‘The most important part is the vibe’: Bate Bay named Australia’s best beach | Australia news
Bate Bay in the Shire of Sutherland has been named Australia’s Best Beach for 2026. The annual list selects the country’s top 10 beaches, aiming to showcase Australia’s beauty nationally and internationally.
Tourism Australia Beaches Ambassador Brad Parker, who compiled the list, described the coastline south of Sydney Airport as “Sydney’s longest, least populated and most beautiful stretch of sand”.
After having covered 12,500 beaches, Parker has created a 130-point benchmark against which he judges beaches.
“Hand on heart I can say Bate Bay is the most qualified beach, it checked just about every box,” Parker said.
Parker said he considered a range of factors to determine what made Australia’s best beach, such as aesthetics, natural integrity, facilities, access and parking.
“Just like at the Chateau, the most important part is the ambiance. It sounds cliché, but having a friendly, welcoming atmosphere is one of the most important factors when analyzing it,” Parker said.
Sutherland County Mayor Jack Boyd said the study recognized “what locals have known for a long time” and he hoped it would attract more tourism to the county.
“This tremendous honor highlights the natural beauty of our coastline, easy access to local public transportation, surf culture, vibrant lifestyle and strong community connections,” Boyd said.
NSW Tourism Minister Steve Kamper hopes the award will boost international and national visitation and awareness.
“Well, there you go, sorry Australia, when it comes to the best beach in town, NSW is by far the winner. Whether it’s the South Coast, the North Coast, the Central Coast or a good old Sydney beach, there’s no better place in Australia to enjoy a swim than NSW,” Kamper said.
Situated in the Gweagal country of the Dharawal nation, many of the county’s coastal beaches have Aboriginal names such as Gunnamatta, Wanda, Elouera and Cronulla.
Bate Bay stretches 4.8 km and is directly under the flight path of passengers arriving in Sydney.
Greenhills Beach forms 3.3 km from Bate Bay. It was one of the backdrops for the Australian coming-of-age drama Puberty Blues.
The bay also has important links to colonization as the first recorded interaction between Aboriginal Australians and European colonizers took place there in 1770.
Through the annual list, Parker hoped to highlight the importance of beaches in Australia and called for a national framework for coastal protection.
“The beach is one of Australia’s greatest revenue generators and one of the greatest sources of enjoyment, but no minister is protecting the resource Australians consider most precious,” he said.
Parker also wanted the list to highlight the wellbeing benefits of the beach and urged Australians to take more ownership of their patch of sand. “We have to be careful not to spoil the situation for the next generation,” he said.
