In what’s sure to be a hotly contested subject, the votes are in for the Best Australian Beaches 2023 list with South Australia the home of the surprise winner. Find out if your fave stretch of sand made the grade.
Compiled for Tourism Australia by author and conservationist Brad Farmer, who has visited and documented every beach Down Under, the Best Australian Beaches 2023 List is the authoritative guide to our best beaches.
The top 10 list
This year, Stokes Bay in South Australia took out the top honours for Best Australian Beach in a welcome recovery message for Kangaroo Island, which was ravaged by bushfires in 2020.
The Tourism Australia Ambassador & Beach Expert described Stokes Bay as “uniquely Australian and a new national treasure”.
“Stokes Bay Beach with its long 500m sandy sweep of low impact waves features a generous and safe tidal swimming pool for wading or snorkelling with its aquarium-like atmosphere,” Mr Farmer wrote.
“Stokes Bay is long overdue to be recognised as Australia’s Best Beach in 2023.”
Mr Farmer found a place on the list for at least one beach in each state, the Northern Territory and an Australian external territory.
Boomerang Beach on the NSW Mid North Coast was in second place, while Queensland’s Rainbow Beach came in third.
Apollo Bay on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road was the fourth-best beach for 2023 followed by Tasmania’s Adventure Bay on Bruny Island in fifth place and Hamelin Bay on WA’s South West coast in sixth spot.
Tassie also secured a top 10 mention for another beach: British Admiralty Beach on King Island at number eight.
Located in East Arnhem Land, Little Bondi (Baringura), a much lesser-known location than its Sydney namesake, was number seven on the list. Christmas Island’s Flying Fish Cove secured ninth place.
Also making the list of Best Beaches for 2023 are locations that acknowledge the significant cultural value of the coast to First Nations peoples, several nature-based locations and some quirky spots within easy reach of major cities.
“International travellers returning to Australia are keen to get some sand between their toes and holiday on the world’s most diverse and magnificent selection of beaches,” Mr Farmer said.
“Australia really is just one big beach and there are simply so many surprises to be discovered in our own sandy backyard.”
Beachy keen on Australia
Australia boasts the world’s largest number of beaches and is the country’s main tourism drawcard for domestic and international visitors.
Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison said: “Australia is globally renowned for its beaches and they are a major reason international travellers visit.”
“With about 12,000 beaches to explore across our country, it is not easy to name a ‘Top 10’ and we once again thank Brad for doing just that.”
Check out the top 20 Australian beaches of 2022 here.
Find out more at bestaustralianbeaches.com
