Australia’s best beach activities (and where to do them)

Image: Tourism and Events Queensland

Home to more than 10,000 beaches, heading to the coast for a swim or surf is etched into Australia’s national identity. Beyond taking a dip (in the protected area between the red-and-yellow flags, of course), here are some of the other experiences and activities to enjoy at the beach during your visit down under.

Surfing

Surf culture is alive and well at beaches all over Australia, so you’ll see people catching waves from Bondi to Newcastle, Perth, Byron Bay and beyond.

As its name suggests, Surfers Paradise is a top place to hang ten in Queensland, as is the Noosa World Surfing Reserve where you’ll find world-class point breaks suited to both experienced and novice surfers. Want to surf while you’re in Sydney? Head to Manly, Bondi, Cronulla, Freshwater, Maroubra or Narrabeen. Down south in Victoria, the world’s best surfers carve up the powerful waves at Bells Beach during the annual Rip Curl Pro but if you’re not a confident surfer try the tamer swell at Torquay or Apollo Bay instead. In Western Australia, the Margaret River region reigns supreme when it comes to surf breaks, but there are surfable beaches in and around Fremantle, Kalbarri, Denmark, Esperance, Perth and Albany too.

Standup paddle boarding

Standup paddle boarding (or SUP, for short) has taken off in the last few years. While this pastime is popular all over Australia, there’s a few key destinations that are well-suited for a paddle.

If you find yourself in Byron Bay, Wategos Beach’s sheltered waters make it an ideal SUP spot. In Sydney, you can hire a board and sign up for lessons at Pittwater, Cronulla, Balmoral Beach and Avalon Beach. In Melbourne, St Kilda Beach or Mornington/Mount Martha are your places for SUP lessons and board hire, while the incredibly beautiful, protected beaches and bays of Tasmania’s photogenic Freycinet area are the perfect backdrop for a spot of paddle boarding. As expected, Perth has a bounty of beaches suitable for SUP adventures, with the calmer waters of South Beach ideal for beginners and Cottesloe Beach having something for paddleboard enthusiasts of all skill levels.

Beach volleyball

When travelling in Australia you’ll see people playing all sorts of games at the beach – from frisbee to beach cricket. You might also see locals serving, blocking and spiking on the sand during hotly contested games of beach volleyball.

Want to get in on the action? With plenty of soft sand and lots of year-round sunshine, the Gold Coast has a strong beach volleyball scene. In Sydney, Manly Beach has beach volleyball courts that you can use for free all year round – just BYO ball. If you’re in Perth, head to Scarborough Beach or City Beach where several volleyball courts can be booked for public use, and in Adelaide, Glenelg Beach has regular social beach volleyball sessions.

Snorkelling

Think you need to head out on a boat to experience sensational snorkelling? Think again, because there’s plenty of marine life to discover just metres from the shoreline.

Tucked around the corner from Sydney’s Clovelly Beach, you won’t want to miss exploring the clear, blue waters of Gordons Bay Underwater Nature Trail. If you’re lucky you might encounter one of the beloved blue groupers that frequent this marine sanctuary. In Western Australia, Rottnest Island and Exmouth have great beach snorkelling spots, while swimming out to check out Coogee Beach’s Omeo Wreck off the coast of Perth is an unforgettable experience. In Adelaide, you’ll be able to spot sea urchins, blue swimmer crabs and sea stars while snorkelling at Hallett Cove Beach and in Queensland, Amity Point is a serene spot on North Stradbroke Island.

Beach barbecuing

A beach swim is guaranteed to stoke your hunger, so it’s fortunate that free public gas barbecues run by the local council face many of Australia’s beaches. The art of the beach barbecue is pretty simple. Just buy some meat, fish or tofu to put on the barbie, add salads, bread rolls and a few cool drinks and sit back and soak up the Aussie beach atmosphere. If you’re planning to aim for the weekend or a public holiday, get there early to stake your claim on a picnic table and barbecue. Don’t forget to clean the hot plate and remove your rubbish before you leave (Australians take barbecue etiquette pretty seriously).

Kitesurfing

Nothing beats the thrill of getting some serious air while you’re at the beach. If you haven’t tried kitesurfing before, make Australia the place you give it a go.

Your best bet for taking kitesurfing lessons is at aquatic water sports hubs like Cairns, Margaret River and the Gold Coast. Sydney’s blustery Botany Bay is well-known for having consistently favourable winds for kite surfing, so it’s no surprise that kite surfing schools operate in this area. It’s not an easy sport to master, but learning the ropes is a memorable way to immerse yourself in Australia’s beach scene and come home with a new skill at the same time.

Sandboarding

A rare beach activity you don’t need to wear a bikini, wetsuit or boardshorts for, sandboarding is a fun experience worthwhile seeking out.

If you’re doing a road trip along the south coast of New South Wales, book a sandboarding session in the beachside holiday town of Port Stephens. In Western Australia, if you’ve booked a stay at Lancelin Lodge (or are happy to drive up from Perth), then sandboarding is an activity you won’t want to miss. Rent a sandboard for a few hours of fun gliding down the steep dunes that make Lancelin Australia's premier sandboarding destination. As these dunes are inland, this technically isn’t quite a beach activity, but there’s so much sand you’ll feel like you’re at the beach anyway!

Taking three for the sea

One impactful but dead-easy activity you can do at any beach in Australia (or the world) is what’s known as ‘taking three for the sea’. The brainchild of an Australian not-for-profit, Take 3 for the Seaencourages beachgoers to collect and dispose of just three pieces of rubbish while you’re at the beach. Apart from detracting from the beauty of the coast, ocean plastics cause major problems for turtles, dolphins, whales, seabirds and other marine life. So if you’re enjoying an Australian beach break, don’t forget to take a minute or two to give a little back and take three (or more) for the sea.
Words: Jo Stewart for YHA