Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the Great Barrier Reef is a natural treasure that stretches for over 2,500 km along the East Coast of Australia.
Tourists from all over the world go there every year, especially in Queensland to dive, to observe whales or to enjoy postcard-decorated beaches ...
But when taking a road trip along the Great Barrier Reef, it's hard to know where the most beautiful beaches are on the coast ... Here are my top 5 of the most beautiful beaches in Queensland easily accessible. They are presented below following the order of my road trip from South to North Queensland.
Best beaches in Australia - Fraser Island
I had planned to spend several days in Hervey Bay during my trip, specifically to watch humpback whales off the coast of Fraser Island . What a wonderful surprise to discover vast, wild, and almost deserted beaches of incredible beauty! They face Fraser Island, are just as beautiful as Fraser Island itself, and are very easily accessible by road.
To get there, you have to go to Rainbow Beach (1h30 south of Hervey Bay) and follow the road that turns into a track and leads to Inskip Point.
Best beaches in Australia - Hillsborough cape
Hillsborough Cape is known for its kangaroos that you can approach up close to stroke them ... It is true that it is a place where you see a lot of them and where they are not at all wild. Some say they would be fed by the owners of the campsite next door. But Hillsborough is also a huge and magnificent beach that is worth a detour!
Hillsborough Beach is located after Mackay and just 2 hours before arriving at Airlie Beach.
Best beaches in Australia - Whitsunday Islands
Here is where the most beautiful beaches in Australia and I would say in the world (on par with the Tuamotus beaches in French Polynesia) are found on the Whitsunday Islands.
Comprising 74 islands, this archipelago is extraordinarily beautiful, with white sand beaches and lagoons boasting a multitude of intense and marvelous shades of blue. You can begin by climbing to Belvedere Hill Inlet to enjoy a sublime panoramic view.
Then you will discover the most famous of all the Whitsundays beaches: Whitehaven Beach where boats and helicopters drop off tourists to spend the day.
To get there, you have to go to the seaside resort of Airlie Beach and more precisely to its port from where the half-day, full-day or multi-day sea cruises depart around the other islands of the Whitsundays (to be reserved in advance).
Best beaches in Australia - Green Island
In my list of the most beautiful beaches on the Great Barrier Reef , I absolutely have to include the beaches of Green Island . They are truly stunning and deserve a place in this top 5 list of the most beautiful beaches in Australia. However, you should know that the sheer number of tourists disgorged by dozens of boats onto this tiny island really spoils the experience… But after some searching, I did manage to find a quieter beach where I was able to fly my drone and get a breathtaking view!
To get to the beaches of Green Island , you need to book a crossing from Cairns (at the very north of the East Coast).
Best beaches in Australia - Fitzroy Island
This island is larger than Green Island and much quieter. It has 2 main and beautiful beaches:
- Welcome Bay beach which is magnificent but with coral and therefore not very suitable for beach towels…
- La Nudey beach which is a real slice of paradise (see below).
Just like getting to Green Island, you can reach the beaches of Fitzroy Island by boat in 45 minutes from Cairns (Reef Terminal). To book: 0499 009 939
Road trip along the beaches of the Great Barrier Reef
If, like me, you want to discover this magnificent Australian coast on your own, it's very easy to organize a road trip. You'll find all my tips for the itinerary, car or van rental in my article: My 2-week road trip from Brisbane to Cairns.
Also note that to enter Australian territory, you will not need to apply for a Visa but you will still need to present an ETA (see how to apply and what the price of the tourist visa "ETA" is for Australia ).