The 9 top nude beaches to get your kit off at

Australia

04 Sep 2024

These beautiful beaches are well worth a visit for the nude curious.

Australians love a reason to get naked. While there’s no official nude beach in Queensland, a (mostly) warm nude-friendly climate coupled with the world’s best beaches, means there are plenty of amazing Australian nude beaches for those who dare to go bare.

A recent worldwide study by pour moi put Australians as the keenest to nude sunbathe, closely followed by New Zealanders. So, here’s our list of Australia’s top nude beaches.

1. Lady Bay Beach, Sydney, NSW

This well-known, gay-friendly, nude beach in Sydney Harbour National Park has been a popular spot with naturists since it became one of Australia’s first nudist beaches in 1976. It’s a pretty small beach, so if you like your space it’s best to visit at low tide when there is more sand, given its city locale it can get busy.

the entrance of Lady Bay Beach — Dare to bare at Lady Bay Beach. (Image: John Yurasek)

Address: Between South Head and Camp Cove in Sydney Harbour National Park. From Camp Cove car park follow the South Head heritage trail to the beach.

2. Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT

Casuarina Coastal Reserve encompasses a large coastal area, including eight kilometres of white sand beaches, in Darwin’s northern suburbs. The central section of the reserve includes a ‘nudist zone’ on the beach north of Darriba Road.

Perfect for those taking their first foray into nude sunbathing given its remote setting and ample space to find some privacy. Combine your visit with a look around the heritage-listed ruins from World War II that can be found dotted through the reserve.

sunset at Casuarina Beach, Darwin, NT, Australia — Admire sunset views over Casuarina Beach.

Address: 445 Trower Rd, Brinkin, NT 0810

3. Armands Beach, Bermagui, NSW

Armands Beach is the only nude beach on the Sapphire Coast in NSW. A secluded and serene beach, there is very little shade so remember your beach umbrella.

Named after Armand Lemmeric, a French man who owned a farm behind the bay and regularly swam nude at the beach, nude cricket matches were reportedly played here in the 1930s, but it wasn’t given its official ‘clothing-optional’ status until 1993.

Address: Barragga Bay, Kullaroo Road, Bermagui, NSW 2546

4. Samurai Beach, One Mile, NSW

Pack light and make a weekend of it at Samurai Beach in Port Stephens as behind the dunes that line the beach is a clothing-optional campground. A 4WD is a prerequisite to drive along the access trail that leads to the campground, via Gan Gan Road. Pristine waters, good surf and clean expanses of white sand in a beautiful setting make this a top spot.

Aerial shot of Samurai Beach — Show your skin some love at Samurai Beach, One Mile. (Image: Destination NSW)

Address: Tomaree National Park, (Near Port Stephens) One Mile, NSW 2316

5. Kambah Pool, Canberra, ACT

Not technically a beach but the sandy banks of Kambah Pool at the northern end of the reserve that sits on the Murrumbidgee River in Canberra’s south are nudist-friendly. Enjoy tranquil river views and perhaps a spot of fishing as you become one with nature.

Address: Off Kambah Pool Road, Kambah, ACT 2901

6. Sunnyside North Beach, Port Philip Bay, Vic

Sunnyside North Beach can be found on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. This small, sandy beach has held clothing-optional status since 1986.

Mornington Peninsula Shire Council ran a survey in early 2022 with locals to gauge whether the beach would continue to be nudist. The consultation showed strong support for this secluded beach to retain its clothing-optional status.

Address: North of Sunnyside Road Car Park. Mount Eliza, Vic 3930

7. Maslin Beach, Fleurieu Peninsula, SA

This three-kilometre-long beach on the Fleurieu Peninsula was Australia’s very first nudist beach. With its beautiful sandstone cliffs as a backdrop, it has an allocated nude sunbathing area, and a good snorkelling spot too, so don’t forget your goggles and your water-resistant sunscreen.

an aerial view of Maslin Beach, Fleurieu Peninsula, SA — Laze on the soft sands at Maslin Beach.

Address: Maslin Beach, Fleurieu Peninsula, SA 5170

8. Point Impossible, Torquay, Vic

This long, open, dog-friendly beach on the Great Ocean Road has a designated clothing-optional section for those wanting to enjoy a day at the beach in their birthday suit, rather than their swimsuit. It’s a popular surf spot for the locals, providing some good entertainment while you catch some rays.

Address: 425 The Esplanade, Torquay, Vic 3228

9. Long Beach, Hobart, Tas

You’ll be hard-pressed to find an official nudist beach on the Apple Isle, amongst the abundance of ‘unofficial’ ones. So, if you’re looking to toe the line your only chance may be at Dark Mofo’s annual Nude Solstice Swim at Long Beach in Hobart.

In temperatures of around three degrees, this isn’t for the faint-hearted. Gather at dawn before running into the River Derwent en masse with your fellow nudists for an invigorating start to the day.

Dark Mofo’s annual Nude Solstice Swim at Long Beach. — Get nude at Dark Mofo’s annual Nude Solstice Swim at Long Beach. (Image: Dark Mofo and Rosie Hastie)

Address: Long Point Road, Sandy Bay, Tas 7005

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This luxe trawler tour is redefining Victoria’s seafood experience

31 Oct 2025

Victoria’s ‘mussel capital’ is the source of exceptional shellfish used by top chefs far and wide. Step aboard a beautifully refurbished trawler to see how these plump and juicy bivalves are sustainably cultivated.

A curtain is slowly winched from the placid, teal waters just off Portarlington , like a floating garland beside our boat. The ropes heave with blue mussels, the star attraction of our tour. But as we reach to pluck our own, it’s quickly clear they’re not alone; a mass of weird and wonderful creatures has colonised the ropes, turning them into a living tapestry. ‘Fairy’ oysters, jelly-like sea squirts, and tiny, wriggling skeleton shrimp all inhabit this underwater ecosystem.

We prize our bivalve bounty from the ropes, and minutes later the mussels arrive split on a platter. The plump orange morsels are served raw, ready to be spritzed with wedges of lemon and a lick of chilli as we gaze out over the bay. They’re briny, tender and faintly sweet. “This wasn’t originally part of the tour,” explains Connie Trathen, who doubles as the boat’s cook, deckhand and guide. “But a chef [who came onboard] wanted to taste the mussels raw first, and it’s now become one of the key features.”

A humble trawler turned Hamptons-style dreamboat

inspecting bivalve bounty from the ropes — Inspecting the bounty. (Image: Visit Victoria/Hannyn Shiggins)

It’s a crisp, calm winter’s day, and the sun is pouring down upon Valerie, a restored Huon pine workhorse that was first launched in January 1980. In a previous life she trawled the turbulent Bass Strait. These days she takes jaunts into Port Phillip Bay under the helm of Lance Wiffen, a fourth-generation Bellarine farmer, and the owner of Portarlington Mussel Tours . While Lance has been involved in the fishing industry for 30-plus years, the company’s tour boat only debuted in 2023.

holding Portarlington mussels — See how these plump and juicy bivalves are sustainably cultivated.

It took more than three years to transform the former shark trawler into a dreamy, Hamptons-esque vessel, with little expense spared. Think muted green suede banquettes, white-washed walls, Breton-striped bench cushions, hardwood tables, bouquets of homegrown dahlias, and woollen blankets sourced from Waverley Mills, Australia’s oldest working textile mill. It’s intimate, too, welcoming 12 guests at most. And yet there’s nothing pretentious about the experience – just warm, down-to-earth Aussie hospitality.

As we cruise out, we crack open a bottle of local bubbles and nibble on the most beautifully curated cheese platter, adorned with seashells and grey saltbush picked from the water’s edge that very morning. Australasian gannets soar overhead, and I’m told it’s not uncommon for guests to spot the odd seal, pod of dolphins, or even the occasional little penguin.

The sustainable secret behind Victoria’s best mussels

blue mussels off Portarlington — Blue mussels sourced just off Portarlington.

Connie and Lance both extol the virtues of mussels. They’re delicious. A lean source of protein and packed with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, iron, selenium, and zinc. They’re cooked in a flash (Connie steams our fresh harvest with cider and onion jam). And they’re also widely regarded as one of the most sustainable foods in the world.

Portarlington mussels with lemon and chilli — Mussels served with lemon and chilli.

“Aquaculture is [often] seen as destructive, so a lot of our guests are really surprised about how environmentally friendly and sustainable our industry is,” Lance says. “[Our mussels] would filter 1.4 billion litres of water a day,” he adds, explaining how mussels remove excess nitrogen and phosphorus from the water. “And through biomineralisation, we lock carbon into mussel shells.”

a hand holding a Portarlington mussel — Mussels are a sustainable food.

Despite their glowing list of accolades, these molluscs have long been seen as the oysters’ poorer cousins. “It was a really slow start,” explains Lance, who says that in the early days of his career, “you could not sell mussels in Victoria”.

But word has slowly caught on. Chefs as globally acclaimed as Attica’s Ben Shewry and even René Redzepi of Noma, Denmark, have travelled to these very waters just to try the shellfish at the source, sharing only the highest praise, and using Lance’s mussels in their restaurants.

guests sampling Portarlington mussels onboard — Sampling the goods onboard. (Image: Visit Victoria/Hannyn Shiggins)

According to Lance there’s one obvious reason why the cool depths of Portarlington outshine other locations for mussel farming. “The water quality is second to none,” he says, noting how other regions are frequently rocked by harvest closures due to poor water quality. “We grow, without a doubt, some of the best shellfish in the world.” And with Lance’s bold claims backed up by some of the industry’s greatest names, perhaps it won’t be much longer until more Aussies uncover the appeal of Portarlington’s mussels.