For sure Carrie, they do not just stay in estuaries, there also having neen a couple of guys snorkelling up in the NT/Torres Straight Islands area who have met Crocs this past week or so, one allegedly a three or four metre beastie that had head and shoulder of the guy who somehow managed to live and tell the tale.

People in those regions (and islanders probably are in the water more than we'll ever know) take their lives into their own hands or at least the Croc's jaws, but like all indigenous peoples perhaps they have more natural instincts of when it's reasonably safe and when not so.

There have been sightings in recent years of Crocs cruising past beaches near Cairns, and no swimming signs go up for netting to prevent against stingers is nothing for a Croc.

And I sure promote being aware of local conditions and asking locals

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Sure there's snakes and spiders and stingy and bitey things in the water, ocean and estuaries (Crocs) but just beware of warnings, ask locals and do not go poking around in dark places and you'll be like most tourists who visit and leave unscathed.

Glad we've cleared our interpretation up.

Lets get back to the best beaches. I don't claim to have seen them all (with all that coastline how could you) but I have experienced the beaches in New South Wales up and down the coast repeatedly. So here is my New South Wales Sampler: Alot of the beautiful beaches along the coast of New South Wales you would need a car. The last time I went up north in October, I went to Brooms Head, which is near Yamba. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN BROOMS HEAD!!!! Only one general store. And that is it. No backpacker scene, no pub. However we rented a beach shack overlooking the beach with a million dollar view for $300 a week and every morning I watched whales swim along the "Whale Highway". Down a dirt road there is a place called Sandon River (where the river meets the sea) and there is nothing there except for a caravan park. I have never seen a river with such clear, turqoise water. Maybe sometimes you have to go off the beaten track to find your own little patch of paradise. I love Trial Bay at South West Rocks. Once we rented a house for a week for $400 across the road from the beach and it was 3 bedrooms and architecturally designed. But yet again no backpacker scene, just a thriving retiree scene. Some of the best views on the New South Wales Coast are reserved for Caravan Parks which is egalitarian because you don't need loads of bucks to enjoy them.

I'm surprised no one mentioned Noosa Heads. Absolutely gorgeous, and if you want even more privacy, there are ones close by that you have to hike into and can skinny dip if you want. (or chunky dunk)

Yep, Noosa has some lovely beaches about gogirl, the region being commonly referred to as the sunshine coast

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There is great sand in many locations about Australia from WA, the southwest/southern area in particular and also many more isolated stretches of beach heading to NW of state.
From South Australia right around Victoria and up the NSW and Qld coast you have great beaches, water clarity varying with closeness to populated areas and the further south you are the colder the water is.

The Gold Coast has good sand but it is all mainly a surf coast, little snorkelling opportunity and quite dangerous in many places.
Sunshine coast is similar though with less development

I refrained from going to too great a detail other than for where I knew snorkelling was able to be done for it's a case of where do you stop, but as for beaches generally, yes Noosa is right up there.

If you're still in the neighbourhood thereabouts, a Noosaville butcher does Possum snags and fillets if you're after something different on the beach barbie.

Whitehaven in the Whitsundays is simply unbeatable for white sands and clear waters, best paddling in the world!

Lake Mackenzie on Fraser Island is a unique experience, not to be missed too.

I vote for Heron Island off Gladstone. You literally can snorkel just off the beach. Turtles nesting in November, also coral spawning if you're lucky.
The resort is expensive but there's a research station there that accepts volunteers and will put you up in return for 4hrs work a day.

i was not a fan of rockhampton beach...spent an afternoon there...i mean beaches in general in australia are great...once in byron bay i snuck off from my hostel through the bush and found this isolated beach amazing...i have never been to WA but if i go back im heading out there...

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i was not a fan of rockhampton beach

I'm not surprised Josh as it's quite a few kilometres up a river (that Crocs have been spotted in btw).

Yeppoon, some kilometres north of the river mouth was developed starting a couple of decades back with Japanese investment money, more with golf courses, a marina etc. than with the beaches in mind.
Keppel Island off shore in that neck of the woods has great beaches and some fringing reefs.

Hi, ok so this is a bit condense, but you'll get the point:

My Favourite Beach in Sydney, Cronulla:



Another great one Manly Beach, but since I got my stuff stolen there I feel uneasy about it. On a lighter note, I kept running out of the water when I saw bluebottles:



As noted by everyone, Bondi Beach, way overcrowded and a bit overated to be honest:



St. Kilda in Melbourne, a little less endowed in the "waves-are-going-to-kill-me factor but quite pretty. Not a favourite but still goodtimes.



I would have liked to swim in Queensland but...



so...I just enjoyed snorkelling on the reef more.

Cheers,

Samantha***

I love the last photo where the marine stingers resemble more a giant squid. Guess the image does convey the point. Also like to add that taking the ferry from Cronulla across to Bundeena makes the beaches of the Royal National park more accessible. Now if I had to pick one in the Sydney Metropolitan area it would be Jibbon Beach just a short walk from the Jetty at Bundeena. It is really gorgeous.

Over this past holiday period I had a chance to check out beaches in Sydney and northern New South Wales. Manly was a beautiful beach and the best in the Sydney area IMHO. Up the coast there was a number of nice areas along the coast but I my favorites were in the Port Macquarie area. Nice surf, sand, and uncrowded beaches. However, none of the beaches in NSW beat what I saw in Western Australia.

Hard to find a bad beach in OZ, but I'd say ByronBay is my favorite. I really love that place. The main beach has some good beginner breaks and on some days they are really perfect. Drive south a little ways from byron along the scenic route to find some insane and long local breaks.

I'd also say 1770 has some nice beaches.

And now for my 2 bob's worth!

Gonorth knows boats! Anyone that knows that the Box Jelly doesn't hang around small islands knows their s**t. Box jelly's keep to within a few hundred metres of the coast as that is where their food source is. The reason they don't venture out to islands is because they don't like big seas - it damages their tentacles. The reason they aren't found out at the islands in the first place is because they spawn in mangroves (mangroves being the nursery of the ocean). They then migrate up and down the coast to feed before returning to estuaries and the mangroves for spawning.

There are other jellies and similar stinging creatures out amongst the islands. Most are harmless, a few give an irritation, and you would have to be the unlucky one in 10 million to receive a fatal sting from an Irrikandji (they are still trying to identify this one - the proper name is Irrikandji syndrome).

Secret unveiling HERE... (don't tell too many people)

Now for the beaches with the best snorkelling - try the Frankland Islands. They are a few islands just south of Cairns. I think you need a permit to camp there, but you are a couple of Km away from the coast (no stingers), beautiful beaches and I'm sure you could find someone to ferry you out there. The islands are surrounded by reef. But to camp there you need to take everything - including water as the islands are too small to even have the smallest of streams.

I will pull up Gonorth on one little bit of info - Fitzroy Island does not have much in the way of sandy beaches. The side facing mainland has some nice beaches (Nudey Beach) but the rest (around the jetty and resort area) are coral rubble and very harsh on the toes. Reasonable snorkelling straight off the beaches though!

My favourite mainland beach is Ellis beach, half way between Cairns and Port Douglas. It is huge - several Kms long and if you know where to look, there are freshwater creeks with nice little cool pools just across the road.
I don't know what the fuss is about the beach at Port Douglas, the darkish sand always has organic matter through it and the water has never been clear when I was there. Also it is right next to an estuary full of Mangroves, mozzies and Crocs. The only things I like about Port D are the restaurants (even if they are a bit pricey) and the view from the top of the hill - oh, and the pub.

I think that was about 10 bob's worth. Hope it helps.

Aah, the Whitsundays...



I love to explore nearly-deserted beaches by boat, and we got to snorkel with a turtle!

If you are in Victoria, you cann't go past the Great Ocean Road.Absolutely bee-you-tee-full. Start from Lorne, near the pounding surf of Bell's Beach,drive along the coastline to the seaside town of Apollo Bay, at the foot of the Otway Ranges.There are rainforests and waterfalls.

There is surfing,snorkelling,kayaking to the seal colony, horse riding along the beach and paragliding.Then there is the Otway Fly treetop walk and the Great Ocean walking track.15 kms S W is the beautiful historic village of Port Fairy. There you see wildlife at Tower Hill, view whales and seals and island walk to the lighthouse.

ON the East side of Melbourne we have Ninety Mile Beach. At
Lakes Entrance you can walk, swim and fish the Ninety Mile Beach and lakes. You can visit the winery and Buchan Caves and cruise the lake.


Have a nice day, Whistler.


If you can keep a sense of humour and see the funny side of life, you will not be old. SMC,