Tourists have spoken, ranking their top beaches from around Australia for 2016 in Trip Advisor's 2016 Traveller's Choice Awards - and surprisingly, Sydney's famous Bondi did not make the top 10!
The higher rankings go to Queensland beaches but in the top 10 you can also find New South Wales and Western Australia. Bondi did however, just scrape through on the top 25 list.
There's a bit of everything in the top 25, not necessarily pure white sand and calm waters. There are paradises for surfers, for swimmers and for families. For sure there are amazing landscapes and breathtaking views.
As summer heats up and you seek out a coastal retreat to cool off, peruse the top beaches here and see how they ranked according to
1. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday, QLD
It's one of the world's most unspoiled and beautiful beaches and it is located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. It stretches for seven kilometers and its sand is 98 per cent pure white silica, which gives it a brilliant, almost luminescent colour. It was named the ‘number one beach in Australia’ by the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Beaches Awards in 2013 and it has been voted the world’s top eco-friendly beach, and Queensland’s cleanest beach.
2. Manly Beach, Sydney, NSW
In the second position we find one of the most popular city beaches in Sydney and it's ranked better than the iconic Bondi Beach: it's Manly.
3. Surfer's Paradise Beach, Surfers Paradise, QLD
A three-kilometer strip of golden sand in the heart of the Gold Coast, where you can find 52 km of golden beaches and 300 days of sun in a year.
4. Turquoise Bay Exmouth, Exmouth, WA
And now Western Australia. You can reach Exmouth with a 2 and a half hour flight from Perth. A perfect beach for swimming and snorkelling within a few metres of Ningaloo Reef. The Turquoise Coast islands nature reserve group is a chain of 40 islands spread over a distance of 150 kilometers.
5. Shelly Beach, Sydney, NSW
Shelly Beach is located near Manly Beach in Sydney. It's a western facing beach on the eastern coast of Australia and it is protected from the ocean swell by the reef that lies on its right hand side. For this reason it's ideal for scubadiving students.
6. Mooloolaba Beach, Mooloolaba, QLD
Pure white sand in the heart of the Sunshine Coast, 97 kilometers north of Brisbane. It is known as one of the safest and most beautiful beaches in the area. The north facing position provides protection from the prevailing southerlies and south easterlies, which ensures nearly perfect conditions all year round.
7. Burleigh Heads Beach, Burleigh Heads, QLD
Burleigh Heads' surf break attracts surfers from the Gold Coast and beyond. The beach enjoys dual popularity with those who like to swim in her protected waters and those who love to surf around the headland.
8. Cable Beach, Broome, WA
Have you ever seen the popular photo of the camel rides around sunrise and sunset hours on the northern parts of Cable beach? We are sure you have. Four-wheel drive vehicles are also permitted north of the rocks. It's a 22 kilometers stretch of pure white sand set against a backdrop of red ochre cliffs and fringed by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Not to be missed.
9. Noosa Main Beach, Noosa, QLD
One of the few beaches along Australia's coastline that faces north. It's s a great option for families or those who are not confident in the surf, as it has gentle waves and is patrolled by surf lifesavers.
10. Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas, QLD
This is the premier beach of Port Douglas, in the far north Queensland.
But let's have a look at the top 25 of the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Australian Beaches Awards. At number 11 we find the only Tasmanian location, Wineglass Bay, at number 16 we find the only Northern Territory location, Mindil Beach and at 19 we find Emily Bay in the Norfolk Island. The most of the other beaches are from Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales. The only state which doesn't appear in the Top 25 is Victoria.
11. Wineglass Bay Lookout, Coles Bay, TAS
12. Coolangatta Beach, Coolangatta, QLD
13. Airlie Beach Lagoon, Airlie Beach, QLD
14. The Strand, Townsville, QLD
15. Cottesloe Beach, Cottesloe, WA
16. Mindil Beach, Darwin, NT
17. Scarborough Beach, Scarborough, WA
18. Greens Pool, Denmark, WA
19. Coral Bay Beach, Coral Bay, WA
20. Ned's Beach, Lord Howe Island, NSW
21. Palm Cove Beach, Palm Cove, QLD
22. Bondi Beach, Sydney, NSW
23. Seventy-Five Mile Beach, Fraser Island, QLD
24. Emily Bay, Norfolk Island, Australia
25. Little Beach, Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Albany, WA
