Australia Beaches

There is one aspect of Australia that cannot be over-looked – the coast, and in particular, the beautiful beaches! Along with gentle harbour and river beaches, the coastal beaches provide plenty of fascinating entertainment and lifestyle.

Beaches are a part of Australian culture, and a must-see for any visitor. With over 25,000 kilometers (16,000 miles) of coastline, there is plenty of opportunity to explore this fascinating aspect of Australia. Many beaches are exposed to surf, providing ample opportunity for water sports enthusiasts; however care must be taken, as the surf and currents can often be powerful, and must be treated with caution.

Many of the surf beaches in populated areas are patrolled by Surf Lifesaving Australia, volunteers who provide a watchful eye and helpful services to swimmers and other beach-goers. Their yellow and red flags can often be seen, a guide to the areas which are patrolled and safer to swim in. The SLSA often have surf carnivals, where many people take to the water in competition against both each other and the ocean, in sports such as swimming, surf-ski races and the fabulous surf boat races as well. Great care must be taken in un-patrolled beach areas, as currents can often lead quickly to unexpected difficulties.

From the tropics to the Southern Ocean, there are more than 11,000 beaches along the Australian coastline, with a huge variety of ecological environments to be experienced. Some areas, such as the tropical zone, must be treated with caution, as marine life can be dangerous to swimmers and beach goers. But it is generally safe to experience these areas first-hand, and a tropical Queensland beach at sunset cannot easily be forgotten.

Sydney has a great relationship with its beaches, with famous Bondi Beach being only 11 km from the city centre. This creates a busy, vibrant atmosphere, and Bondi is popular and well-known the world over for its beautiful sand and easy accessibility. Bondi is very popular year-round, and in summer can become extremely busy; the sand may be hard to see through the numbers of people spreading out over the 800m of its length!

Other options nearby offer some relief from the crowds, such as Tamarama and Maroubra, and Manly Beach is an entertaining 30 minute ferry ride from the city.

Surfing is without doubt a popular Aussie pastime; lessons are available at Manly and Bondi, along with surf tours both up and down the coast from Sydney. Many surf beaches such as Manly, Bondi and Cronulla in Sydney, Bells Beach and Thirteenth Beach in Victoria, and the iconic Gold Coast beaches in Queensland, are at the heart of Australian surf legend, and should be experienced first-hand, to appreciate the glory of the Aussie beach lifestyle.

Alex Loveard