Australia is almost synonymous with beaches and coastal-life. Bondi beach is a world renowned, household name that can attract up to 40,000 people on a summer weekend.
But these beaches are not to everyone’s taste, some prefer a more tranquil, less boisterous visit to the coast. There is an abundance of remote, less commercialised and off the beaten track beaches to savour Down Under.
Queensland in particular has a plethora of ‘little beauties’. If you want to explore off the beaten track in some places you might need to get a dirt bike or four wheel drive car. You can rent these from all the usual operators, but some will charge a premium or restrict access to certain areas.
For true freedom, you can source a vehicle cheaply from a classifieds site used by travellers, like Gumtree. At the end of the trip, you can always sell your vehicle, to make a return on your investment.
Let’s take a look at some of the lesser known gems…
Cairns
Located in the upper region of tropical north Queensland is Cairns. Cairns is situated about 1,000 miles north of the state capital city of Brisbane. Cairns boasts some scenic beaches, superb sightseeing destinations, good-quality restaurants and traditional pubs catering to those seeking a place to relax in a location with a small town feel.
A major perk to visiting Cairns is being able to venture out into the ocean to explore the myriad of stunning scenic areas. Just an hour onboard a local boat will take you to the iconic Great Barrier Reef which sits amongst various other attractions and islands that prove extremely popular with both scuba divers and snorkelers alike.
Port Douglas
A strip of trendy restaurants and a newly-built championship golf course have not tarnished Port’s old-fashioned atmosphere. Located in the north-east of the country in Queensland, Port Douglas boasts Four Mile Beach where boats depart on a daily basis, bound for the Great Barrier Reef.
Just an hour-long drive from Cairns, Port Douglas is a picturesque seaside village described as tropical, sophisticated and naturally beautiful. What else would expect from a place so close to the Great Barrier Reef?
Mission Beach
Also in Queensland, Mission Beach is somewhere you would never know existed. This tidy little village is hidden within lush rainforest and located just off the highway. Aussies know it is here, but amazingly few actually frequent its superb beach, exquisite offshore islands and lush rainforest trails, so you could have the place to yourself.
1770
The laid back township of 1770 is located on the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland and is the essence of relaxing, sun drenched Australian culture.
Whether it is the laid back sandblasted feel of the seaside town or the epic scuba diving off the magnificent beach, 1770 has activities to cater to the needs of all. Home to one of the only locations in eastern Australia that experiences sunset over water, 1770 also houses the northern most surf break in Australia, with jet skiing, hiking and sunbathing also high on the list of experiences.
Lucky Bay
Magical Lucky Bay is located in the Cape Le Grande National Park, 30 kilometres from Esperance in Western Australia’s southeast.
In the foot of mountains and fringed by national park, the beach glares amazingly golden contrasting against the gorgeous blue of the ocean. Lucky Bay is a reminder to every visitor of just how beautiful nature can be.
Whitehaven Beach
Hugging one of the deserted islands in the Whitsundays is the remote Whitehaven Beach. Despite being remote, this pearl of beaches is easily accessible.
Sand as clean and pure white as can be make Whitehaven a real treat for the eyes, something of a paradise when you take into account the crystal clear waters as well. This sumptuous example of natural beauty is a ‘must-see’ for all visitors of eastern Australia.
Fiona Mayers is a writer for Australia migration experts True Blue Migration.
Image credits; 1; Mark1800 CC-ASA-2.0, 2; Cookaa CC-ASA-3.0, 3; DANIEL JULIE CC-A-2.0
