One of our favourite stats is that if you were to visit an Australian beach per day, it would take you over 27 years to see them all! With tens of thousands of world class beaches in this beautiful country narrowing down the best ones is not an easy task. Of course we haven't seen them all but over the last five years we have certainly seen our fair share.
If you are looking to visit just a couple, you won't be disappointed with any on this list. We have covered all States apart from WA which we have yet to visit. If you are planning a trip to WA we've heard that Esperance, Lucky Bay and Cable beach should definitely be on your radar.
Here's our take on the best beaches in Australia.
1. Whitehaven, QLD
This beach in the Whitsunday Islands is world famous and rightly so. Even non beach lovers will be blown away by this one. The sand is so white that it reflects all the sunlight meaning it remains blissfully cool underfoot. If that isn't beach perfection I don't know what is. The water is turquoise and perfect for swimming, and you might even be lucky enough to spot some sting rays.
Make sure you have enough time to take the short walking trail up to Hill Inlet lookout. The view is dazzling. You can see why it was one of our favourite things to do in The Whitsundays.
2. Squeaky beach, VIC
This is another one of those Aussie place names which we love: yes the sand really does squeak and yes, it is a beach (they clearly took a long time to decide what to call it). The sand here is also as white as it gets. It's well known to Aussies but less so to international visitors and the best thing is that it's so big that you'll always have plenty of space to yourself.
It's one of several spectacular beaches in Wilsons Promontory National Park, so if you fancy a walk you can also easily visit Norman and Whiskey beaches too. It also made our list of the must-see places in Australia.
3. Vivonne Bay, SA
If you have made it all the way to Kangaroo Island you are probably already feeling pretty pleased with yourself. Head to Vivonne Bay and the feeling will go up a notch. This beach is incredible!
We visited in the middle of the day in the Christmas holidays and there were only three other people on this long stretch of beach. Brace yourself as the water is quite cool, but oh so clear and good for snorkelling.
4. Hyams, NSW
Hyam's Beach in Jervis Bay is listed under the Guinness Book of Records for having the whitest sand in the world. If you're a beach lover this alone probably means it's a must visit. The beach is also absolutely huge so there is plenty of space to spread out and find yourself a quiet spot.
For absolute serenity head there early in the morning, we watched a beautiful sunrise and then spent a few hours enjoying being the only people on this insanely gorgeous beach.
If you are spending a bit of time in New South Wales, check out our blogs; our favourite weekends away in NSW and the top 10 beaches in NSW.
5. Hanson Bay, SA
Hanson Bay is a stunningly wild and windswept beach. We stayed at the nearby Hanson Bay cabins and had the pleasure of spending three days thoroughly mesmerised by this beach. It's a bit wavey so it wasn't our favourite for swimming but the perfect white sand was almost entirely devoid of people at all times of day so great for lazing.
It also receives some cute little visitors in the evening in the form of adorable Tammar wallabies enjoying the vegetation just up from the beach itself. It's also a great sunrise spot.
6. Palm Beach, NSW
Palm beach is no secret but it's also one of Sydney's best. it's a huge beach with plenty of room to spread out on. It's also a favourite of local surfers and it perfectly encompasses that laid back Aussie vibe that you imagine before arriving in Australia.
There is also a short 15 minute walk up to the lighthouse which offers a great view of Palm beach and is a great whale watching spot in season (May to October).
It's incredibly photogenic and makes our list of Sydney's most instagrammable spots and the best beaches in Sydney.
7. Wategos, NSW
Less famous than its neighbour Byron Bay, we think Wategos is the one to beat. It's sheltered position makes it great for swimming and both times we have visited we have seen dolphins from the shore.
As with all of Byron Bay the vibe is relaxed and carefree. Once you're done with chilling on the beach you can take the short walking track up to the lighthouse for sunset.
8. Wineglass Bay, TAS
Wineglass Bay is a little harder to get to than most in this list as you cannot drive to it. But we think that's a bonus as it means far less people visit than would otherwise do so, and the walking track is less than an hour long (each way). If you don't fancy the walk you can also visit by boat.
The beach itself is another white sand stunner with the obligatory turquoise water. The beach has a gorgeous mountain backdrop and makes our list of Tasmania's most instgrammable spots.
Try visiting just after catching a sunrise at the lookout above the beach and you will be virtually guaranteed to have this magnificent stretch of sand to yourself.
9. Bay of Fires, TAS
This beach on the east coast of Tasmania is an absolute must on any Apple Isle itinerary. The sand is bright white and it stretches for kilometres. It is also well known for its unusual orange lichen covered rocks which make for some incredible photo ops.
If you prefer not to swim in the ocean it has lots of fabulous rock pools big enough for a dip.
Keen photographers should visit at sunrise. It's made our list of the best things to do in Tasmania.
10. Misson Beach, QLD
It's also an entry point to the lesser visited parts of the Great Barrier Reef, and the surrounding town and forest are a great place to spot wild cassowaries - an experience you will never forget! It's a great place to stop on a trip to Cairns.
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Have you visited any of the beaches on our list? Any you agree or disagree with? Let us know in the comments.
