MOST TWEED locals know that Norries Head at Cabarita is one of Australia’s most amazing beaches, but a recent national official “best beaches” list has named Caba in the top 101.
Cabarita was listed for the incredible Norries Head’s scenery, preserved Indigenous history and accessability.
The top 101 best beaches of Australia comes from a total list of 11,761 reviewed and was announced earlier this month by the nation’s beach expert Brad Farmer.
New South Wales had the highest number of beaches in the top 101 with 23 followed closely by Queensland with 20 entries.
Tasmania had several entries in the list as well, including Coles Bay and Freycinet, although only Boat Harbour Beach was able to make the Top 10 this year. Some speculate that this might due to the remoteness of the beaches, although that is changing. Tourists can now Book a car in Tasmania from LeisureRent or similar rental companies and explore the Tasmanian Coast.
Two previously unlisted and overlooked beach locations included the remote Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands that were ranked in the Top 10 Australian beaches for 2017.
Both ‘outstanding’ islands sit closer to the coast of Indonesia than the Australian mainland, but we’ll consider them Aussie anyway.
Representing the Prime Minister for the official announcement at Bondi Beach was Federal Minister for Territories and Regional Development, Senator the Hon Fiona Nash.
Together Senator Nash and Mr Farmer releases the long awaited results of exhaustive research and a comprehensive review into every Australian beach – and how Australians and big spending international visitors now wish to engage with our coastal environments.
Mr Farmer, who has been recognised by Tourism Australia as a ‘Friend of Australia’ has been researching, writing books and reviews about beaches since 1985.
Over the past five months he has travelled again to numerous locations over thousands of kilometres facing three oceans to assess beaches, including new destinations that are ‘authentic and compelling’ in what has been described as the ‘best job in the world’.
The list of top Australian beaches reflects new trends where holiday makers and an increasing number of international visitors are now seeking more nature based, authentic, spacious and ‘out of the box’ destinations.
Some beaches, like those branded, expensive, congested and touristic destinations will drop in the rankings, since Brad Farmer and co-author Prof Andy Short published the first ever benchmark of all Australian beaches in 2012. This is only the second time in Australian history a definitive and independent list has been produced.
Australia’s beaches are ranked first as the most appealing Australian attraction among international consumers in a $38b market and with summer approaching, the list will bring 20 fresh Australian beaches into sharper focus, such as Christmas Island; its position and its future.
Australia has the third largest marine zone in the world, including 8,222 islands. Almost 90 per cent of Australian live on the coast and beaches are one of the highest earners for the Australian economy behind mining.
Top 20 Beaches
- Cossies Beach, Cocos (Keeling) Islands INDIAN OCEAN
- Nudey Beach, Fitzroy Island, FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND
- Moonee Beach, Coffs Coast NEW SOUTH WALES
- Turquoise Bay, Coral Coast, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
- Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, QUEENSLAND
- Maslin Beach, Adelaide, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
- Dolly Beach, Christmas Island, INDIAN OCEAN
- Shelly Beach, Nambucca Coast, NEW SOUTH WALES
- Boat Harbour Beach, North West Coast, TASMANIA
- Apollo Bay, Great Ocean Road, VICTORIA
- Horseshoe Bay Beach, Capricorn Coast, QUEENSLAND
- Garie Beach, Royal National Park, Sydney, NEW SOUTH WALES
- Merewether Beach, Newcastle, NEW SOUTH WALES
- Long Beach, Great Keppel Island, Capricorn Coast, QUEENSLAND
- Hawks Nest Beach, Myall Coast, NEW SOUTH WALES
- Camp Cove, Sydney, NEW SOUTH WALES
- Broken Head Beach, Byron Coast, NEW SOUTH WALES
- Narrawallee Beach, Shoalhaven Coast, NEW SOUTH WALES
- Dynamite Bay, Coral Coast, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
- Ellis Beach, FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND
New South Wales Top Beaches
Norries Head (Cabarita) Tweed Coast
Broken Head, Byron Shire
Moonee Beach, Coffs Coast
Shelly Beach, Nambucca
Crescent Head, Kempsey
Dunbogan, Diamond Head National Park
Seal Rocks, Myall Lakes Region
Hawks Nest, Myall Lakes Region
Merewether Beach, Newcastle
Catherine Hill Bay, Lake Macquarie
Avoca, Central Coast
Manly Beach, Sydney Northern Beaches
Balmoral Beach, Sydney Harbour
Camp Cove, Sydney Harbour
Bondi Beach, Sydney East
Garie Beach, Royal National Park, Sydney
Seven Mile Beach, Shoalhaven
Green Patch, Jervis Bay
Narrawallee Beach, Shoalhaven
South Broulee, Moruya
Merrimbula-Pambula Beach, Bega Valley Shire
Boydtown, Twofold Bay, Bega Valley Shire
Neds Beach, Lord Howe Island (NSW)
It’s much welcomed news that this beautiful NSW North Coast estuary has been finally ‘dredged’ towards better boating and recreational swimmer safety and enjoyment. Thanks Geoff Prost and all stakeholders from around Kingy and Salt. Yesterday, there appeared some deep central 3m holes, but still the wave entrance appeared unnavigable for small craft on its low tide shallows at the eastern groyne end. The Kingy Beach remedial beach profiling also looking good until – and not withstanding, the oncoming cyclonic storm episodes… Is this to be an annually NSW Govt funded program? Thanks, Brad Farmer. (Best Australian Beaches). *I do support reserve status of Lot 490 and any further unwanted artificialisation of natural and valuable mangrove/riparian environs.
It’s much welcomed news that this beautiful NSW North Coast estuary has been finally ‘dredged’ towards better boating and recreational swimmer safety and enjoyment. Thanks Geoff Prost and all stakeholders from around Kingy and Salt. Yesterday, there appeared some deep central 3m holes, but still the wave entrance appeared unnavigable for small craft on its low tide shallows at the eastern groyne end. The Kingy Beach remedial beach profiling also looking good until – and not withstanding, the oncoming cyclonic storm episodes… Is this to be an annually NSW Govt funded program? Thanks, Brad Farmer. (Best Australian Beaches). *I do support reserve status of Lot 490 and any further unwanted artificialisation of natural and valuable mangrove/riparian environs.