Destinations
Australia top 10 beaches: official 2024 best list
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**With over 11,000 beaches dotted along the magnificent Australian coastline, we don’t blame you if you’ve got decision paralysis about where to head on your Camplify road trip. Luckily for all of us, conservationist, tourism expert and all-round beach guru **Brad Farmer recently put out his list of the top 10 beaches in Australia, so you won’t miss out on your travels.
With thousands of campervans, caravans and motorhomes all across Australia, Camplify is the country’s leading van sharing community, connecting hirers with local owners so you can experience the great outdoors on a unique, personalised holiday.
10. Casuarina Beach, NT
Coming in at number 10 is Darwin’s very own Casuarina Beach, a gorgeous stretch of sand that exudes all the lush, tropical vibes associated with the Northern Territory. Fronted by mangroves and paperbarks, you might even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of nesting turtles at the right time of year.
The swimming season runs from June - August and is patrolled on weekends, and if swimming in the buff is your cup of tea, there's even a half-kilometre of beach put aside for nude bathing.
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9. Cow Bay, QLD
While ranking 9th on Australia’s best beaches list might change this, Cow Bay has long been a true ‘hidden gem’ in Queensland. Situated between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation, Cow Bay is bordered by the indomitable Daintree Rainforest, giving this secluded beach a truly unique feel.
As with most northern beaches in Australia, you’ll have to pick your time of year to enter the water, but Cow Bay has made the cut due to its remarkable natural beauty, and a stop here on a Queensland road trip is well worth the time.
8. Long Beach, SA
While Long Beach comes in at number 8, it’s no secret that this extraordinary beach would probably top most countries' best beaches list (but hey, we know we have the best in the world, right?). Located in the town of Robe on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, this beach truly has it all.
Paddle in the gentle aquamarine waters, surf in the stronger waves from the 3rd ramp onwards, or take your (off-road approved) vehicle right onto the sands and watch the world go by from a premier picnic spot. Dreamy.
7. Lagoon Beach, Lord Howe Island
While we might not have any vans on Lord Howe Island (yet), we’d be remiss not to mention the 7th star on the list, Lagoon Beach. Picturesque, remote, and stunningly unique thanks to its location in the middle of the Pacific, Lagoon Beach is a vacationers paradise.
While you won’t be able to drive your van there on your road trip, who’s to say you won’t fall in love with the island and become Camplify’s trailblazer on Lord Howe? We won’t stop you.
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6. Cylinder Beach, Queensland
Yet another pristine island paradise, Cylinder Beach can be found on Queensland’s North Stradbroke Island, which is accessed by a car ferry daily from Brisbane. The beach itself is a popular destination for families and surfers alike, with the stunning white sanded cove easily accessible from a nearby parking lot.
Cylinder Beach is naturally susceptible to the weather, with moving sandbars creating an alternating pattern of perfect swimming and surfing conditions. Mostly, however, the cove provides small, gentle waves that are ideal for anyone wanting to take a beautiful detour on their Queensland road trip.
5. Pulu Blan Madar Island, Keeling Islands
The second and final inaccessible-by-Camplify-van beach on the list, Pulu Blan Madar Island, is found on Australia’s farthest territory, the Keeling Islands. While spectacular, breathtaking, insert-any-adjective-here, we’re still waiting on an intrepid local to start the first Camplify hire on the island. Watch this space.
4. Madfish Bay, WA
Heading back to the mainland, 4th spot on the list goes to Madfish Bay on Western Australia’s glamorous Rainbow Coast. Actually a collection of small beaches separated by rock outcroppings, Madfish Bay is where the turquoise brilliance of WA truly shines.
A natural haven for marine wildlife thanks to the protective waters around the rocks, Madfish is the perfect spot to pull out the snorkel and go looking for salmon, bream and whiting, which can often be found in large schools just off the rocks. Kick back on one of the many isolated beaches after your swim for an afternoon in paradise.
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3. Cockle Creek, TAS
2 hours drive south of Hobart, on the fringes of the stunning Recherche Bay, Cockle Creek is very literally the end of the road in Australia. The southernmost point of the country that you can drive to, the beach isn’t for the faint of heart, with the water regularly dipping to 12 degrees celsius.
Even without the brisk waters, Cockle Creek is an astonishing place to find yourself on a Camplify road trip. With the Southwest National Park on your doorstep, a rich trove of local wildlife on the shores, and snow capped mountains behind you, you can spend an eternity here revelling in the isolation.
2. The Farm, NSW
Just missing out on top spot, The Farm (Killalea Beach) has long been a locals secret on the NSW South Coast. Often overshadowed by its more popular cousins in Kiama and Wollongong on either side, Killalea is a surfers haven, recognised as an official surfing reserve.
Backed by the impressive emerald hills of Killalea Regional Park, The Farm is a true slice of heaven on a coastline already packed with untold gems. With a long and storied Indigenous history, it is now rising as one of the top surfing destinations in the country.
1. Squeaky Beach, VIC
Coming in as the top rated beach in the country for 2024 is the magnificent and often unknown Squeaky Beach in Wilsons Promontory at the southern tip of Victoria. Named very literally for the impressive squeak that results from walking along its sandy shores, this fantastic beach is sure to tick all your boxes on a Victorian road trip.
Flanked by impressive granite boulders at either end of the beach, Squeaky is also home to a wide variety of kangaroos, emus and wombats who live in the surrounding bushland. Hike around the National Park for impressive coastal views before finishing the day with a dip in the cooling waters of one of mainland Australia’s most southern beaches.
The information in this blog is accurate and current as of the date of posting. Please be aware that information, facts, and links may become outdated over time.