Overview
When it comes to being photogenic, Queensland has the formula perfected. Especially on its beaches, just look at that tropical white sand, the azure water and bright green forests that meet it. Perfection. And abundance, too — with Australia's second-largest coastline and just over 1,700 recorded beaches.
With numbers like that, choosing favourites might seem like an impossible task. We've made a selection for Brisbane's best beaches, but to look at the rest of the coastline, we've turned to the experts. That job falls to Lonely Planet, who have shared with us their picks of the best beaches in Queensland and why — which you can read in full (alongside the other states' highlights) in their new Best Beaches Australia guide.
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Lady Elliott Island, Southern Great Barrier Reef
Few islands have a comeback story quite like this remote coral cay at the southern tip of Queensland's Great Barrier Reef. Stripped almost bare by guano miners in the late 1800s, with new growth prevented by goats placed on the island to ensure food for shipwrecked seafarers, Lady Elliot Island had been reduced to little more than a field of compacted coral by the mid‐20th century. A small resort was opened on the degraded island in 1969 and a DIY revegetation programme commenced. But it wasn't until Peter Gash, Lady Elliot's current custodian, took over in 2005 that the regeneration of the island shifted into high gear.
Its forest ecosystem has since been largely restored, providing a haven for seabirds and even marine life as nutrients seep through the 'beach rock' and fertilise the fringing reef. Run almost entirely on renewable energy, the island's low‐key eco‐resort has a minimal effect on this rich habitat. One of the best ways to enjoy the 42‐hectare (104‐acre) island is to walk around the crushed coral and sand beach encircling it, which takes about 45 minutes without stops. The eco‐resort is located on the east‐facing 'sunrise' side of the island, where a shallow reef stretches towards the horizon, and durable plastic sunloungers provide a comfortable seat for quiet contemplation as the sun rises above the Coral Sea. You can only snorkel here at high tide, when you're likely to meet a few turtles. Can you hear that crackling sound? It's a sign of a healthy reef.
Head clockwise around the island and look out for rare red‐tailed tropicbirds nesting under the octopus bushes lining the shore. As you round the southwestern corner of the island, see its 1893 lighthouse towering over the west‐facing 'sunset' beach. This part of the beach is a launchpad for snorkelling and diving adventures in deeper waters, with mere steps separating you from your next manta ray encounter. As the sun begins its evening descent, overnight guests gather here to watch the sky light up with a cool drink in‐hand and the sand between their toes.
Getting there: Lady Elliot Island is only accessible by a small aircraft flight from Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Brisbane, or the Gold Coast, arranged by Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort as part of your visit. Day trips are possible, but a longer stay is recommended to enjoy the island to the fullest.
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Nudey Beach, Fitzroy Island
It might surprise first-time visitors to this Great Barrier Reef gateway hub to discover that Cairns/Gimuy is not a beach destination – its muddy foreshore is more popular with coastal birds. But with Fitzroy Island on its doorstep, it doesn't need to be. Before sea levels rose around 9500 years ago, Aboriginal groups could walk to this small, hilly island 5km (3 miles) from the mainland to fish, gather food, and hold ceremonies. Now a national park, Fitzroy Island offers a classic tropical‐island experience just 45 minutes from Cairns.
Ferries arrive at Welcome Bay, where a 1.2km (0.75‐mile) return shaded rainforest track leads to small, undeveloped Nudey Beach which, despite its name, isn't clothing‐optional. Bookended by granite boulders, with turquoise water lapping its crunchy white‐coral sand, the setting is sublime. There's good snorkelling off the northern end of the beach, with pretty patches of hard and soft corals visited by angelfish, butterflyfish, parrotfish and wrasses, along with the odd green turtle.
Getting there: The Fitzroy Flyer ferry runs three daily services between Cairns and Fitzroy Island in both directions. There is a resort with two restaurants and a campground on the island.
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Balding Bay, Magnetic Island/Yunbenun
Queensland may be the only Australian state or territory lacking an official nudist beach, but that doesn't stop locals and visitors to Magnetic Island's Balding Bay (Yunbenun to its Traditional Wulgurukaba Custodians) from getting their kit off here. It takes a bit of effort to get to the state's best‐known unofficial nudist beach – the 2.8km (1.7‐mile) return track from neighbouring Horseshoe Bay is very steep with many steps; sturdy footwear is recommended. But it's all part of the experience – keep an eye out for orange‐flanked rainbow skinks basking on the rocky path.
Upon reaching the remote‐feeling bay, where a small arc of golden sand settles between granite‐boulder headlands, diving into the tropical water is de rigueur, clothed or not (outside the November to May stinger season). While the Great Barrier Reef protects Balding Bay from powerful waves, be mindful that help is at least a 40‐minute hike away.
Getting there: Magnetic Island is a 20‐ to 40‐minute ferry ride from Townsville. Bring your car or e‐bike, or take a bus from the Nelly Bay ferry dock to Horseshoe Bay (p32), 7km (4.5 miles). The track to Balding Bay begins at the eastern end of Horseshoe Bay.
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Low Isles/Wungkun, Port Douglas
Captain Cook's log described the 'small low island' he sighted from the Endeavour on 10 June, 1770, and set about giving it an unimaginative renaming. In reality, the Low Isles off Port Douglas have been known to the Eastern Kuku Yalanji and Yirrganydji peoples for centuries as Wungkun, an important cultural site and Dreaming place. A teardrop of sun‐kissed sand with an 1878 lighthouse rising above a cluster of palm and casuarina trees, the smaller of the two coral cays that comprise the Low Isles was made for a day on the beach.
A string of permanent umbrellas provides much‐needed shade on sultry Tropical North Queensland days, and a reef – part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – begins just steps from the shore. There are 150 corals for snorkellers to count, along with turtles, reef sharks and a cornucopia of tropical fish. Not just a pretty reef, this rich marine ecosystem has played an important role in global reef science. The world's first scientific study of a coral reef was undertaken here in 1928, with subsequent studies helping scientists understand how reef systems decline, recover and change over long periods of time.
With boat tours from Port Douglas taking as little as 15 minutes to make the 15km (9.3‐mile) journey to the island, it's perfect for visitors looking for a taste of the Great Barrier Reef but lacking the time for a full‐day trip to the outer reef. Visit on a calm, sunny day for the best snorkelling conditions, ideally at high tide, and don't stress about crocodiles, with only three glimpsed out here in as nearly as many decades. Not much of a snorkeller? You can circumnavigate the 1.6‐hectare (4‐acre) island in as few as 15 minutes. Automated in 1993, the island's lighthouse no longer requires a keeper, but the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBMPA) appoints a new set of caretakers roughly every two years to ensure the Low Isles' natural and heritage values are maintained. If this sounds like your dream job, keep an eye on GBMPA's Facebook page.
Getting there: Port Douglas is 67km (41.5 miles) from Cairns/Gimuy, which has an international airport. Port Douglas–based operators offer a variety of Low Isles tour options, from speedboat snorkelling tours that return you to the marina in less than 2.5 hours, to leisurely catamaran sojourns.
These excerpts were supplied by 'Lonely Planet' from their 'Best Beaches Australia' guide — available online and at bookstores near you now.
Images: supplied