Australia has some of the best beaches in the world and sun, surf, and sand are very high on the list of reasons to visit. However, it’s a very big country and it has almost 27000 kilometres (16000 miles) of coastline. Some of it’s nice, some of it’s a bit boring, some of it is absolutely stunning. How do you find the best bits?
Let’s start with general area. It’s a big country and if you fly into the state of South Australia you’ll find beaches, but not outstanding beaches. SA also has more than its fair share of Great White Sharks. Cross that one off the list.
Western Australia is huge, and this is the place to go if you want real unspoiled wilderness. The long, sweeping beaches out here go for miles and there are usually very few people on them. The largest city, Perth, is the most remote state capital in the world so it’s not the place to land if you want to enjoy the delights of Sydney and more populated eastern side of the country but from most of Europe, flying into Perth is much cheaper than heading straight to Sydney or Melbourne.
Wildlife is the biggest drawcard to Western Australia. Rockingham and Bunbury are two of the best places in the world to swim with dolphins and they’re both within easy reach of Perth. In the right season you can also snorkel or dive with Whale Sharks. These gentle giants may be anything up to 40ft long but they’re completely harmless to humans and eat only plankton.
The Northern Territory is another great place to see interesting animals but it’s a bit short on safe swimming areas. Australia’s ‘Top End’ has a little problem with crocodiles and a bigger problem with poisonous jellyfish. There are safe places to swim, warm seas, and amazing wilderness to experience, but do your research carefully before jumping in.
The state of Queensland is home to the famous Great Barrier Reef. Thousands of visitors flock to Cairns and other coastal cities every year, just to dive and snorkel on the reef, which is literally teeming with sea turtles, rays, bright corals, giant clams, and tropical fish in every colour of the rainbow. You don’t need to be an expert diver- tuition is easily available and so are snorkelling tours any swimmer can try.
In fact, you don’t even need to get in the water. There is so much life on the Great Barrier Reef that glass-bottomed boat tours will let anyone see incredible underwater sights. When conditions are good the waters are crystal clear and visibility levels are stunning. Swimming on the reef is something that should be on every Australian visitor’s list.
Further down the coast in New South Wales and Victoria the reef peters out but there is still a lot to enjoy, not least because the beaches of south-eastern Australia are the lightest on sharks, stinging jellyfish, and crocodiles (there are none of these in southern Queensland or below). Visitors can enjoy the beaches and be carefree, and still dive, swim, or snorkel with seals, dolphins, rays, and huge shoals of fish.
New South Wales and Victoria are a colder than Queensland but in the summer months temperatures can still reach 40C (100F). A swim is a very welcome way to cool off. Some excellent surf can also be found in the south, and anyone used to the crowded line-ups of European surf spots will love the empty Australian swells.
About the Author: Jess Spate is a keen surfer and scuba diver. Although she is now based in the UK and working for Fountain Spirit, she lived in Australia for more than 20 years and still pops back for a swim every now and then.
Images by Travel Leaders/Your Travel Center
