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10 Best Beaches In Western Australia By A Perth Local

I have to say you’ll find the best beaches in Western Australia that easily rival almost any beach across the whole country. The pure white sand and crystal clear waters are something you won’t find as easily as in Western Australia.

Think of riding a camel at sunset on Cable Beach in Broome, hanging out with kangaroos on the pure white sand beach and turquoise water of Lucky Bay in Esperance, or head over to one of the secret pink lakes in Western Australia! The options are endless for discovering the beautiful beaches in WA.

Although it’s been a long time since I did a WA road trip, thankfully we have a Perth local called Kylie Loy to help you plan your road trip in Western Australia.

Kylie is the author behind the family travel blog Fearless And Free Range, which provides tips for anyone considering doing the ‘Big Lap’ around Australia. Make sure you follow her blog and her Facebook page Fearless And Free Range.

Here’s just a snippet of what to expect from only a handful of beaches out of a list of thousands to explore.

Western Australia is well known for sand that is as white as snow and water that is crystal clear and turquoise in colour. It’s so clear that spotting turtles and stingrays are totally normal when travelling up and down the Western Australian coast.

During my travels, I did not expect to be swimming with turtles and seeing so many vibrant beaches in Western Australia. Although this State is large and spread out, it only means two things; fewer people and more beach space for you. In my experience, I found many of the beaches in Western Australia I visited only ever had a handful of people there. Most times there were no people which made for an even better unforgettable beach experience.

With that in mind, I’m sharing my favourite secret beaches in Western Australia you need to consider when doing a Perth to Exmouth road trip.


1. Hang Out With the Kangaroos At Lucky Bay In Esperance

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Located 63 kilometres from Esperance in the Cape Le Grand National Park, is Lucky Bay. It’s a beautiful stretch of coastline with crystal clear blue waters and sand that squeaks as you walk on it. Lucky Bay is very well known for the friendly marsupials that hang out here, the local kangaroos.

Day by day the kangaroos like to laze about and soak up the sun more than the visitors. Bring your camera as the kangaroos are ridiculously photogenic and love to hang out with you and next to your car on the beach. Lucky Bay is great for swimming, catching some small waves and even riding down the sand dunes.

This is a complete package and is why this makes the top ten beaches in Western Australia. Ensure you bring enough water and food as there are no shops, cafes or even fuel stations around.

During peak season there may be a coffee van set up on the beach offering cold refreshments and some basic food snacks, but this is seasonal. Toilets and showers can be found up the top near the car park. While Lucky Bay in Esperance is popular, there’s plenty of reasons why. I doubt you’ll find another beautiful beach like it with kangaroos hanging out with you.


2. Misery Beach In Albany

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Image via Pix By Jen

Misery beach is by far one of my favourite hideaway beaches in the southwest region of Western Australia. This small tucked away secluded beach can be found at the bottom of Frenchman Bay Drive, this drive is a 22 kilometre stretch of road that has many turnoffs and is a must-do scenic drive when visiting Albany.

Misery Beach is a small beach that is surrounded by big bouldering rocks waiting to be explored. It was a buzz climbing up these and having a bird’s eye view of the blue waters and white sand that Misery Bay has to offer. Before visiting Misery Beach, I would recommend taking a tour of the Whaling Station and you will see and understand why such a beautiful beach has the name ‘Misery Beach’ in Albany.


3. Elephant Rocks And Green Pool In Denmark

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Image via Flickr

For a pure day of relaxation and heaven on earth, I recommend you make the small hike to both Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks in Denmark. Both of these beaches are within walking distance between them both and are only 400 metres apart.

The famous Elephant Rocks is very well known for its flat calm waters with three giant boulders sitting inside the bay. People often take big blow-up pool toys and float around these big boulders soaking up all its beautiful glory.

Green Pool is located in the William Bay National Park and is famous for its green water with surrounding granite boulders. It is perfect for swimming, snorkelling and relaxing. Toilets and showers can be found up the top of the walk next to the car park. Anything else like food or accommodation can be found in the town which is a 16-kilometre drive from the beach. Make sure you make the effort to visit William Bay National Park, you will not be disappointed – trust me!


4. Hamelin Bay Near Margaret River

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Water isn’t only for swimming for leisure, well not if you are travelling up and down Western Australia’s coastline. Hamelin Bay in the Margaret River region is very well known for swimming with stingrays and draws in crowds of people throughout the year. Beach lovers will love this very well known for the stingrays that visit here every day. Large stingrays swim along the shallow shore here and usually do not mind that you wade in knee-deep to catch a closer glimpse and a photo or two.

Are stingrays dangerous? No, stingrays are genuinely not dangerous although they do like their space and will whip their soft tails if you get too close. There are toilets are available at the car park if needed.

Hamelin Bay is an exceedingly small town that doesn’t have much other than a caravan park and some small shops. The next big town is Augusta with plenty of tourist attractions including the famous large Karri Trees.


5. Prevelly Beach In Margaret River

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The Margaret River region is home to Australia’s best surfing beaches, with Prevelly Beach being the most popular. In April, Margaret River hosts The Margaret River Pro which is a part of the World Surfing Championships. This is where international surfing athletes come over to battle it out on Prevelly’s waves to win the world title.

Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore have all surfed the waters at Prevelly Beach and if you visit the local pubs, you will see many photos on the walls of when they have been. Margaret River is not just a surfing town, but a town filled with 100’s of award-winning wineries and underground caves waiting to be explored.


6. Injidup Beach Natural Spa In Yallingup

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Image via Perth Is OK

Yallingup is home to a wonderful coastline and some of the most amazing rock pools in Western Australia. One of the most well-known is the Injidup Natural Spa. This beautiful place is a great place to sit and relax or climb the big rocks and explore.

Injidup beach has a high rock wall along a small part of the coast, which blocks the waves from entering the rockpools that lie behind. The small holes in the rock wall allow small bursts of water to push their way through the rock barriers, which fill the rock pools and gives enough pressure for a free back massage.

The pools are filled with smooth boulders that hold their heat, so sunbaking is great and your towel will be dried within minutes. Swim in the clear waters and feel the soft white sand underneath your feet. There are no toilets or showers nearby, so it is essential to bring enough water and food for the time you are there. The closest shops are back in the town of Yallingup which is a 12-kilometre drive from the pools.


7. Coral Bay

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Coral Bay is home to some of the best beaches in Western Australia for swimming and snorkelling in the Ningaloo Marine Park! The bay is calm and flat with no waves, it is perfect for a quiet day out. The reef is about a 20-metre swim from the shore and drops to a deep level of about ten metres.

This is one of the most popular beaches in Coral Bay as the town is small and the beach is the main attraction. The fish swim around your feet so it’s no wonder people love coming here.

Travellers Tip- The reef shark nursery is about a one-kilometre walk north of the beach from Coral Bay. During the months of October- March the baby sharks come in with the tide and stay in the bay from about 11.00 am-2.00 pm during the day so you can dip your toes in with them (reef sharks are harmless!). They then ride the tide back out for the evening.

Coral Bay is a small and immensely popular town famous for being a gateway to swim with a whale shark if you come in the right season. All shops, accommodation and pubs are within walking distance, and everything is found along the main road in town. Toilets, showers and even changing rooms can be found just a short walk up the beach.


8. Oyster Stacks In Exmouth

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Exmouth is a place to explore marine life, bring your snorkel gear and spend hours floating above the Ningaloo Reef that is under the water. You will see reef sharks, turtles, colourful fish and many other creatures as you explore the reef.

This stretch of coastline is great for snorkelling only. Not much swimming can be done here as the reef starts from the shore and is filled with sharp coral. The best time to go snorkelling is between the hours of 10.00 am-2.00 pm when the tide is high.

Oyster Stacks is located on Yardie Creek Road inside the Cape Range National Park. There are no toilets or showers at the beach. The closest toilet is at the North Mandu Campground which is a four-kilometre drive up the road.


5.Turquoise Bay In Exmouth

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Turquoise Bay is another beach in Exmouth and is great for swimming, snorkelling and spotting marine life up close. On the Northside of the bay is where swimming is great, the water is calm, and the current is weak. Many families use this side of the beach, for paddling, building sandcastles and swimming. This is also where you may find a starfish or see a stingray swim along the bottom of the ocean.

On the south side of the bay is where the current picks up and can carry you quite fast along the coast, so be careful when swimming. Snorkelling here is also popular, although the water is not as clear as other parts of the Ningaloo Reef coastline. Toilets are available near the car park.

Don’t forget to come to Exmouth during the right season for a chance to swim with whale sharks!


10.Cable Beach In Broome

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One of the most famous beaches in Western Australia is Cable Beach in Broome. Tourists are drawn here for the idyllic sunsets that set over the beach and to catch a glimpse of the camels walking along the sand. It is a favourite beach among many people and easily one of the most iconic beaches in Australia!

The camels that walk along the beach are a sunset tour that can be booked in town, but book ahead because it’s the most popular Broome activity. The tour is one of the best things to do in Broome and it really is a highlight.

Broome is only a 2 hour and 40-minute flight from Perth and is a popular holiday destination for many tourists. It’s filled with plenty of accommodation options, restaurants and attractions that will fill your bucket list.


Best Beaches In Western Australia

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