20 Best Nude Beaches in Australia

PHOTO: Nude beaches

If you’re looking to bare all down under then it’s mostly good news. With thousands of miles of coast, much of which is fairly remote, there are any number of beaches where no one will bat an eyelid if you choose to go au naturel.

Surprisingly enough one of the best places to go skinny dipping is in Sydney itself where there are a handful of recognised nude beaches. In fact New South Wales in general is well ahead of the rest of Australia with 20 legal clothing optional beaches.

Slightly disappointing is that some of the best naturist beaches in Australia are not legally recognised. In fact there are no official nude beaches in either Queensland or Tasmania, but with the exception of a few well-known problem spots you are very unlikely to be bothered by the long arm of the law.

The list of nudist beaches below includes both official and unofficial beaches. Further information is provided on the current status in the descriptions.

The Best Australian naturist beaches…

Cable Beach // Western Australia
Cable Beach in Broome is a long, flat, sandy beach, and by long we mean 22 kilometres (15 miles) long. It isn’t just quantity over quality either; the beach here is beautiful white sand lapped by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Much Cable beach backs on to gently sloping sand dunes, and in other places there are low cliffs of deep red sandstone.
Alexandria Bay // Queensland
On the opposite side of Noosa Head’s famous headland, Alexandria Bay is a quieter location for soaking up the tranquility and rays on this golden sandy beach. The only way in is on foot, either from Noosa Heads (3.5km through the Noosa National Park) or 20 minutes on foot from McAnally Drive on Sunshine Beach (1.3km).
Obelisk Beach // New South Wales
Situated within the greenery of Sydney Harbour National Park is a secluded, pretty little sandy cove. Obelisk Beach is tucked away behind Middle Head, only a stone’s throw from Mosman and neighbouring Balmoral Beach. However, this hidden beach feels a world apart being sufficiently off the beaten track to rarely attract a crowd.
Seven Mile Beach // New South Wales
There’s no real need to guess the length of Seven Mile Beach, although there may have been some rounding error! Situated between Nowra and Kiama, the beach comes in at 12 kilometres (7.8 miles) long. Backed almost exclusively by uninterrupted littoral forest with eucalyptus (gum) trees, it is encompassed into Seven Mile Beach National Park.
Washaway Beach // New South Wales
Washaway Beach faces east into Sydney Harbour with superb views across to Balmoral and the Manley Ferry coming and going. After a storm, the sand really does get washed away, exposing the rocky slab beneath! At other times it boasts a 200m stretch of sand and waves usually 0.5m or more, depending on the outside swell.

Lady Bay Beach // New South Wales
Also known as Lady Jane Beach, this little beach is located just around the corner from Camp Cove in Watsons Bay. The beach here sits on the sheltered harbour-facing side of South Head making it and ideal spot for taking a dip, or just taking in the views across the harbour. And don’t worry if you forget your cozzie, Lady Bay is also a designated nude bathing… read more »