After living in and traveling around Australia for at least 4 years, I have made it to my fair share of beach towns in every single state (well, except landlocked Canberra, of course). I road-tripped around most of the country, lived in a couple of coastal towns, and traveled to even more, so I have a pretty good idea about the best beach towns in Australia and can recommend them to you!
Australia is honestly one of the best countries in the world for coastal road trips and beach towns… I mean, with almost 60,000km (37,000 miles) of coastline, I’d hope so! Along the way, I found little coastal desert towns, leafy tropical beach towns, cliffy and forested beach towns, trendy ones with cute cafes and pubs, and everything in between – which I’ll share with you below.
Some beach towns are famous international destinations, while others are small seaside villages you stumble upon along the way. But no matter what, nearly all of them have that relaxed Aussie beach lifestyle that makes you want to stay longer than planned.
Below are some of the best beach towns in Australia that I loved visiting or spending time in during my years here.
Best Beach Towns Near Cities
Some of the Australian beach towns I spent the most time in were right next to bigger cities. I naturally gravitated to living or visiting beachy areas, especially when I lived in a city (you can take the girl out of California…). So these are awesome options when visiting the cities, but you still want a beach town feel.
Manly (Sydney)
I lived in Manly for about six months while I was living in Australia, and it’s still one of my favorite beach towns in the country to this day. What I love about Manly is that it genuinely feels like its own little coastal town, even though it’s technically part of Sydney.
The 30-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay is one of the most scenic commutes you could imagine, gliding across Sydney Harbour before arriving right at Manly Wharf. From there, The Corso leads straight to the beach and acts as the heart of the neighborhood, lined with surf shops, cafés, restaurants, and bars.
Manly has its own vibe entirely. Surfers head out early in the morning, beach volleyball games run throughout the day, and there are always groups doing outdoor workouts along the waterfront. The nearby walks around Shelly Beach (where you can also scuba dive and snorkel) and North Head offer some beautiful coastal views as well.
It’s super easy to forget that you’re technically still within Sydney here, because Manly really is such a self-contained little area with so much to offer. Lay on the beach ortake part in any of a tons of different things to do in Manly, the choice is yours.
St Kilda (Melbourne)
St Kilda is Melbourne’s closest thing to a beach town. Even though it’s only about a 20-minute tram ride from the CBD, it feels like its own little seaside neighborhood with its own culture and vibe.
I lived in Elwood – the next town over – for a while, and also lived in Melbourne for quite a few years, so I spent a ton of time here. Acland Street is the center of St Kilda’s social life, packed with bakeries, brunch spots, bars, and restaurants, and it’s particularly famous for its incredible pastry shops. People come here for Luna Park and tons of waterfront views with a drink in hand.
St Kilda definitely isn’t somewhere people go specifically for swimming (in fact, I wouldn’t really recommend it on most days), but the atmosphere more than makes up for it. The area has a truly epic nightlife scene, live music venues, backpacker bars, and an all-around lively vibe that make it worth visiting when in Melbourne. It’s slightly chaotic and always entertaining.
It’s a fun place to spend the evening hopping between bars, although plenty of travelers also enjoy relaxing back at their accommodation with a bit of downtime entertainment like the best online pokies while planning the next day’s adventures.
Cottesloe and Scarborough (Perth)
Just outside of Perth, you’ll find some of Western Australia’s most beautiful city beaches, particularly Cottesloe and Scarborough. Both areas feel like proper beach towns with their own cafés, pubs, and restaurants, and a strong local community vibe. I’ll never forget sunsets from the roof of the Ocean beach hotel every time I visited – the sunsets on the west coast are unforgettable.
The beaches here are honestly stunning (as they are in most of WA to be honest), with soft white sand and incredibly clear blue water. Cottesloe tends to be a bit more relaxed, with grassy picnic areas overlooking the ocean where people gather for sunset drinks, while Scarborough has more of a surf culture and a lively beachfront strip.
You will have to be aware of shark sightings along these beaches, however, it’s quite common, but there are systems in place to warn swimmers.
Burleigh Heads (Gold Coast)
Burleigh Heads is easily my favorite part of the Gold Coast.
While other parts of the Gold Coast can feel flashy and full of high-rise buildings, almost like Australia’s Vegas, Burleigh manages to keep a much more relaxed beach town atmosphere. There are beautiful surf beaches, plenty of great cafés and brunch spots, and a really friendly community feel.
Burleigh Head National Park is one of the highlights here. The walking trails wind through trees and along the rocky coastline, offering incredible views out over the ocean. From certain points of the headlands and from all of Burleigh Beach itself, you can even see the Gold Coast skyline in the distance with skyscrapers jutting up into the sky. It’s pretty spectacular, but the area still feels peaceful and removed from the busier parts of the city.
Best Beach Towns Around Australia
Here are some most must-see beach towns in Australia and why I loved them.
Sorrento and Portsea (Mornington Peninsula)
I spent a lot of time exploring the Mornington Peninsula while I lived in Victoria, and it’s still one of my favorite coastal regions in Australia that truly has it all.
I actually lived not too far from Mornington for a few months, which meant I had plenty of time to explore the peninsula properly. One of the things that makes this area so unique is the combination of beautiful beaches and an incredible wine region with picturesque rolling hills right out of a storybook. There are wineries, breweries, farm restaurants, and coastal viewpoints all scattered across the peninsula -pretty much everywhere you turn.
Sorrento and Portsea are two of the most popular seaside towns here, and they’re perfect for a relaxing coastal getaway – in fact, they are some of the most popular beach towns in Victoria for locals. Because the Mornington Peninsula is surrounded by water, you can experience two very different beach environments – front beaches (with calm and protected water) and back beaches (much wilder with stronger waves and dramatic coastal scenery). Both Sorrento and Portsea have both kinds of beaches and much more.
Lorne and Apollo Bay (Great Ocean Road)
Lorne and Apollo Bay are two beautiful beach towns along the famous Great Ocean Road, and they both make perfect stops on a coastal road trip. In fact, I recommend staying in one of the two in my Great Ocean Road itinerary that I have tried and tested many times!
These towns are natural places to pause for the night or spend some time exploring, or simply a weekend getaway to be by the sea. Both offer relaxed beaches, local pubs, solid accommodation, and plenty of scenic viewpoints nearby.
Lorne is known for its nearby waterfalls and coastal walks, while Apollo Bay has a slightly quieter fishing town atmosphere. I still remember stopping at a famous local pie shop in Apollo Bay for a scallop pie after a long stretch of driving, which was honestly one of the most satisfying road trip meals imaginable.
Byron Bay
Byron Bay was one of my favorite places I visited on my very first long road trip around Australia, and I completely fell in love with it. I really wanted to live here for a while on the second year of my working holiday visa, but actually I ended up falling in love with Melbourne even more!
The town has a unique energy that blends surf culture with wellness and alternative lifestyles. You’ll find yoga studios, crystal shops, organic cafés, and plenty of surfers heading out at sunrise.
One of the highlights is the coastal walk up to Cape Byron Lighthouse, the easternmost point of mainland Australia. The views from the top are incredible, and if you’re lucky you might even spot dolphins or whales along the coastline.
Esperance
Esperance is one of those places that you see photos of and don’t even think it’s real… You know, the one with kangaroos on a perfect white sand beach? That’s the one.
I drove there from Albany while exploring Western Australia’s southern coast, and the scenery along the way already hinted that something special was coming (honestly, the whole southern coast is amazing too)! When I finally reached the beaches around Esperance and Cape Le Grand National Park, the water was the brightest turquoise I had ever seen.
Lucky Bay is the most famous beach in the area, partly because of the kangaroos that often lounge on the sand. Seeing kangaroos relaxing right on the beach was one of those classic Australian moments that I’ll never forget, and I’m sure you won’t either!
The sand here is often described as some of the whitest in Australia, and with the clear water and surrounding national park landscapes, the whole area feels crazily pristine and remote.
Exmouth
Exmouth is a small beachy town on Western Australia’s Ningaloo Coast. While Exmouth itself doesn’t have particularly stunning beaches, there are zillions of them within driving distance (they call it the Coral Coast) and a really epic beach town vibe here. This area is one of the best places in the world to experience marine life up close.
The town itself has an artsy and friendly atmosphere, with lots of travelers and expats working as guides for the region’s famous whale shark tours. There are pubs, cafés, and a really fun social energy in the evenings after a day out on the water.
One of the most incredible experiences I had in Australia was here, snorkeling with whale sharks during migration season (I came in April). The tours actually coordinate with small planes flying overhead that help spot the whale sharks from the air, and only one boat at a time is allowed to enter the water with them to keep the experience safe and respectful – but still mind blowing!
The beaches around Exmouth are stunning as well. Turquoise Bay inside Cape Range National Park is one of the clearest beaches I’ve ever seen in my life, with water so transparent you can easily snorkel straight from the shore and drift over coral and tropical fish.
Jervis Bay
Jervis Bay is located a few hours south of Sydney and is known and widely loved for its incredibly white sand (noticing a pattern here?!) and calm, crystal-clear water.
The bay itself is enormous, with several small coastal towns scattered along the shoreline, all of which are epic little Aussie beach towns to visit. Many people visit for a weekend escape from Sydney, and it’s easy to see why once you arrive.
Hyams Beach, one of the most famous beaches in the area, is often mentioned for having some of the whitest sand in the country if not the world.
Noosa/ Noosa Heads
Noosa is one of Queensland’s most famous beach towns for a good reason. It’s completely stunning, varied with rocky coastlines and amazing beaches, and it has a slightly more upscale, relaxed atmosphere compared to some other surf towns.
The beaches are beautiful, but the real highlight is Noosa National Park. The coastal walking track winds along cliffs and small hidden bays, and it’s common to spot koalas resting in the trees along the trail – truly a peak Aussie experience!
Little Cove Beach is particularly picturesque, and the nearby town area is filled with great restaurants, cafés, and boutique shops, making this an Australian beach town worth visiting.
Port Douglas
Port Douglas sits in tropical far north Queensland – just about an hour north of Cairns – and has a completely different feel from much of the rest of Australia.
When I did a day trip up here while staying in Cairns, it felt almost like being somewhere in Southeast Asia because of the warm climate and lush, tropical surroundings. Palm trees line the coastline, and the town has a relaxed tropical atmosphere. It’s known for luxe resorts but also had a laid-back coastal community vibe, espeically in the tiny town.
Four Mile Beach stretches for kilometers along the coast, and Port Douglas also serves as a gateway to both the Great Barrier Reef and the nearby Daintree Rainforest – both UNESCO must-see sights.
Broome
Broome is one of the most unique beach towns in Western Australia and serves as the gateway to the remote, red cliffy Kimberley region.
Cable Beach is the most famous stretch of sand here (and also the beach town itself), known for its epic sunsets where the sky glows orange and pink over the Indian Ocean – which is most of WA if we’re being honest! One of the most iconic sights is spotting a line of camels walking along the shoreline. The contrast between the bright white sand, turquoise water, and deep red cliffs makes the scenery here feel totally surreal and very unique in the world.
Margaret River
Margaret River is best known for its incredible wine region, making it a must-visit in its own right to taste some of the best Australian wines in scenery that looks like it’s straight out of a postcard. They have tons of unique winery stays in this area, too! But it’s also one of the best beach towns in Australia, as it has some beautiful beaches and dramatic coastal scenery mixed in with the wine areas.
When I visited the region, I actually stopped at Busselton Jetty while attending a festival in the area after I did my farmwork in the country of WA, and it felt so good to see the ocean again after spending so much time working on a farm! The jetty stretches nearly two kilometers into the ocean and is one of the longest timber jetties in the Southern Hemisphere.
Margaret River itself is perfect for travelers who love combining beach time with great food, wineries, and scenic coastal drives – foodies and wine lovers who also love the sea!
Swansea (Tasmania)
Swansea is a tiny seaside town on Tasmania’s east coast that I passed through while driving toward Freycinet National Park. I had to include a beach town in Tasmania on this list, and althought it’s tiny, Swansea is the perfect location to see some of the best places in Tasmania.
It’s a quiet coastal stop with beautiful views across the water toward the Hazards mountain range. Many travelers stay here while exploring nearby Wineglass Bay, one of the most famous beaches in Tasmania (pictured above).
Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach is the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands, which are home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Australia that are famous for boat trips and surreal sandy stretches.
I spent a night on a boat out here on my first trip around Australia, and I’ll never forget putting on stinger suits to swim at the famous Whitehaven Beach. But the beach town of Airlie that you must pass through to get to these experiences truly has its own charm that’s worth checking out, too.
The town itself has a relaxed, backpacker-friendly atmosphere with all the sailing tours departing from the marina. It’s a lively little coastal hub where travelers gather before heading out to explore the islands.
Coffin Bay
Coffin Bay in South Australia is famous for its oysters and rugged, remote coastal scenery. The town sits near Coffin Bay National Park, where cliffs, secluded beaches with crazy clear water, and wildlife make it a fantastic destination for nature lovers. Coffin Bay itself is just a small town on an inlet, but there’s so much to explore from there that many travelers use it as a hub to check out coastlines and taste fresh oysters straight from the sea.
The area itself is super remote and best visited on a trip west from Adelaide, but trust me when I say that making it out here will be worth your while.
Yamba
Yamba is a relaxed coastal town in northern New South Wales that still feels relatively under the radar compared to nearby Byron Bay, making it a worthy mention as the last spot on this list for those who want a beach town that’s a bit more under-the-radar but truly stunning.
It’s in the region known as the Northern Rivers, and it’s unique because Yamba itself is a tiny settlement at the end of a peninsula surrounded by the Pacific, as well as lots of inlets, channels, and even islands with tons of coastline to explore.
The town has so many beautiful beaches of all kinds, a strong surf culture, and plenty of scenic viewpoints along the coastline, and has become a hot spot for young Aussies to live for a while or visit. There are headlands, long beaches, cliffy views, bays, and so much more, making it one of the best beach towns in Australia for sheer variety of watery views to discover.
That’s it for the bet beach towns in Australia, according to me! I’m sure there are many more to discover, but these ones each have a real unique charm and are worth checking out if you’re in the area or planning an Australian road trip.
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