Australia’s beaches are the stuff dreams are made of. White silky sand, warm turquoise seas, blue skies, spectacular wild and marine life and, for the most part, practically empty.
Surrounded by oceans
Australia is surrounded by three oceans, the Pacific, the Indian and the Southern. There are 7000 officially identified beaches around Australia’s coastline, more than any other country in the world, and every single one has public access. It is no surprise then that 80% of the Australian population lives within 50km of the coast.
Beach culture
As a society, Australians have claimed ‘beach culture’ as their own and the rest of the world honours their claim. They have created fashion labels, recreational sports and lifestyles that revolve around the beach. After the kangaroo and the boomerang, it is possible that the surf board is Australia’s most recognised icon.
But there is more to do than just surf on Australia’s beaches. Whether you want to relax or work up a sweat, there is something for everyone within ‘cooee’ of an Australian beach. One can indulge in Frisbee, snorkelling, walking, dining, sailing, bodysurfing, beach cricket, volleyball, dune surfing, picnicking, kayaking, paragliding, diving, getting up close and personal with some local wildlife or, heaven forbid, sitting.
Beaches
Some beaches have become more renowned than others for certain things. World-famous Bondi Beach in Sydney, for example, has ‘awesome’ surf and provides an cool arena for people-watching. Monkey Beach in Western Australia is famous for its friendly bottle-nose dolphins, who happily interact with humans. Maslin Beach near Adelaide is Australia’s first legal nudist beach. 75 Mile Beach on Fraser Island is lapped by the most densely shark-infested waters in the world. Bells Beach on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria is home to legendary surf. Mission Beach in Queensland is totally deserted, with rainforest edging the blinding sand. On Cable Beach at Broome you’ll find camels loping across the most idyllic sunsets. And out-of-the-way Hyams Beach near Jervis Bay is said to offer the whitest sand in the world – so clean it squeaks as you walk.
Every state in Australia proudly declares that their beaches are the most beautiful, the most pristine, the least visited, the most visited, the safest, the best. The truth is, they are all incredible.