Bondi Beach is undoubtedly the most famous beach in Australia. This stretch of sand is located 7km east of Sydney and tops the list of popular tourist destinations. While Bondi is beautiful and a lot of fun - it’s also crowded with tourists and not at all what you would call a peaceful getaway.
Bondi should be on your Australian beach bucket list - but while you are in Australia make sure you also take the opportunity to visit some of the other gorgeous beaches that are more unspoilt, quiet and naturally beautiful.
Australia’s coastline is 50,000 kilometres long and consists of 10,000 beaches - so you could spend a lifetime visiting them and still not see them all. To narrow things down, these five particularly lovely beaches are the perfect place to start.
1. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays
This is the most photographed beach in Australia - and it’s easy to see why. This seven kilometre stretch of sand is located right in the heart of the impossibly beautiful Whitsundays. The sand is as white and soft as sugar, and the clear water is ideal for snorkelling.
Whitehaven Beach was named the Cleanest Beach in Queensland in 2008, and it is known for its stunning white sand. The sand is 98% silica, which is why it has such a bright white colour. It is incredibly fine, and it doesn’t retain heat so that you can walk barefoot on the beach even on a scorching day.
2. The Basin, Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island is located off the coast of Perth, and one of its loveliest beaches is known as The Basin. Nature has created the ultimate swimming environment here - a calm basin hugged by reefs offering safe bathing in the deep, green, tranquil water. A rock ledge forms the natural swimming pool of the basin, and it is fascinating to watch the tide go back and forth across it. Sharks cannot enter, and the snorkelling is superb in the serene waters.
The beach is equipped with toilets and drinking water facilities, and the Basin is easy to reach on foot or via bicycle. It makes the ideal place for a picnic and the calm waters are perfect for kids to splash and play in.
3. Bells Beach, Victoria
If you are a surfer, you may have already heard of Bells Beach. Surfers from all over the world come to this gorgeous stretch of coastline that is located south-west of Melbourne on the Great Ocean Road - one of the most scenic drives in the world.
The beach is home to the famous Rip Curl Pro Surf & Music Festival. Surrounded by dramatic bluffs and blessed with golden sand and sparkling water, it’s a great place to test your surfing skills if you know what you are doing - or just watch others smoothly riding the great waves.
4. Cable Beach, Broome
Cable Beach offers 22 km of stunning white sand, red ochre cliffs and incredibly clear blue water. While you are there, you can take a camel ride across the sand, an unforgettable Australian travel experience. The gentle waves of the beach are ideal for swimming and sometimes if you are lucky you can see dolphins and whales frolicking in the waters of the Indian Ocean.
While you are there, make sure that you visit Gantheaume Point at the southern end of the beach, where at low tide you can see 130 million-year-old dinosaur footprints at low tide. You can also visit Broome to learn about the history of pearling in Australia.
5. Burleigh Heads Beach, Queensland
Burleigh Heads is a gorgeous beach with protected waters, lined with fragrant pine trees and home to many lovely picnic spots and free public barbeques. There are plenty of funky cafes along the beach where you can relax with a cappuccino as well as superb oceanfront dining.
This area is part of a biologically diverse wildlife corridor that is home to many different species. It is also a mecca for surfers and you’ll see tanned and lithe locals on boards bobbing up and down on the waves.
These are just a few of Australia’s most gorgeous beaches - so be sure to go beyond Bondi Beach and see what else this hot and sunny destination has to offer.
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