1. Kangaroos: Lucky Bay, Esperance, WA

Esperance (Kepa Kurl) is a bit of a show-off when it comes to beaches, but none are as renowned as Lucky Bay. One of the crowning jewels of Cape Le Grande National Park, scientists have verified – twice – it has the whitest sand in Australia. It also scored the top spot in the list of World’s Best Beaches 2023. What tops off the 5km of blindingly white sand and topaz waters are the kangaroos, which love this spot as much as the locals. If they’re not on the sand you’ll likely spy them in the surrounding bush or at the beachfront campground. Cast your gaze further out, between July and October, and you may also spot migrating whales offshore. 

2. Turtles: Mon Repos, Qld

Make a pilgrimage to the home of turtle conservation on Australia’s east coast for an intimate encounter with the endangered loggerheads that return to their birthplace – the beach at Mon Repos. More than half of the southern hemisphere’s loggerhead turtle population nests here and nightly ranger-guided tours run throughout the turtle season. Time your visit for the chance to see mother turtles laying their eggs from November to March and catch thousands of baby turtles bursting from their shells and racing to the Southern Great Barrier Reef waters between January and March.

3. Sea lions: Seal Bay, Kangaroo Island, SA

Kangaroo Island has been called Australia’s Galápagos and on the beach at Seal Bay, a majestic fence-free wildlife experience is on offer. It’s home to a colony of endangered Australian sea lions, and you can view the action on the beach from the 900m-long wheelchair accessible boardwalk or join one of the ranger-led beach tours. Even keeping a safe distance of at least 10m, this is a thrilling encounter as you learn the behaviours and quirks of these sleek animals from those who have dedicated their lives to studying them. If you can’t resist a dip, join a sea lion swimming tour with Kangaroo Island Ocean Safari.

4. Quokkas: The Basin, Rottnest Island, WA

They may be well-practised selfie stars, but quokkas, or kwoka in Noongar, are more than just a cute fluffy face. Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) is home to the world’s largest population of the petite marsupials and it’s not unusual to spot them at the beach, especially during the cooler months. Given they are nocturnal, your best bet is usually late afternoon, and in September you might even catch little joeys taking their first hops away from their mother’s pouch. If you’re headed to The Basin, expect to see them under the line of native tea trees just opposite Discovery Rottnest Island. Let them come to you and, of course, never touch a quokka. 

5. Cassowaries: Etty Bay, Qld

Etty Bay is not only renowned for its postcard-perfect beauty, but also for the promise of an encounter with a living relic of prehistoric times – the elusive cassowary. Spotting a cassowary at Etty Bay is a game of patience and serendipity. There is no schedule, no prescribed route; the cassowary emerges on its own terms. All you need to do while you wait is lay out your towel under one of the palm trees that line the beach and enjoy views across to the fringing Great Barrier Reef on this lesser-known strip of sand, about 50km north of Mission Beach. No dogs are allowed here.

Picture: Rhonnie Wenden-King

6. Southern right whales: Logans Beach, Warrnambool, Victoria

Like many other whale species, southern rights were all but hunted to extinction by the 1920s. Now, though their population is slowly recovering, numbers are still small. Between June and September, female whales return to their Aussie nursery – in the waters off Logans Beach in Warrnambool – to birth their calves and recuperate for their return to southern and subantarctic waters. Score a front-row seat to all the breaching, spy-hopping and tail slapping on the specially constructed viewing platform in the sand dunes or spot them from the beach. 

Picture: Brad Francis / Flickr

7. Stingrays and eagle rays: Boat Harbour Beach, Bendalong, NSW

The beaches of Bendalong are worthy attractions in their own right – backed by cute beach shacks and a barefoot holiday park – but wade into the shallows of Boat Harbour Beach and you may find yourself in the company of curious smooth and bullnose rays. It’s thought they started visiting the beach to feed on scraps being thrown in by people fishing but please don’t feed them. Take a kayak or SUP in the clear waters for the best chance of spotting them from a safe distance. 

Picture: Holiday Haven Bendalong

8. Little penguins: Bruny Island, Tasmania

There are a few spots around Australia where you can join a guided tour to get up close and personal with little penguins, but on a narrow isthmus on Bruny Island you can have your own David Attenborough-like encounter for free. Each evening between September and February, little penguins waddle onto the beach at The Neck to return to their burrows in the sand dunes. Watch the procession from the viewing platform and boardwalk, or if you’re set up at the campground, simply wander down onto the sand. In summer, expect to see mutton birds (short-tailed shearwaters) gliding in to meet them.

Picture: Chris Bell / Tourism Tasmania

9. Bottlenose dolphins: Tangalooma Beach, Moreton Island (Mulgumpin), Qld

For the Quandamooka people, buangan (dolphins) are a sacred totem, having shared an emotional and cooperative bond with the marine mammals for thousands of years before European settlement of Moreton Bay. It’s with this same respect that eco-rangers at Tangalooma Island Resort have been safely hand-feeding wild dolphins since the early 1990s. The dolphins, which are known by name, arrive at Tangalooma Beach just after sunset when they’re fed a maximum of 10 to 20 per cent of their daily food requirement. The experience is backed by an extensive marine education program and only available to overnight guests and select day tours. 

Picture: Tourism and Events Queensland

10. Emus: Pondalowie Bay, SA

Ever seen an emu get barrelled? Follow the boardwalk to Pondalowie Bay in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park – about four hours’ drive from Adelaide – and you may just find yourself sharing the waves with the adventurous native birds. They may not be able to fly, but they don’t mind popping into the shorebreak for a dip. This 4km stretch of sand feels deserted, even at the height of summer, and the reef break is also a popular spot for human surfers with two unpowered campgrounds tucked into the mallee scrub. 

Picture: Lewis Brown

See also: 

Top 10 Australian wildlife tours

5 tips to make Aussie wildlife memories that will last forever

Best places in Australia for wildlife and nature photography