Beaches in a southern Sydney bay have been judged to be the best in the country for a quiet escape.
Tourism Australia (TA) released its top 10 beaches list for 2026 today.
It says the list was compiled after a study of 12,500-plus beaches nationwide by their Beach Ambassador, Brad Farmer.
TOP 10 BEACHES FOR 2026
(Ranked in descending order)
Bate Bay (New South Wales)
Pinky Beach (Western Australia)
Beachcomber Cove (Queensland)
Tallow Beach (NSW)
Hellfire Bay (WA)
Godfreys Beach, The Nut (Tasmania)
Inskip Point (Queensland)
Mount Martha (Victoria)
Smoky Bay (South Australia)
Ellery Creek Big Hole (Northern Territory)
“The community-minded Bate Bay is stunning with the vast 4.8-kilometre stretch of undeveloped sand at Greenhills, Wanda and Elouera (Sydney’s longest) and to many other beaches such as Cronulla, Oak Park and four more,” Farmer says.
“In all, a collection of nine beaches (including four ocean pools and Gunnamatta Bay still water bathing enclosure) made the final cut, ticking almost every box against an exhaustive 130-point evaluation criteria.”
He points out that the Bate Bay beaches are easily accessible by train from the city centre.
CRITERIA FOR BEACHES
Farmer also explained that the criteria used for this year’s list was “quiet”.
“Whether it’s the remote allure of Beachcomber Cove or Hellfire Bay, these offer a ‘slow-travel’ experience,” he says.
“They are places where you can still hear the wind and waves rather than crowds … with many First Nations stories.”
Tourism Minister Senator Don Farrell says he will help promote Australia’s coastal beauty when he launches the G’Day USA 2026 event in Los Angeles shortly.
“The flow of tourists between Australia and the US has never been stronger; 745,000 Americans made the trip Down Under and spending over $2 billion last year,” he says.
“Every dollar spent by tourists in Australia is new money for our economy, supporting local businesses and creating new jobs.”
Tourism Australia Managing Director, Robin Mack, emphasised the importance of the list in driving regional tourism and pulling visitors away from traditional tourism hotspots.
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