Courtesy of COVID-19, this Summer will see thousands more water-babies craving their very own patch of stealthy sand! As such, I thought I’d share my favourite secret beaches in Australia so that you – my awesome, fabulous readers – can blissfully bask undetected in spots usually reserved for locals! All you’ll need to find them is a sturdy car, some beach essentials and a sense of adventure!
Pictured: Roxy My Girl blouse and Roxy signature floral two-piece swimsuit
My Favourite Secret Beaches in Australia
Thistle Cove – Esperance, Western Australia
@nicole.harder
Why You’ll Love It:
Wild Southern Gray Kangaroos sunning themselves on the silicone- white sand.
Beautiful beachside Camping along the 15km coastal walk.
Equally as pretty, the more popular Lucky Bay is sometimes overrun by fisherman, so Thistle Cove is perfect if you want total solitude!
How To Find It:
Drive approx 8 hours south of Perth until you reach the small town of Esperance (near the SA Border).
Make your way to the entry of Cape Le Grand National Park 50km Sth-East of Esperance by sealed road.
Midway between the 15km coastal walk between Le Grand Beach and Rossiter Bay you’ll stumble across the more widely known (but still low-key) Lucky Bay.
Head around the Lucky Bay point to the next beach. Voila! This is Thistle Cove.
Third Bay – Coolum, Queensland
Why You’ll Love It:
Beautiful tiny rock pools brimming with rock pools to explore at low tide.
Tiny stretch of sand usually protected from the wind, perfect for romantic sunset picnics.
The coast’s unofficial nudie beach (but watch out for police)!
How To Find It:
Drive approx 1.5 hours North of Brisbane to Coolum Beach.
Once at the Coolum Surf Club, head Sth and pass the lookout above better-known First Bay and continue to follow the hill toward Yaroomba.
Mid-way around the hill you’ll come across a carpark on the left side of the road. Note: this carpark only accommodates a few cars. You should have passed a larger one 100m prior overlooking First and Second Bay.
Park and find the stairs to the Third Bay.
Friendly Beaches – Freycinet National Park, Tasmania
Why You’ll Love It:
A pristine beach sandwiched between a saltwater and a freshwater lagoon at either end.
Epic surfing in the right conditions (bring your wetsuit as the water is freezing all year round).
Limited camping spots overlooking the ocean and basic facilities.
Practically secluded compared to popular Wineglass Bay nearby and a perfect spot to base yourself to explore Freycinet National Park!
How To Find It:
Drive 2.5 hours from Hobart and you’ll get to a small township called Coles Bay, which sits are the beginning of Freycinet National Park.
The dirt road that leads to Friendly Beaches can be found about 26km’s North of Coles Bay.
You’ll need a decent car to drive a few more minutes on the dirt road to get to the carpark. The camping ground begins at the carpark and spots are sparsely and strategically places along the dirt road.
Friendly Beaches (in reality, just one long stretch of sand) are a five minutes walk from the carpark.
Cape Leveque – Kimberley Region, Western Australia
@kooljaman
Why You’ll Love It:
Crystal clear water, bone white sand and rugged red cliffs collide together to make this spot truly breathtaking and unique.
There are camping spots and basic facilities or alternatively, you can stay in quaint thistle huts overlooking the bay at remote Kooljaman Wilderness Camp, owned and run by the indigenous Bardi Jawi Communities.
Great 4WD’ing tracks.
How To Find It:
Cape Leveque, located in the Kimberly Region of WA, is 240 kilometres north of Broome on the northernmost tip of the Damien Peninsular.
You’ll need a 4WD to reach the Cape – it’s around 3.5 hours of unsealed (but clearly signed) roads from Broome.
Bremer Island – East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory
@banubanuretreat
Why You’ll Love It:
A wild and untamed landscape rich in Indigenous culture.
True seclusion, a maximum of 16 guests are allowed on the island at any one time.
Stay on the beach in basic Glamping Tents that won’t break the bank (some even have private plunge pools).
Fisherman’s Mecca!
How To Find It:
Arnhem Land on the edge of the Northern Territory is for true secret Australian secret beach seekers.
If visiting by car, you’ll need to apply for a free visiting permit via Northern Land Council at least 10 days prior to visiting.
Also note the roads are not suitable for caravans and you won’t be granted a permit if you have one.
There’s no travelling in Arnhem Land by car during the wet season (Nov-April).
From Katherine, take the turnoff to the Central Arnhem Highway after 52km on the Stuart Highway towards the town of Nhulunbuy.
Nhulunbuy is the main town of Arnhem Land and about 800km from Katherine.
There are also daily flights from Cairns and Darwin to Nhulunbuy.
Bremer Island is a 40km boat ride off the coast of Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsula. You can reach it by contacting Banubanu Beach Retreat.
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Wearing swimsuits by Roxy Clothing
SKA xx
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[…] stretches of sand only a handful of locals know about. I recently published an article highlighting my favourite secret beaches in Australia and thought I’d share some […]