you shall find the spectacular Noosa National Park- the perfect place for gorgeous bushwalking, complete with views of stunning coves and local wildlife (including koalas, if you can spot them in the trees above you!).
Like Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast, Noosa Main Beach is also located right nearby a wide array of fabulous food options along the infamous Hastings Street (Noosa Heads). Whether you’re after delicious local ice-cream, a relaxed café-style lunch or fine dining, Hastings Street has it all. A number of key brands and unique shops and boutiques can also be found dotted along this famous stretch.
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Squeaky Beach, Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria
Squeaky Beach is named so thanks to its incredibly pure white sand, made up of circular grains of quartz that squeak beneath your feet as you stroll across the beach. With its enormous granite headlands and its array of stunning colours, Squeaky Beach (located in the famous Wilsons Promontory National Park) is one of the most magnificent beaches located on the Victorian coastline.
Just two hours from the bustling city of Melbourne, Squeaky Beach can be reached by leaving your car at Squeaky Beach carpark and taking a five-minute wander through beautiful coastal scrub, which opens out onto this amazing landscape.
With pristine white sand, gorgeous ocean and unique orange granite boulders, Squeaky Beach is most certainly a feast for the eyes. And what makes it even better, is that you are likely to be one of the only souls exploring this incredible landscape at any one time. Despite its stunning beauty, be sure to take extra care should you choose to swim at Squeaky Beach, due to its strong surf and lack of professional lifesavers.
Nudey Beach, Fitzroy Island, Tropical Far North Queensland
Nudey Beach is a breathtakingly beautiful, tropical island beach found on Fitzroy Island (off the coast of Cairns in Tropical Far North Queensland). Not only is this beach itself magnificently beautiful, but so is too the surrounding Great Barrier Reef and the mix of rainforest and coastal woodland vegetation (that together make up the 97% of Fitzroy Island that is National Park).
Nudey Beach is so spectacular in fact, that it took out top place in Australia’s Top 101 Beaches awards in 2018. During a visit to Nudey Beach, you will understand exactly why – with its stunning white coral sand, gorgeous turquoise water, huge granite boulders and beautiful surrounding vegetation, a visit to Nudey Beach is a must while beach-hopping along Australia’s east coast.
Nudey Beach and the tropical paradise that is Fitzroy Island are accessible by means of taking the island’s Fast Cat from the Cairns Marina to the island’s jetty (a 45-minute ride, one way). Fitzroy Island is located right in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, making it the perfect base for exploring all its magic, as you can snorkel, kayak, stand-up paddle board or take a glass bottom boat ride right from the island’s shore out onto the reef!
No matter how much time you have up your sleeve, there is an option to suit everyone when it comes to visiting Nudey Beach and Fitzroy Island – visit for just the day or stay a little longer, relax and unwind at Fitzroy Island Resort (with a wide variety of accommodation options on offer to suit all tastes and budgets).
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Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, Queensland
Burleigh Heads is a keen favourite amongst locals as well as visitors to the array of beaches that make up Queensland’s famous Gold Coast, due to its stunning, sheltered surf beach, incredible array of dining options and laidback and friendly vibe.
Burleigh Heads is one of the most photographed surf beaches dotted along the Gold Coast, thanks to its stunning surf, vast Norfolk pines, lush natural headland vegetation and basalt boulders. Unlike most other beaches on the Gold Coast, Burleigh Heads is protected to a degree from southerly winds thanks to the nearby headland, making it one of the safest and most comfortable swimming beaches for people of all ages.
When you’re done enjoying the beach and the surf, you can take a lovely stroll along some of the area’s gorgeous walking tracks, grab something delicious to eat or perhaps even enjoy a picnic on the popular Burleigh Hill at sunset.
Hyams Beach, Jervis Bay, New South Wales
Hyams Beach is far and above one of the most exquisite beaches located anywhere on the coast of New South Wales. Home to the whitest sand found anywhere on the planet, coupled with its stunning turquoise water, it’s not hard to see why Hyams Beach is a must-see location during an adventure along Australia’s east coast.
Hyams Beach is located 3 hours’ drive south of Sydney (the capital of New South Wales) and is the most famous beach in the Jervis Bay region. Hyams Beach is a fabulous location for a spot of snorkelling, scuba diving, kayaking or windsurfing, and is adjacent to Booderee National Park, home to a number of stunning bushwalks.
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Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Queensland
With its contrasting, exquisite white sand and outstandingly clear turquoise ocean water, it’s not hard to see why Whitehaven Beach is high on the bucket list of travellers from all over the world. Approximately 7km long, Whitehaven Beach is one of Australia’s (if not the world’s) most photographed beaches, due to its striking, contrasting colours.
Whitehaven Beach is located on Whitsunday Island in the famous Whitsunday region, Queensland. This stunning beach is accessible by means of joining a local boat, helicopter or seaplane tour. Whether you wish to simply kick back and relax on the magnificent, pure white quartz sand, snorkel and explore the nearby reef, or take a bushwalk to the Tongue Point lookout (for jaw-dropping views of the swirling sand and water of Hill Inlet), there is something everyone can enjoy at beautiful Whitehaven Beach.
