Queensland beach revealed as best in Australia

If you were to ask a tourist to name Australia’s best beach – they’ll almost instantly name-drop Bondi – but it’s not. It’s not even in NSW.

If you were to ask a tourist to name Australia’s best beach – they’ll almost instantly say Bondi Beach.

And, while it is globally recognised as being the most popular thanks to its sweeping white-sand crescent, Aussies don’t believe it’s the best in the country.

In fact, the country’s best beach isn’t even in New South Wales – it’s in Queensland.

According to news.com.au’s Great Aussie Debate survey, the majority of the 50,000 voters selected Whitehaven Beach as the crème of the crop.

Whitehaven Beach has been named Australia’s best beach, according to news.com.au’s Great Aussie Debate survey.

The pristine and award-winning beach is located on Whitsunday Island and is the largest of the 74 islands in the Whitsundays.

In 2021, it was voted as the as the best in the world, according to Tripadvisor’s annual Traveller’s Choice awards.

@nathsway Welcome to Whitehaven Beach 🤩 #travelaustralia #australiabucketlist #queensland #discoverpelago #whitsundays #seeaustralia ♬ Pieces (Solo Piano Version) - Danilo Stankovic

It is, as its name suggests, a white haven, with more than seven kilometres of brilliant white silica sand that is among the purest in the world.

Given its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef, its white sand and crystal clear waters, Queensland Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said he isn’t surprised Aussies voted it as the best beach in the country.

I mean, it’s pretty spectacular.

“Whitehaven Beach with its seven kilometres of multi-award-winning, secluded, pure snow-white silica sand is the epitome of luxury in paradise,” he told news.com.au.

“That’s why Whitehaven Beach and the Whitsundays are at the top of travel bucket lists for hundreds of thousands of Australian and international visitors every year.

“The only way to find out what makes this slice of Australia’s own back yard a world leader is to book a Queensland holiday and experience Whitehaven Beach for yourself.”

Noosa Main beach came second.

It was followed by another Queensland beach – Burleigh Heads.

Surprisingly, or perhaps unsurprisingly to some, Bondi Beach didn’t even make the top three.

It came equal fourth on the list out of 12 along with Hyams Beach.

“From surfing and fishing destinations to breathtaking, secluded tropical hideaways, Queensland is a global leader for world-class beaches,” Mr Hinchliffe boasted.

Bondi Beach came equal fourth with Hyams Beach.

Hyams Beach is a seaside village in the City of Shoalhaven, NSW. Picture: iStock

And he’s not wrong – the top three beaches in the ‘best beach’ category were all in Queensland, with Whitehaven securing the most at 16 per cent, followed by Noosa Main Beach with 12 per cent and Burleigh Heads with 11 per cent.

“With an incredible diversity of beaches to suit all tastes, there really is no place on Earth like Queensland,” Mr Hinchliffe added.

Meanwhile, 28 per cent of NSW voters selected Hyams Beach as their favourite followed by Bondi Beach (17 per cent).

Those in the ACT also chose Hyams Beach as their favourite (27 per cent), while over in Queensland it was of course Whitehaven Beach.

In Victoria, 21 per cent selected Bells Beach, and in Western Australia a 46 per cent chose Cottesloe Beach.

The best beach in South Australia as voted by locals went to Vivonne Bay Beach at 42 per cent, while in Tassie a whopping 68 per cent chose Wineglass Bay.

And in the Northern Territory, 37 per cent of locals chose Mindil Beach as their favourite beach.