Beaches Around Sydney, Australia

Once again thank you Jess for your insights about the several beach options one can choose from in the vicinity of Sydney. Judging by the look of the photos, they are for sure a must go spot for those visiting the Sydney area :)

Sydney is Australia’s largest city by a clear half million inhabitants. In fact, almost a quarter of the entire population live there, so it’s no surprise that Sydney is widely regarded as the cultural heart of Australia. The outback may have the iconic red deserts but Sydney has the shopping, the theatres and music venues, the best hotels and the finest restaurants. It’s also set on Sydney Harbour, with its famous Opera House and bridge.

For such a big city Sydney has some stunning beaches. First on the list will always be Bondi. Just a brief bus ride from central Sydney, Bondi might well be the best known beach in the world. Its lifeguards are the subject of a recent and highly successful television series but the beach has been famous for decades.


Most inner city beaches are crowded, dirty, and popular just because they’re close by. Not so with Bondi. The water is blue, the surf is good, and the sand is surprisingly free of rubbish. On summer weekends it can get very busy but on weekdays mornings it’s a little bit of paradise 20 minutes from the city centre.

Sydney is divided into two by the Harbour. Bondi is to the south, along with the central business district, the iMax theatre, the Aquarium, and most other tourist attractions, but there is still a lot of city on the north side. The beach of choice on the north side is Manly, which is much like Bondi in water quality and lovely fine sand. Lifeguards are often on duty here too, with very good reason- there is a rip that can catch unwary swimmers. Still, it’s well worth a visit on a hot day. If you’re staying on the south side you can take a ferry across the harbour and combine the zoo with Manly beach for a full day out.

While Manly, Bondi, and other city beaches like Coogee and Cronulla have their charms, you’ve got to go a little further to enjoy the full Australian beach experience. It’s a big country with a long coastline, and one thing Australia does well is empty, unspoiled beaches where visitors can relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Avalon Beach is about an hour north of central Sydney. It’s not completely out in the wilderness but there is a lot more greenery and a lot less concrete. If you’ve got a spare day and it’s warm, you could do a lot worse than spending it here. You can swim (there are lifeguards) in the quiet bit or surf in the not-so quiet bit, or take a walk through the bush on the headland.


For real wilderness try Horderns Beach near Bundeena. It’s just on the edge of Royal National park so you can expect a flavour of the unspoilt Australian landscape but you don’t need to go far off the beaten track. You can get there by ferry from Cronulla and it’s worth it for the boat trip alone. The waters are generally quiet and good for snorkelling and less confident swimmers.

There are beautiful beaches up and down the coast on either side of Sydney. Hire a car and head south to Jervis Bay or Bateman’s Bay for a few days and there will be more sun, sand, and blue water than the most dedicated beach-lover can handle.


Jess Spate no longer lives in Sydney but she still misses the gorgeous beaches and summer sun. She now lives in Cardiff, UK (a place not known for beautiful beaches) and works for Appalachian Outdoors.