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The 10 best Aussie beach towns for an easy coastal getaway

Credit: Destination NSW/Guy Williment

Lara Picone Lara Picone
Classic beachside destinations defined by sun, sand and sea. 

There’s a rhythm to coastal living that’s hard to resist. From early morning swims to summer afternoons on the water, these towns make the most of their seaside setting. According to our expert panel for Australian Traveller’s 100 best Aussie towns to visit, they deliver the kind of escape Australians return to time and again. 

1. Eagle Bay, WA 

Overall rank: 8/100 

Wadandi Country 

Eagle Bay
Soak in the peaceful coastline beauty of Eagle Bay. (Credit: Tourism Australia)

“This north-facing beach town is WA’s secret enclave of laid-back Aussie charm, where the luxe beach pads are just as fascinating as the beach itself," says panellist Quentin Long. Sitting atop Cape Naturaliste in Geographe Bay, this Margaret River beauty is a true scene-stealer with its powdery, pure-white sands and bewitchingly clear waters. Proximity to the nearby towns of Yallingup and Dunsborough, and the area’s exceptional wineries, means there’s plenty to do once you finally drag yourself away from the beach.  

Don’t miss: “The sugary fine sand and translucent water feels so pure you could bottle it – it’s hard to leave," says Quentin Long. And if you’re a diver, Eagle Bay’s clear waters have plenty to delight below the waves with the HMAS Swan wreck colonised by all manner of sealife.     

2. Noosa, Qld 

Overall rank: 9/100 

Kabi Kabi Country 

paddle boarding in Noosa
Paddleboarding in the crystal-clear waters of Noosa. (Credit: Tourism Australia)

The exact opposite of the proverbial hidden gem, Noosa sits self-assuredly in a never-waning spotlight. This is all for good reason. Idyllic beaches that curve softy around forested national park, the Noosa World Surfing Reserve, and a clutch of cosmopolitan shops and incredible dining all double-tick the holiday checklist. The day’s loose itinerary drifts between sunning oneself at Noosa Main Beach, paddleboarding in Laguna Bay and long lunching in Hastings Street. Adding to the town’s stylish offerings is the recently opened Elysium Noosa Resort, which also invites non-guests in for Aperols and antipasti at the onsite Cibaria Restaurant. 

Don’t miss: “Lunch on the balcony of the surf club – it’s a must do," says panellist Sally Cope. 

3. Yamba, NSW 

Overall rank: 14/100 

Yaegl Country 

whales in Yamba
A great location to spot migrating whales. (Credit: Destination NSW/Guy Williment)

A long-serving town of the family break, Yamba has come of age in recent years. With pitch-perfect coastal charm, elegant stays and worthy eats, this Clarence River town lands with an easy kind of cool. A stay at the cliff-snug Il Delfino meets the Pacific horizon with Portofino style, while The Surf Yamba is a boutique hotel with smooth curves and nicely honed vibes. Although the caravan parks still swell with zinc-faced kids and harassed parents come the holidays, Yamba has plenty to offer away from that scene. As panellist Rae Johnston puts it: “This place is really special – the river, the ocean, the people, even the op shopping is great." 

Don’t miss: A pint at the Pacific Hotel Yamba; it’s mandatory after a dip in the ocean pool below. 

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4. Agnes Water/1770, Qld 

Overall rank: 21/100 

Gooreng Gooreng Country 

Aerial view of the Seventeen Seventy River
The Great Barrier Reef-adjacent twin towns of Agnes Water and 1770 deliver incredible coastal scenery. (Credit: Jesse Lindemann via Tourism and Events Queensland)

Let’s clear this up: Agnes Water and 1770 are two towns very close together – not one town named twice. In fact, just 5.9 kilometres separate them and nobody ever visits one without hopping over to the other. Set in the Gladstone region, between Bundaberg and Rockhampton and only five hours from Brisbane, these Great Barrier Reef-adjacent twin towns are equally captivating with Queensland’s most northerly surf breaks, as well as access to the Reef at Lady Musgrave Island in just 90 minutes. Apart from their obvious beauty, the towns do quirky Queensland very well. 

Don’t miss: One of the few places on the east coast where the sun sets over water; head to the 1770 foreshore to watch the orange glow sink behind Bustard Bay. 

5. Esperance, WA 

Overall rank: 25/100 

Kepa Kurl Wudjari Country 

Esperance
Esperance’s wild landscapes make it visually captivating. (Credit: Tourism Australia)

The sands on this east-facing curve of WA coast are so iridescently white they make sunglasses an imperative. Offset by aquamarine waters, Esperance is one of those truly special places that etch themselves deeply into your heart. “It’s a long way for most of us to get to," says panellist Catriona Rowntree, “but the effort pays off – truly breathtaking." While here, enter the Cape Le Grand National Park to visit Lucky Bay, where wild kangaroos are equally drawn to this stunning spot. Beach expert and panellist Brad Farmer concurs, calling it the “gateway to the best beaches in the west."   

Don’t miss: Esperance is also home to colourful lakes, which bloom pink from algae. They’re best glimpsed from above on a scenic flight. 

6. Portsea, Vic 

Overall rank: 80/100 

Bunurong Country 

cliff mansions in Portsea
Clifftop mansions exude luxury and style. (Credit: Visit Victoria)

You can drive the curve from Melbourne to Portsea in less than two hours, arriving at this last township on the Mornington Peninsula. This spectacular spot, on the edge of Point Nepean National Park, is well-known as a coastal haven of the ultra-rich. If you’re curious about how the top per cent of wealth is spent, gawk as you follow Millionaires’ Walk past meticulous gardens and stately mansions. Of course, it attracts money because it is simply breathtaking, but you needn’t manage a hedge fund to enjoy the beaches and national park. 

Don’t miss: Portsea is bequeathed with two coastlines, the bay side’s Front Beach and the ocean-edged Back Beach. “Sure, it gets way too busy, but having a front and back beach is super cool," says panellist Adrian Williams. 

7. South West Rocks, NSW 

Overall rank: 68/100 

Dunghutti Country 

South West Rocks
South West Rocks is one of NSW’s best-kept secrets. (Credit: Destination NSW/Jay Black)

Five hours north of Sydney/Warrane, this mid-north coastal town at the mouth of the Macleay River does a lot of heavy lifting for minibreak coastal stays. It’s a repeat favourite for its array of beaches, some offering gentle surf breaks for beginners, such as Trial Bay Main Beach and Horseshoe Bay, and others wonderfully secluded and accessed only by 4WD. “Highly desirable for holidays and stop-offs," as panellist Brad Farmer puts it. Away from the waves, Yarriabini National Park is a cool sanctuary of lush rainforest trails and mellifluously flowing creeks. 

Don’t miss: “Surfers have hogged this town for so long and rightly so. It’s shamelessly stunning!" says panellist Catriona Rowntree. If you are an experienced surfer, leave the smaller breaks to the beginners and paddle out at Back Beach or Gap Beach. 

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8. Kiama, NSW 

Overall rank: 76/100 

Dharawal Country 

Kiama, Sydney
Kiama is a stunning seaside escape just 90 minutes south of Sydney. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Kiama is an easy and well-worn city escape route, giving it classic beach town status. Less than two hours from Sydney, it’s surely been the catalyst for many sea-changers during the remote work era. While the famous blowhole has an undeniable eruptive allure (when it feels like performing, that is), it’s really more of a sideshow to the beautiful beaches, quaint township and 20-kilometre clifftop Kiama Coast Walk – all enjoyed with a cup of coffee from one of the many barista-level cafes in town. 

Don’t miss: “Everyone goes to Kiama for the blowhole, but I have another suggestion," says panellist Rae Johnston. “The Pines is a local dairy that runs an exceptional gelato bar, filled with incredible art and other local produce. Try the elderflower – you won’t regret it." 

9. Merimbula, NSW 

Overall rank: 83/100 

Djiringanj Country 

Merimbula
Merimbula is an enchanting seaside town on the sparkling Sapphire Coast. (Credit: Destination NSW/Guy Williment)

Panellist Irene Jones describes Merimbula as “blue water and holiday ease." Who really needs more than that in their beach town escape? It’s certainly enough, but in this Sapphire Coast pin-up just three hours from Canberra, you’ll also find plump, salt-laced oysters slurped on a jetty by a ramshackle boatshed, truly gobsmacking whale watching, and serene kayaking on not one, but two glassy-topped lakes – Merimbula Lake and the northside Back Lake.  

Don’t miss: Avid eaters of briny bivalves, be sure to join Merimbula Oyster Tours, where you’ll wade out into the shallows to shuck Sydney Rocks. And stop by Mitchies Jetty for an espresso. 

10. Inverloch, Vic 

Overall rank: 90/100 

Bunurong Country 

On route from Phillip Island to Wilsons Promontory, travellers find ample reason to pause in pretty Inverloch. Here, sheltered Anderson Inlet is frolic-worthy for everything from swimming to wakeboarding and windsurfing. Outside Point Smythe’s protective arm, accomplished surfers will appreciate the sets rolling in at Eagles Nest and Inverloch Surf Beach, while off-sand, there’s strollable cliffs, the Bass Coast Rail Trail and Bunurong Coastal Drive. The Gippsland village seems intentionally curated for lazy weekend mooching with worthy eateries and boutiques, but come the first weekend of August, the long-running Inverloch Jazz Festival tunes things up with plenty of jams. 

Don’t miss: “Inverloch is perfect in the summer holidays," says panellist Adrian Williams. If you’re taking the kids, lean into those carefree vibes with a stay at the Big4 Ingenia Holidays park, set right on Anderson Inlet. 

This article is part of Australian Traveller’s 100 best Aussie towns to visit, as chosen by a panel of industry experts, well-known Aussies and travel insiders. See our full list of 100 best Aussie towns here and visit the special 100 best Aussie towns hub here.
Lara Picone
Working for many of Australia’s top publications, Lara Picone has had the distinct pleasure of writing, editing and curating content about the finer things in life for more than 15 years. Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, her editorial foundation began at Qantas: The Australian Way magazine, before moving on to learn the fast-paced ropes of a weekly magazine at Sunday Magazine and picking up the art of brand curation at donna hay magazine. Pivoting a near-problematic travel lust into a career move by combining it with storytelling and a curious appetite, her next role was as Deputy Editor of SBS Feast magazine and later Online Editor of SBS Food online. She then stepped into her dream job as Editor of Australian Traveller before becoming Online Editor for both International Traveller and Australian Traveller. Now as a freelancer, Lara always has her passport at-the-ready to take flight on assignment for the Australian Traveller team, as well as for publications such as Qantas Magazine, Escape and The Weekend Australian. As ever, her appetite is the first thing she packs.
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Meet the makers shaping Ballarat’s new era of creativity

    Margaret Barca Margaret Barca
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    Makers, bakers, artists, chefs, crafters – Ballarat and its surrounds are overflowing with creative spirits. All dedicated to keeping traditional skills alive for a city that is humming with artful energy.

    Modern makers: a new generation of artists and artisans

    “Keeping craft alive is a noble cause,” says Jess Cameron-Wootten, a charming and passionate master leathercrafter and cordwainer, who handmakes traditional leather boots and shoes in Ballarat’s old Gun Cotton Goods Store.

    Ballarat was recognised in 2019 as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, and today it’s a place where craft traditions converge with contemporary needs. Nothing quite captures this convergence as a visit to Wootten, the workshop and store of Jess Cameron-Wootten and his partner Krystina Menegazzo.

    heritage buildings in Ballarat
    Ballarat’s streets are lined with heritage buildings. (Image: Matt Dunne)

    Jess’s father was an artisan bootmaker, or cordwainer. Now Jess and Krys and their small team of artisans continue the tradition, but with a modern spin. The company’s boots and shoes, made completely from scratch, are renowned for their quality and longevity. Wootten also craft shoes, bags, belts, leather aprons, wallets and more.

    Cosy beanies, gloves, alpaca socks, “unbreakable” shoelaces and various other goods – many from local craftspeople and small-scale makers – fill the shop’s shelves. “We’re always happy to support a mate,” says Jess. “People love to see the workshop and where things are made. Our clients care about quality and sustainability,” Krys comments. The company slogan ‘Made for generations’ says it all.

    Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery
    Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery. (Image: Tara Moore)

    For Ruby Pilven, craft is also in the DNA – both her parents were potters and with her latest porcelain ceramics, Ruby’s young daughter has been helping add colour to the glazes. “I grew up watching my parents in the workshop – I’ve always been doing ceramics,” she says, although her Visual Arts degree was in printmaking. That printmaking training comes through particularly in the rich layering of pattern. Her audacious colour, unexpected shapes and sudden pops of 12-carat gold are contemporary, quirky – and joyful.

    You can see Ruby’s handcrafted ceramics, and work by other local and regional artists, at Ross Creek Gallery, a light-filled space surrounded by serene bushland, across from the mudbrick house her parents built in the 1980s. A 10-minute drive from Ballarat, it’s a tangible link to the region’s well-established craft traditions.

    How Ballarat is preserving the past

    artisans making crafts at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat
    The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades holds workshops to preserve crafts and skills.

    While tradition is ongoing, there’s a danger that many of these specific type of skills and knowledge are fading as an older generation passes on. Step forward the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

    The seven purpose-built studios occupy a fabulous modern building adjacent to Sovereign Hill, with state-of-the-art facilities, enormous windows and landscape views across to Warrenheip and Wadawurrung Country.

    artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat
    Check out artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

    Practising artisans run hands-on workshops. Fancy making your own medieval armour? Or trying your hand at blacksmithing, spinning wool, plaiting leather, weaving cane or craft a knife? Book a class and learn how. “It’s about creating awareness and also sharing knowledge and skills before they are lost,” explains Deborah Klein, the centre manager.

    A city steeped in food and flavours

    Chef José Fernandez preparing American streetfood at Pancho
    Chef José Fernandez creates vibrant South American street food at Pancho. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    One skill that hasn’t been lost is that of cooking. Ballarat’s burgeoning gastronomy scene runs the gamut from an artisan bakery (the atmospheric 1816 Bakehouse) to cool coffee shops, speakeasy cocktail bars and distilleries to fine-dining venues. But I’m still surprised to find Pancho, José Fernandez’s South American street food restaurant, serving fried cheese tequeños, fiery fish tacos, Argentinian grilled chicken.

    The room is as lively as the food – a whirl of colour filled with gifted and thrifted paintings, photos, tchotchkes (trinkets), plants. There’s a Mexican abuela aesthetic going on here. Even before the music and mezcal kick in, it’s fun. Heads up on the drinks menu – an authentic selection of mezcal, tequila, South American wines and Mexican cerveza.

    a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits, Ballarat
    Enjoy a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    The spirit is willing, so after lunch we head towards the gold rush-era Ballarat train station and across the line to the old 1860s Goods Shed for Itinerant Spirits. At one end, a massive German copper still looms behind a wall of glass. The fit-out embraces deep olive-green tones, original bluestone walls, steamer trunks as coffee tables, heritage timber floors, oversized lamp shades and cognac-hued modernist leather seating.

    the Itinerant Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, Ballarat
    The distillery operates from an old goods shed. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    Gallivanter Gin, Vansetter Vodka and Wayfarer Whiskey – the key spirits distilled – star at the bar. The spirits are crafted using grains from the Wimmera Mallee region, and native botanicals foraged in the Grampians. Seasonal cocktails are inspired by local people and places (I loved The Headland, inspired by Sovereign Hill and flavoured with old-fashioned raspberry drops). Sample the spirits, and join a cocktail masterclass or a distillery tour. It’s a seductive setting – you’ll likely find yourself ordering a charcuterie platter or pizza as the evening progresses.

    The Ballarat stay combining history and luxury

    one of the rooms at Hotel Vera, Ballarat
    The rooms at Hotel Vera have a contemporary style. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    New lives for old buildings keeps history alive. Vera, Ballarat’s boutique five-star hotel, has taken it to the next level: it’s a palimpsest, a subtle layering of early 1900s and 1930s Art Deco architecture with a sleek new wing. There are seven spacious suites, each a dramatically different colour, with designer chairs, blissful bathrooms. High-end pottery and hand-picked artworks imbue the spaces with personality.

    Vera’s intimate, award-winning restaurant, Babae, is subtly theatrical with sheer drapes and gallery lighting, its bespoke timber furniture and brass-edged marble bench setting the stage for food with a sharp regional focus. “We have goat’s cheese from a local supplier, handmade granola from local Vegas & Rose, truffles from nearby Black Cat Truffles, fresh food from our garden, and regional wines,” says joint owner David Cook-Doulton.

    Celebrating the local makers, bakers, growers and producers, and the master chefs who work their magic is all part of the rich tapestry that links Ballarat’s history to its vibrant present.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Getting there

    It’s 90 minutes from Melbourne, either on the Western Freeway, or hop on a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station.

    Staying there

    Hotel Vera is a centrally located Art Deco boutique hotel. Consider Hotel Provincial, which feels like a sleek country house, but with its own restaurant, Lola.

    a contemporary room at Hotel Provincial, Ballarat
    Hotel Provincial has country house vibes.

    Eating there

    dining at Mr Jones, Ballarat
    The table is set at Mr Jones. (Image: Tony Evans/ Visit Victoria)

    Culinary whiz Damien Jones helms Chef’s Hat winner Mr Jones Dining with quiet assurance. His modern Asian food is deceptively simple with deep, intense flavours. Low-key, laid-back ambience, lovely staff, thoughtful wine list.

    Cocktails are definitely a thing in Ballarat. Reynard (fox in French) is foxy indeed, a clubby space with top-notch cocktails and small bites. Grainery Lane is extravagantly OTT with its massive 1880s bar, myriad chandeliers, brass gin still, Asian-inspired food and lavish cocktails.

    dining at Grainery Lane, Ballarat
    Dining at Grainery Lane.

    Playing there

    a laneway filled with artworks in Ballarat
    An artful laneway in the city. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

    Check out local design legend Travis Price’s wall murals in Hop Lane with its colourful canopy of brollies, or in Main Street. The Art Gallery of Ballarat’s off-site Backspace Gallery showcases early-career artists in a stylish, contemporary space. First Nations-owned and run Perridak Arts connects people to place, bringing together art and crafts in this gallery/shop.

    a woman admiring artworks at Perridak Arts Gallery
    Perridak Arts is a First Nations-run gallery. (Image: Tony Evans)

    The wineries of the Pyrenees are close at hand with their welcoming cellar doors and robust reds. Join a behind-the-scenes tour at the Centre for Gold Rush Collections.

    Dalwhinnie Wines in the Pyrenees
    Dalwhinnie Wines in the Pyrenees.

    Don’t forget the giant bluestone Kryal Castle, ‘the land of adventure’, for a little medieval magic, and not just for the kids: get ready for Highland-style feasting, jousting, even overnight stays.