The BIG list of the 400 best beaches in Australia (plus the ultimate must-see beaches across the country)

Dotted across a vast coastline, Australian beaches are the best in the world. 

Whether it’s surfing, bodyboarding, swimming, or just relaxing on the beach and spotting native Australian wildlife, there are hundreds of incredible Australian beaches waiting for you. 

Beaches in Australia Murrays Beach Sea Cave
Murray’s Beach Sea Cave in Jervis Bay, NSW. Photo: Destination NSW/Jordan Robins

How to use this guide:

Great for swimming – you should only swim at patrolled beaches

Great for surfing – consider surf lessons if you’re not an experienced surfer

Patrolled beach – Remember, many Australian beaches are only patrolled in the summer months or holiday periods

Dangerous water – while they might be beautiful, these beaches are known for dangerous swimming conditions Entering the water is not recommended. 

Australian Beaches red and yellow flags

Warning: If there are no red and yellow flags on an Australian beach, this means there are no lifeguards/lifesavers on duty. The Australian Royal Lifesaving Society advises against swimming at unpatrolled Australian beaches.

Beaches in New South Wales

The Must See Beaches In NSW

The Full List

Beaches Near Sydney

Balmoral Beach

Bronte Beach

Camp Cove

Chinamans Beach Sydney

Chowder Bay

Clovelly Beach

Cronulla Beach

Curl Curl Beach

Dee Why Beach

Freshwater Beach

Garie Beach

Long Reef Beach

Narrabeen Beach

Newport Beach

Shark Beach

Shelly Beach (Manly)

Watson Bay

Wanda Beach (Cronulla)

Wattamolla Beach (must see)


Beaches Near Newcastle

Bar Beach

Bagnalls Beach

Birubi Beach

Dutchmans Beach

Fingal Bay Beach

Little Beach

Nelson Bay Beach

One Mile Beach

Samurai Beach

Shoal Bay Beach

Stockton Beach

Sunset Beach

Wanda Beach (Port Stephens)

Wreck Beach

Zenith Beach


Beaches on the North Coast – Near Byron Bay

Belongil Beach

Brunswick Heads

Clarkes Beach

Kingscliffe Beach

Wategos Beach

Little Wategos 


Beaches on the Mid North Coast – Near Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie

Bongil Beach

Darlington Beach

Diggers Beach

Emerald Beach

Flynns Beach

Gallows Beach

Jetty Beach  

Lake Cathie Beach

Moonee Beach 

North Haven Beach

Mullawarra Beach

Mullaway Beach

Nobbys Beach Port Macquarie

Park Beach (must see)

Rainbow Beach

Red Rock Beach

Town Beach

Woolgoolga Beach 


Beaches on the Central Coast – Near Gosford

Bateau Bay Beach

Copacabana Beach

Ettalong Beach

Frazer Beach

Lakes Beach

Lobster Beach

MacMasters Beach  

North Avoca Beach  

Ocean Beach

Shelly Beach  

Soldiers Beach  

Terrigal Beach  

The Entrance Beach  

The Entrance North Beach  

Toowoon Bay  

Umina Beach  

Wamberal Beach

Beaches on South Coast – Near Wollongong & Jervis Bay

Aislings Beach

Armands Beach

Austinmer Beach (must see)

Avenue Beach

Baragoot Beach

Barmouth Beach

Beares Beach

Bellambi Beach

Beermuna (Boydtown Beach)

Bingie Beach North

Black Beach Kiama

Boat Harbour Beach

Bombo Beach

Bristol Point Beach

Bittangabee Bay

Broulee Beach

Bulli Beach

Bull Pup Beach

Burrill Lake Entrance Beach

Captains Beach

Cave Beach

Cocora Beach

Collingwood Beach

Chinamans Beach Jervis Bay

Coalcliff Beach

Cormorant Beach

Coomee Nulunga Beach

Corrimal Beach

Culburra Surf Beach

Cunjurong Point Beach & Green Island

Cuttagee Beach and Lake

Dalmeny Beach

Dee Beach

Depot Beach

Fairy Meadow Beach

Flat Rock Beach

Gannet Beach

Greenfield Beach

Haywards Beach

Hole in the Wall Beach

Horseshoe Bay Beach

Iluka Beach

Jones Beach Kiama Downs

Kendalls Beach

Kitty Beach

Kioloa Beach

Lighthouse Beach Ballina

Malua Bay Beach

Manyana Beach

Merimbula Main Beach

Meroo Beach

Minnamurra Beach

Mollymook Beach

Murramarang Beach

Narooma Bar Beach South

Narooma Surf Beach

North Beach Bawley Point

North Durras Beach

North Tura Beach

North Wollongong Beach

Nuggan Point Beach

Pambula Beach

Pebbly Beach

Port Kembla Beach

Pretty Beach

Racecourse Beach Ulladulla

Rennies Beach

Richmond Beach

Sandon Point Beach

Scarborough Beach

Scottish Rocks Beach

Seven Mile Beach

Severs Beach

Shark Net Beach

Sharpes Beach

Shellharbour North Beach

Stanwell Park Beach

Steamers Beach

Surf Beach Batemans Bay

Surf Beach Kiama

Tathra Beach

Thirroul Beach

Towradgi Beach

Tuross Main Beach

Warilla Beach

Whiting Beach

Windang Beach

Wollongong City Beach

Woonona Beach

Beaches in Queensland

The Must See Beaches in Queensland

The Full List

Beaches in Southern Queensland (Gold Coast)

Balinga Beach

Broadbeach (must see)

Coolangatta Beach

Currumbin Beach

Froggies Beach

Greenmount Beach

Kirra Beach

Main Beach

Mermaid Beach

Narrowneck

Nobby Beach

Tallebudgera Creek

The Spit

Tugan


Beaches in North Queensland (near Cairns and Townsville)

Bengal Bay

Bushland Beach

Clifton Beach (must see)

Cowley Beach

Dunk Island

Ellis Beach

Etty Bay

Four Mile Beach

Holloways Beach

Kewarra Beach

Mission Beach

Myall Beach

Newell Beach

Nudey Beach

Pallarenda Beach

Punsand Bay Beach

The Strand

Yorkeys Knob Beach

Beaches in Southern Queensland (Sunshine Coast)

Alexandra Headland Beach

Bokarina Beach

Bulcock Beach

Coolum Beach

Castaways Beach – Noosa

Currimundi Beach

Dicky Beach

Discovery Beach

Golden Beach

Kawana Beach

Marcoola Beach

Maroochydore Beach

Moffat Beach

Mooloolaba Spit Beach

Mudjimba Beach

Peregian Beach

Rainbow Beach

Sunshine Beach – Noosa

Wurtulla Beach


Beaches in Central Queensland (near Bundaberg, Rockhampton, and Mackay)

Agnes Water Beach  

Airlie Beach

Boathaven Beach

Bucasia Beach

Cannonvale Beach

Dolphin Heads Beach

Eimeo Beach

Emu Park Main Beach

Farnborough Beach

Mackay Harbour Beach

Keppel Sands Main Beach

Lamberts Beach

Boathaven Beach

Sarina Beach

Yeppoon Main Beach

Beaches in Victoria

The Must See Beaches in Victoria

The Full List

Beaches on the Mornington Peninsula and Philip Island

Capel Sound Beach

Cowes Beach

Frankston Beach

Gunnamatta Beach

McCrae Beach

Mount Martha Beach

Point Leo Surf Beach

Smiths Beach

Mothers Beach

Rye Front Beach

Sorrento Ocean Beach

Woolamai Surf Beach (must see)


Beaches in the Gippsland Region

Betka Beach

Cape Paterson Bay Beach

Inverloch Surf Beach

Lakes Entrance Main Beach

Norman Beach

Picnic Bay

Quarry Beach

Secret Beach

Shack Bay

Squeaky Beach

Whisky Bay

Beaches near Geelong and the Great Ocean Road

Anglesea Main Beach

Apollo Bay Beach

Childers Cove Beach

Cosy Corner Torquay

Fairhaven Beach

Fishermans Beach

Geelong Eastern Beach

Jan Juc Beach

Johanna Beach

Logans Beach

Point Roadknight

Queenscliff Beach

Port Campbell Beach

Southside Beach

Thirteenth Beach

Torquay Front Beach

Urquhart Bluff Beach

Wye River Beach


Beaches near Melbourne

Brighton Beach Melbourne (must see)

Half Moon Bay

Hampton Beach

Sandringham Beach

St. Kilda Beach

Beaches in South Australia

The Must See Beaches in South Australia

The Full List

Beaches in Adelaide

Brighton Beach

Grange Beach

Henley Beach

Largs Beach

North Haven Beach

Seacliff Beach

Semaphore Beach

Somerton Beach

West Beach


Beaches in Encounter Bay and the Fleurieu Peninsula (near Victor Harbor and McLaren Vale)

Aldinga Beach

Basham Beach

Blowhole Beach

Boomer Beach

Carrickalinga Beach

Christies Beach

Goolwa Beach

Maslin Beach

Middleton Beach

Moana Beach

Normanville Beach

O’Sullivan Beach

Parsons Beach

Petrel Cove

Port Elliott Beach

Port Noarlunga Beach

Seaford beach

Sellicks Beach

Southport Beach

Waitpinga Beach

Beaches on the Eyre Peninsula (near Port Lincoln and the Great Australian Bight)

Almonta Beach

Baird Bay

Cactus Beach

Donington Beach

Engine Point Campground Beach

Farm Beach

Fishery Bay

Flat Rock Beach

Greenly Beach and Rockpool

Locks Well Beach

Lucky Bay – Cowell

Perlubie Beach

Sceale Bay

Shelly Beach

Sleaford Beach

St. Mary Bay

Streaky Bay

The Granites

Walkers Rocks

Whyalla Foreshore Beach


Beaches on the York Peninsula

Berry Bay

Black Point

Brown’s Beach

Burners Beach

Cap Clairaut

Dolphin Beach 

Ethel Beach

Moonta Bay

Parsons Beach

Pondalowie Surf Break

Port Hughes South Beach

Port Vincent Foreshore Beach

Shell Beach

Simms Cove

Wallaroo North Beach

Beaches in Western Australia

The Must See Beaches in Western Australia

The Full List

Beaches near Perth

Avalon Beach

Bathers Beach

Binningup Beach

City Beach

Coogee Beach – Perth

Falcon Bay Beach

Leighton Beach

Pinky Beach – Rottnest Island

Port Beach

Pyramids Beach

Rockingham Beach

Silversands Beach

Swanbourne Beach

The Basin – Rottnest Island

Mandurah Town Beach

Trigg Beach


Beaches in the Coral Coast Region (Near Geraldton and Carnarvon)

3 Mile Lagoon

Blue Holes Beach

Champion Beach

Coronation Beach

Drummond Cove

Fascine Town Beach

Flat Rocks

Geraldton Back Beach

Gnaraloo Bay

Lucky Bay – Kalbarri

Miaboolya Beach

Monkey Mia

Osprey Bay Beach

Paradise Beach

Pelican Point

Point Moore

Point Quobba

Sandy Cape 

Sunset Beach

Tarcoola Beach

Beaches in the South West Region (near Margaret River, Albany, and Esperance)

Blue Haven

Boodjidup Beach

Bunbury Back beach

Bunker Bay

Busselton Foreshore Beach

Cape Le Grand Beach

Cheynes Beach

Duke of Orleans Bay

Ellenbrook Beach

Eagle Bay

Eleven Mile Lagoon

Foul Bay

Gnarabup Beach

Grunters

Hamelin Bay

Hellfire Bay

Injidup Natural Spa

Little Beach

Middleton Beach – Albany

Margaret River Mouth

Meelup Beach

Point Picquet

Prevelly Beach

Rossiter Bay

Smiths Beach

South Point Beach

Thistle Cove

West Beach Esperance

Wharton Beach

Yallingup Beach


Beaches in the North West Region (near The Kimberly, Pilbara, and Broome)

Cemetery Beach

Broome Town Beach

Eighty Mile Beach

Entrance Point Beach

Gantheaume Beach

James Price Point

Reddell Beach

Roebuck Bay

Beaches in Tasmania

The Must See Beaches in Tasmania

The Full List

Beaches in Northern Tasmania (near Devonport)

Badger Beach

Bakers Beach

Barnbougle Beach

Buttons Beach

Devonport Back Beach

East Devonport Beach

Fossil Bluff Beach

Godfreys Beach

Greens Beach

Mersey River Mouth

Murphy’s Beach

Penguin Beach

Sisters Beach


Beaches in Southern Tasmania (near Hobart)

Bellerive Beach

Big Roaring Beach

Boronia Beach

Clifton Beach

Cockle Creek

Coningham Beach

Cremorne Beach

Dover Beach

Eaglehawk Neck

Eggs and Bacon Bay

Goats Bluff Beach

Gorringes Beach

Hinsby Beach  

Hopground Beach – Maria Island

Howrah Beach

Jetty Beach

Kingston Beach

Lauderdale Beach

Little Roaring Bay Beach

Long Beach

Lords Beach

Mays Beach

Mickeys Beach

Nutgrove Beach

Opossum Bay Beach

Park Beach

Randalls Bay Beach

Red Ochre Beach

Roaring Bay Beach

Roches Beach

Shipstern Bluff

Snug Beach

South Cape Bay

Southport Beach

Taroona Beach

Tiger Head Beach

Binalong Bay

Coles Bay

Cressy Beach

Descent Beach

Eddystone Point – Bay of Fires

Egg Beach

Fortescue Bay

Four Mile Creek Beach

Friendly Beaches

Lufra Cove

Mayfield Beach

Pirates Bay Beach

Raspins Beach

Redbill Beach

Safety Cove Beach

Shelly Point

Spiky Beach

Spring Beach

Steels Beach

Swimcart Beach – Bay of Fires

The Gardens

The Neck

Waubs Bay

White Beach

Beaches on Tasmania’s West Coast

Ann Bay

Arthur Beach

Balmoral Beach

Big Beach

Cowrie Beach

Four Mile Beach

Gold Diggers Beach

Green Island Main

Green Point Beach

Lady Kathleen Beach

Lighthouse Beach

Mawson Bay

Mount Cameron Beach

Nelson Bay

Pilot Beach

Quail Beach

Stingray Beach

Toogelow Beach

Towterer Beach

West Strahan Beach

What about the Northern Territory?

The Northern Territory is great place for adventure, wildlife, and Australian cultural experiences.

However, it’s not the place to visit if you’re seeking incredible Australian beaches. It’s too dangerous to enter the water at most Northern Territory beaches because of crocodiles and jelly fish.

Outside of pools, swimming in the Northern Territory is generally restricted to inland lakes, waterholes and lagoons marked as safe swimming areas.