Quick answer: Australia’s best-known beaches include Bondi in Sydney, Byron Bay in northern New South Wales, Noosa and Burleigh Heads in Queensland, Whitehaven in the Whitsundays, Wineglass Bay in Tasmania, and Cable Beach and Monkey Mia in Western Australia. For young children, calm harbour beaches such as Balmoral and Shelly Beach in Sydney are easier than open surf. Always swim between the red-and-yellow flags, and check local warnings for rips, sharks and, in the tropical north, marine stingers.
Beach safety in Australia
- Swim between the flags. Lifesavers mark the safest patrolled area with red-and-yellow flags. Many beaches have strong rip currents that are hard to see.
- Stingers in the tropics. In tropical Queensland and northern Western Australia, dangerous jellyfish (“stingers”) can be present in the warmer months, roughly November to April or May. Use stinger nets where provided and consider a stinger suit.
- Sun. The Australian sun is strong. Use sunscreen, a hat and shade, especially with children.
- Visas. Indian passport holders need an Australian visa for a holiday; apply through the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs.
Calm beaches for small children in Sydney
If you are travelling with toddlers, Sydney Harbour’s sheltered beaches are gentler than the ocean surf beaches. Balmoral Beach on the north shore has calm water and a playground nearby. Shelly Beach in Manly is a small, sheltered cove facing away from the open surf. Parsley Bay Reserve in the eastern suburbs has calm water in a quiet inlet and a playground nearby. Conditions still change with the weather, so supervise children at all times.
12 best beaches in Australia
1. Bondi Beach, Sydney
Bondi is Australia’s most famous beach, about 7 km from central Sydney, with golden sand, blue water and reliable surf. It is busy, lively and well patrolled, with cafés and restaurants along the beachfront. A coastal walkway links Bondi with the beaches to the south as far as Coogee, and during the whale migrations, roughly March to May and September to November, whales and dolphins are sometimes seen in the bay.
Bondi’s surf can be powerful. The southern end is generally kept for surfboard riders and has a well-known rip, nicknamed the “Backpackers’ Rip”, where deceptively flat, smooth water is actually a dangerous current. Families should swim only between the flags.
2. Byron Bay, northern New South Wales
Surfers and hippies arrived in Byron Bay in the 1960s, and by the 1970s it had a reputation as an alternative town. Today it is one of Australia’s best-known beach destinations, with long sandy beaches, surf breaks such as The Pass and Wategos, and the 1901 Cape Byron Lighthouse on the easternmost point of mainland Australia. Experienced surfers also head to Lennox Point at nearby Lennox Head.
3. Lizard Island, Queensland
Lizard Island lies on the northern Great Barrier Reef, about 27 km off the mainland north of Cooktown. Most of the island is Lizard Island National Park, established in 1939, and the island covers about 1,000 hectares in all. It has many small beaches with clear water and fringing reef, and is better known for snorkelling and diving than for surf. The island has a luxury resort and the Australian Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station.
An earlier version of this article said Lizard Island’s beaches cover 1,000 hectares and recommended it for surfing. About 1,000 hectares is the size of the whole island, and its reef-protected beaches are suited to snorkelling rather than surfing.
4. 75 Mile Beach, K’gari (Fraser Island), Queensland
K’gari, officially renamed from Fraser Island in June 2023, is the world’s largest sand island and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. Its 75 Mile Beach, about 120 km long, is officially a road and also serves as an aircraft landing strip, so four-wheel drives and light planes share the sand. Along it you will find the wreck of the SS Maheno (driven ashore in 1935; climbing on it is not allowed), Eli Creek, the largest freshwater creek on the island’s east coast, and the Champagne Pools.
Ocean swimming off 75 Mile Beach is not advisable: sharks, including tiger sharks, are found in these waters. Swim in Eli Creek or the island’s freshwater lakes instead. K’gari’s dingoes (wongari) are wild animals; never feed them, and keep children close.
5. Mandalay Beach, Western Australia
Mandalay Beach is a remote, windswept beach at the southern end of D’Entrecasteaux National Park, near Walpole on WA’s south coast. It is named after the Norwegian barque Mandalay, which was driven ashore here in a gale in May 1911; all of its crew survived. The wreck is usually buried in sand but sometimes reappears. Chatham Island, about 3 km offshore, dominates the view. National park entry fees apply.
An earlier version of this article placed the beach at “Broke”, Western Australia. It is in D’Entrecasteaux National Park near Walpole.
6. Noosa Main Beach, Sunshine Coast
Noosa Main Beach, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, has clean sand, blue water and waves suitable for swimming and learning to surf, which makes it popular with families. Noosa National Park begins at the eastern end of the beach, with coastal walking tracks where you may see dolphins and, in season, whales.
7. Wineglass Bay, Tasmania
Wineglass Bay, in Freycinet National Park on Tasmania’s east coast, is a perfect curve of white sand framed by pink granite peaks and turquoise water. A walking track climbs to a lookout above the bay, and boat cruises also visit it. Water temperatures are much cooler than in Queensland. A Tasmanian parks pass is required to enter the national park.
8. Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast
Burleigh Heads is one of the Gold Coast’s best-loved beaches, with a grassy, pine-lined foreshore that is good for picnics and barbecues, and a famous point break off the headland. The headland itself is protected as Burleigh Head National Park, with walking tracks and views back along the coast. Local markets are held in the area.
9. Cable Beach, Broome
Cable Beach is a 22 km stretch of white sand on the Indian Ocean at Broome. It is best known for its sunsets and the camel rides that run along the beach around sunrise and sunset. At Gantheaume Point, at the southern end, dinosaur footprints estimated to be about 130 million years old can be seen in the rocks at very low tide.
The waves are mostly gentle in the dry season, from May to October, which is also the most comfortable time to visit. Box jellyfish (stingers) may be present from November to April, and crocodiles are occasionally seen offshore, so follow local warning signs.
Broome is also known for the “Staircase to the Moon”, when a rising full moon over the exposed tidal flats at Town Beach on Roebuck Bay looks like a staircase. It happens only on certain nights, and a food and craft market runs at Town Beach when it does; check the local visitor centre for dates. An earlier version of this article linked it to Cable Beach; it is seen from the town side, facing Roebuck Bay.
10. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Queensland
Whitehaven Beach is a 7 km stretch of almost pure silica sand (about 98 per cent) on the east coast of Whitsunday Island. At Hill Inlet, just north of the beach, the tide swirls white sand and turquoise water into changing patterns. You reach Whitehaven by boat, seaplane or helicopter from Airlie Beach or Hamilton Island, and you can camp at national park campsites with a booking.
Whitehaven is in the tropics, so stingers can be present in the warmer months; wear a stinger suit if you swim then.
11. Hyams Beach, Jervis Bay, New South Wales
Hyams Beach, about 180 km south of Sydney on Jervis Bay, is known for its fine white sand and clear water, with Jervis Bay National Park to the north and Booderee National Park to the south. The bay is a marine park, and dolphins are often seen; snorkelling, kayaking and paddleboarding are popular.
An earlier version of this article said Hyams Beach has the world’s whitest sand according to Guinness World Records. That claim is a myth that began with a local sign; there is no such record. Note also that the village has only one road in and out and limited parking, and the council closes access when parking is full on busy days, so arrive early or visit outside peak holidays.
12. Monkey Mia, Shark Bay, Western Australia
Monkey Mia is about 25 km north-east of Denham, roughly 900 km north of Perth, inside the Shark Bay World Heritage Area and Marine Park. Wild bottlenose dolphins have visited the beach since the 1960s, when a local fisherman and his wife began feeding them. Today park rangers supervise a small, controlled feeding of a few adult dolphins, who receive only a small part of their daily food, so that they stay wild.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best beach in Australia for families?
For young children, calm harbour beaches such as Balmoral or Shelly Beach in Sydney, Noosa Main Beach in Queensland and Parsley Bay’s netted swimming area are easier than open surf. Always swim between the flags where there are lifeguards.
Is Fraser Island the same as K’gari?
Yes. Queensland officially renamed Fraser Island as K’gari in June 2023.
Does Hyams Beach really have the whitest sand in the world?
No. The claim is a popular myth, not a Guinness World Record. The sand is very white, but other Australian beaches are often cited as whiter.
When is stinger season in Australia?
In tropical northern Australia, dangerous jellyfish can be present in the warmer months, roughly November to April or May. At Cable Beach in Broome, for example, stingers may be present from November to April.
Can you swim at Bondi Beach?
Yes, between the red-and-yellow flags while lifeguards are on duty. The surf can be strong and rips are common, so avoid swimming outside the flagged area.
More beach guides: New Zealand, Indonesia and Thailand.
This guide was checked in October 2026 against published information on each beach and park, including Queensland and Western Australian park sources and Shark Bay World Heritage information.
