Best Beaches of Australia

What a land of contrasts! Australia has some of the best of nature, awesome scuba and snorkel along the Great Barrier Reef and elsewhere, and the most fantastic beaches we've seen. In fact, many people put Australia on their list of must see destinations! The fact is there are so many beaches on this continent of varied terrain that there is something for everyone. People seem to flock to the best beach. Let's see if that's true here. Ready to get started? Pick a beach and get ready to enjoy!

Palm Beach in Sydney is at the end of miles and miles of beaches as you head north out of Sydney. Palm Beach is one of Australia's fun surfing beaches. And if golf is your fancy, Palm Beach has one of the best.


Hyams Beach is fantastic because it's harder to reach. This beach on Jervis Bay has the whitest sand we've ever found. The reflection off the sand can cause sunburn. Beware.


Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas, QLD, reminds us of the Caribbean - turquoise waters, warm sun, swaying palms. Hotels are low-rise and keep that "in the middle of nowhere" feeling. Beware of Queensland's seasonal marine stingers - these jellyfish are deadly!

Mission Beach in Queensland has azure water with the most beautiful horizon - small islands! Amazing white sand bordered by a green forest, Mission is spectacular. Again, beware of marine stingers.


Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island, Queensland, is an almost four mile stretch of pristine sand. And guess what? The island is uninhabited so plan a day of peace!


Surfers Paradise Beach, Gold Coast, Queensland, is part of some 35 beaches of the 19 mile Gold Coast in south Queensland. The sand here "squeaks"! The surf is fantastic and you'll appreciate the breeze.


Cable Beach - Broome, Western Australia, another marine stinger beach - but if you come June through September, you'll be fine - they're not around. 16 miles of sand here - pure white. Australia's most exotic beach - you'll think you're in the South Sea!

Bells Beach, in Victoria. Back in the 1840's the first family to settle in this part of the coast was named Bell. No one surfed back then, but around 1939, surfers from Torquay, a town nearby, started surfing this beach.


Cottesloe Beach, Perth, Western Australia, is part of Perth's 19 glorious beaches -this one is the nicest. Check out the beach, then head for the Indiana Tea House facing the water. Surf is fine as well.

If sun and sand isn't your cup of tea, check out our best diving and snorkel sites in Australia.

Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas, QLD

Port Douglas has a few beaches, but one outshines them all. It's Four Mile Beach, reachable quickly from anywhere in Port Douglas. The fun part is that once there, we found that you can literally walk 4-mile for hours! It's so true - but if you have toddlers, be prepared. It's a long trek. Also, remember that suntan lotion. You can get burned on your calves as you walk along this strand.

Four Mile begins at the northern rocky headland. This is really cool because you can spend hours simply exploring the surrounds. And the weather is wonderful. You can pack a lunch and make it a family activity. We found dozens of small crabs and other critters. It's a good place to walk off a heavy lunch. Camera and binoculars are a must.

Slowly the beach bends from the rocks on out. We were baffled that there wasn't any development along the beach. Well, there is - but you can't see it. The small guest homes are hidden behind the towering palms that line Four Mile Beach.

Here again, you'll need to keep a sharp eye out for "Stingers". These jellyfish are deadly, so stay within the nets during season.

Expect deep blue water with clear skies and wide, sweeping beach fit for a king - in Queensland.