How Many Beaches In Australia Are There?
Australia is a country known worldwide for its incredible beaches.
Gorgeous blue yet clear water with soft yellow-white sand makes for the perfect beach combo, and Australia is home to a load!
But just how many? How many beaches in Australia are there?
It’s a common question and a good question to ask too. As a full-time traveller and a beach lover, I am here to provide the answer to your burning question.
How Many Beaches In Australia?
To answer the question “How many beaches in Australia?” in one sentence, the answer is almost 12,000 beaches. It’s incredible to think that one country can have so many beaches.
Of course, this statistic is only an approximation. No one has counted all of Australia’s beaches (yet). There is great debate about the number of beaches and approximations vary from 8,000 to 15,000. But the Australian tourism office promotes 12,000 beaches so it is likely around that estimate.
There are so many beaches that if you visited a new beach every single day of your life, it would take you over 30 years to visit all of Australia’s beaches. That’s mindblowing!
It makes sense that there are so many beaches in Australia though, as there are 34,000 kilometres (21000 miles) of the Australian coastline. Quite a lot, right?
There’s a reason there are so many popular road trips along the Australian coast, such as the Great Ocean Road. Those 34,000 kilometres bring Australia in at 7th in the world rankings for the longest coastline.
If you are interested, Canada tops the list followed by Norway. Of course, these aren’t going to be used as much as Australia’s beaches as the winter seasons in these countries are (quite literally in parts of the countries) arctic.
As there are so many beaches, Australia is home to some of the best beaches in the world. You might be familiar with some of them already, but let’s dive into some of the most famous Australian beaches.
10 Most Famous Australia Beaches
With over 12,000 beaches, you are guaranteed to have heard of at least a few of these. If you haven’t, you need to hop on a flight to Australia and start exploring these perfect beaches. As a beach lover myself, it’s hard to find a better country for beaches than Australia.
1. Bondi Beach, Sydney
The most famous beach in Australia is without a doubt Bondi Beach. If you have ever watched a movie set in Sydney or Australia, if there’s a beach scene, it’s pretty likely to be Bondi Beach.
It’s one of the most well-known beaches in the whole world, and you can see how popular it is from the photo below. There are thousands of people on the beach at any time.
The area surrounding the beach has a really vibrant atmosphere with amazing cafes, restaurants, bars and clubs. Bondi Beach is the place to be in Sydney, regardless of if you are a local or a tourist.
2. Surfer’s Paradise, Queensland
Another of Australia’s famous beaches is Surfer’s Paradise. As the name suggests, this is one of the best beaches in the country for surfing. And we all know how much Australians love surfing, right? It’s one of the things Australia is famous for.
The beach is pretty long, over 3km long in fact, compared to Bondi Beach which is only 1km long. The area around the beach is also pretty famous, including the Q1 Tower which is a pretty iconic landmark.
“Why do surfers love this beach?” I hear you asking. Because the waves are very consistent here. It’s such a good place to surf that there are often international surfing competitions held at Surfer’s Paradise Beach.
3. Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas
You might assume that Four Mile Beach is 4 miles. I’ll let you in on a secret…it’s not. It’s actually 4 kilometres which is equal to just under 2.5 miles.
If you picture a tropical island beach, that’s what you get from Four Mile Beach. There aren’t any attractions around the beach unlike the previous 2, and it’s all natural beauty.
It’s also not too far from Four Mile Beach to the Great Barrier Reef so any snorkelling or diving fans will want to spend a day or two at this beach for sure.
4. Manly Beach, Sydney
This 1.5km long strip of yellow sand is another of Australia’s famous beaches.
You’ll find some of the bluest water in all of Australia here. Take a look for yourself, it looks so refreshing, right?
It’s also another beach surrounded by iconic landmarks. You can see the Manly Wharf and Manly Surf Lifesaving Club here.
5. Whitehaven Beach, The Whitsundays
The Whitsunday Islands off the coast of Queensland are home to some of the most unique and stunning beaches on our planet.
One of the most popular is Whitehaven Beach. The sand is white and the waters are light blue. It’s like a whole other planet.
The unspoilt natural beauty of the area makes these beaches, and Whitehaven in particular, some of Australia’s most famous beaches.
6. Palm Cove, Cairns
Another of Australia’s 12,000 beaches that is famous is Palm Cove in Cairns. This tropical beach is surrounded by lush greenery, features golden sand and looks out to refreshing blue water.
It’s an area of luxury, with many world-class resorts and spas nearby. The beach is considered to be a relatively exclusive beach.
That being said, there are many events and festivals held on the beach such as Plam Cove Reef Feast which focuses on delicious local cuisine.
7. Nudey Beach, Fitzroy Island
No- don’t worry, despite the name, Nudey Beach is not a nudist beach.
It’s the perfect place for snorkelling, as the area is known to be home to several exotic species such as clownfish, reef sharks and more. It’s hard to beat that!
Aside from the underwater marine life, the area itself is beautiful. Mountains meet the sea and it makes for an attractive landscape. The panoramic views are unbelievable.
8. Shelly Beach, Sydney
It’s not often that a beach can simultaneously be considered a hidden gem and one of the most famous beaches in the country, yet, this is how I would describe Shelly Beach.
Shelly Beach is Manly Beach’s little sister. It’s a smaller and more secluded beach, in a sort of bay area surrounded by rugged cliffs.
If you are visiting Manly Beach, you need to take a trip here too. Both beaches are excellent but this one, Shelly Beach, is often forgotten about.
9. Bell’s Beach, Torquay
Any surfers will have heard of Bell’s Beach before. The beach has world-renowned surf breaks. Not to mention the international surf competitions held here going back as far as the ’60s.
Like Bondi Beach, it also features in several movies including the iconic surf movie “Point Break”.
As well as the surfing culture, the beach makes for a great spot for relaxing, sunbathing and swimming.
It’s also in a great location if you are an animal lover as the surrounding area is home to hundreds of kangaroos and wallabies. Australia, right?
10. Cable Beach, Western Australia
Last but by no means least on this list of Australia’s famous beaches is Cable Beach in WA. Cable Beach is famous for its camel rides which take place along the beachfront. These rides are a great way to see the beauty of the area, particularly at sunrise or sunset.
On top of the opportunity to take a camel ride, the beach makes for a great spot to explore. The Broome Jetty is another iconic landmark near Australia’s beaches, it was once a major port for the pearling industry.
Cable beach also sees a lot of beach volleyball and other beach activities. Of course, you can get in the sea too and go kayaking and fishing amongst other things.
How Many Beaches In Australia: FAQ
Below are some questions relating to “How many beaches in Australia?” along with my answers.
No, Australia does not have the most beaches in the world. Canada has the most beaches in the world. But Australia does have about 12,000 beaches which is a huge number of beaches.
Australia actually has more than 10,000 beaches. There are approximately 12,000 beaches across Australia’s coastline. As an island, there are naturally a load of beaches. If you visited a new beach every day, it would take you over 30 years to see them all.
There are approximately 3,500 beaches in Western Australia. This makes up just under 30% of Australia’s total number of beaches at around 12,000.
Canada has the most beaches. With the longest coastline in the world at 243,042 kilometres, there are naturally going to be the most amount of beaches. That being said, a huge percentage of the beaches are unreachable and you can’t sunbathe on the beach as often as in other countries like Australia.
How Many Beaches In Australia: Conclusion
And there you have it, a complete guide to “How many beaches in Australia?” Remember, the answer is approximately 12,000 beaches across the country.
Some of the most famous beaches include Bondi Beach and Surfer’s Paradise. It’s no secret that Australia is home to some of the best beaches anywhere in the world.
Whether you are planning to visit Australia or are simply curious about the beaches there, hopefully, you have learnt a bit about the beaches in Australia 🙂
