Travel Insider: The best beaches in every Aussie state

Australia is one big beach as I call it. Visiting the beach here is much more than laying down a towel and slapping on sunscreen. Our beaches have thousands of years of history – as First Nations burial grounds and shipwreck sites.

Most of Kangaroo Island’s beaches are all relatively secluded, so visitors are much more likely to encounter footprints of furry locals than humans. Stokes Bay Beach on the gentler north coast, with its long 500m sandy sweep of low-impact waves features a safe tidal swimming pool. From the western entry carpark, this veiled beach is reached through a ‘secret tunnel’.

The Barrington Coast portion of NSW’s mid-north coast is among the top five best seaside stretches in Australia’s southern half. While Boomerang Beach typifies a sunburnt Aussie surfing haven, there are so many beaches beyond for day trips. Boomerang is east facing and simply spectacular, a sensory feast and dog friendly, around sunrise and sunset.

Ice-filled eskies, beach umbrellas, waxed surfboards, and fishing rods on 4WD rigs is the scene here. It’s a long stretch to get well and truly beached, from Double Island Point (north of Noosa) through Rainbow Beach township, all the way to Inskip Point and K’gari (Fraser Island). Rainbow Bay, the heavenly hamlet, about three hours north of Brisbane, is a key entry point to the subtropical Cooloola National Park. There’s quality pub grub from the local Surf Club.

Apollo Bay is a safe, family-friendly, crescent-shaped beach. This small coastal town at the tail western end of the Great Ocean Road has been a summer favourite since the 1930s. The 3km of clean, white sandy beach enjoys a gentle atmosphere. During an offshore wind there is a reasonable surfing wave, but generally this is an open swimming beach with the protected southern end being the safest between the flags.

This Tassie treasure is really one island in two parts, connected by a 7km-long sandy isthmus known as the Neck, which leads south-west to Adventure Bay. It’s the largest community on Bruny Island, strung out along a curved north-facing beach, offering a range of activities including eco-boat tours. The Neck lookout and stunning view it provides is a social media favourite.

Hamelin Bay is a sleepy settlement which is no more than a neat camping and caravan area, a beautiful beach, some islands, and a couple of remnant jetties. The sweeping coast to its north is truly spectacular. The waters are usually calm, clear, and visited by local rays. Family-friendly, wide-open spaces and a charming environment make Hamelin Bay a must-see experience on Australia’s west coast.

Many dusty miles away from its glamorous Sydney counterpart, the Top End’s ‘Little Bondi’ is a compact, tranquil embayment well off the beaten track. While a cool dip looks inviting, be cautioned about lurking saltwater crocodiles and other ‘aquatic hazards’. Instead, it’s visual delight – desert red rocks, powdery white sands, shimmering blue waters, and verdant green forest.

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