Of Australia's states, none come near New South Wales for having safe, accessible sandy beaches for almost the whole length of its coastline. The state's climate is conducive to spending time at the beach, particularly in summer, and these two factors are the main reason for its coastline being a recreational magnet for locals and visitors alike. If you prefer your beaches served with espresso bars as well as sand bars - and spas, surf lessons, and maybe a dolphin or two - the New South Wales coastline has just what you are looking for.
NSW's regional Beaches | Sydney's Beaches
Internationally famous in the surfing community, Bells Beach is located 100 km south-west of Melbourne, on the Great Ocean Road. It is part of Victoria's Surf Coast. One of the more accessible beaches of Wilsons Promontory, the pure white rounded grains of quartz on Squeaky Beach make a squeaking sound when you walk in the dry sand - hence its name. At just over 151 kilometres (94 Miles) in length, Ninety Mile Beach is believed to be the second longest uninterrupted beach in the world, after Padre Island on the US Gulf Coast.
Victoria's iconic regional Beaches | Bellarine Peninsula Beaches | Mornington Peninsula Ocean Beaches | Port Phillip Bay Beaches | Surf Coast
Queensland rivals New South Wales for having the country's best beaches and beach resorts. There are some stunning strips of surfing beach all the way up from the NSW border to Agnes Water, which takes in the Gold and Sunshine Coasts. Then there is the stunning Whitehaven Beach - one of many in the Whitsundays - Mission Beach, Trinity Bay, 75-mile beach on Fraser Island ... the list goes on.
Queensland's iconic regional Beaches | Brisbane's Beaches
Tasmania has some wonderful beaches that are up there with the best. The Bay of Fires, an extensive strip of coastline at the north-eastern corner of Tasmania is a regular on lists of the top ten beaches in the world, and it is hard to argue with that claim. Midway on Tasmania's East Coast, the Freycinet National Park features dramatic coastal scenery of rugged red and pink granite outcrops and mountain peaks amidst sparkling white sands and crystal clear water. Offshore, Flinders and King Islands are known for their beautiful, generally deserted beaches.
Tasmania's Best Beaches | Hobart's Beaches | Surfing in Tasmania
Though its beaches don't have the same high profiles as their eastern seaboasrd counterparts, there are plenty of good beaches around the coast of South Australia for surfing, beachcombing, fishing and other waterside activities. Adelaide's beaches have broad ribbons of clean golden sand; there are some wonderfully quiet, peaceful corners on Kangaroo Island - no stay on Kangaroo Island is complete without a visit to Seal Bay, a large sandy beach and dune area where Australian Sea Lions rest and nurse their young.
South Australia's regional Beaches | Adelaide's Beaches
With such a long coastine, one would expect to find some exceptional beaches here - and that is exactly there are. They start in the stunning Cape Arid National Park near Esperance, continue on to the south west corner with Albany, Denmark and Margaret River to name a few, and continue up the coast past Perth, all the way to the Pilbaza. North West Cape is home to Ningaloo Beach, one of the rare places on earth where you are able to walk from the beach straight onto a coral reef.
Western Australia's regional Beaches | Perth's Beaches
Going to the beach is not the first thing that comes to mind when you are in the Northern Territory and looking for somewhere to go. Nonetheless, the Territory has plenty of beaches, but the main activity there is more likely to be fishing than swimming. If you are Darwin, Mindil is perhaps the most well known of that city's beaches, as it is home to the famous Mindil Beach Sunset Markets.
Darwin's Beaches | Beaches of the Northern Territory
