If you needed any more proof that Western Australia has the best beaches on the planet, Tourism Australia’s 2026 Best Australian Beaches study has just delivered it in convincing fashion. While the east coast may have claimed the top spot on the official national rankings, WA put two beaches in the top five, and frankly, anyone who has stood at the water’s edge at Pinky Beach or Hellfire Bay knows the judges had a difficult task keeping them off the podium…or were we robbed?
The annual study, curated by veteran beach expert and Tourism Australia Beach Ambassador Brad Farmer AM, evaluates beaches across Australia’s mainland and surrounding islands against a rigorous 130-point criteria covering everything from natural beauty and water quality to environmental condition and cultural significance. Every state and territory earns a place on the list, and the 2026 results are as diverse as the country itself.
Here is the full picture, with WA’s results front and centre where they belong.
Western Australia’s Result: Two Top Five Beaches
Western Australia secured two of the five strongest results in the entire national study, with Pinky Beach on Rottnest Island taking second place and Hellfire Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park finishing fifth. For a state whose coastline stretches more than 20,000 kilometres, landing two beaches in the national top five is a statement. It is also entirely unsurprising to anyone who has grown up here.
Brad Farmer AM singled out both WA entries as part of a broader trend in this year’s list toward what he describes as slow-travel destinations. “Whether it’s the remote allure of Beachcomber Cove or Hellfire Bay, these beaches offer a ‘slow-travel’ experience. They are places where you can still hear the wind and the waves rather than the crowds, providing a deep, authentic connection to the land and sea, with many First Nations stories.”
2nd Place – Pinky Beach, Western Australia
Pinky Beach on Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) needs little introduction to Western Australians, but its national ranking as the second best beach in Australia for 2026 is a well-deserved formal recognition of what locals have always known.
The beach sits just one kilometre from the main settlement ferry jetty, framed at its eastern end by the striking 1900-built Bathurst Lighthouse, with the Perth skyline visible across the water on clear days. The sand is brilliantly white, though it takes on a warm pink hue in low afternoon light, particularly around sunset. The bay is boat-free, gently shelving, and sheltered from the prevailing south and west winds, making it one of the most reliably comfortable beaches on the island year-round.
An undulating coral reef close to shore provides excellent beginner snorkelling, with purple, pink, and brown coral formations hosting large schools of fish, Western Buffalo Bream, wrasse, sea turtles, octopus, and stingrays. Rottnest’s waters support more than 400 fish species, carried south by the Leeuwin Current which keeps water temperatures roughly 4°C warmer than mainland WA at equivalent latitudes.
Getting there: Three ferry operators run regular services from Perth and surrounds. Rottnest Express and SeaLink depart from Fremantle (25–30 minutes) and Barrack Street Jetty in Perth (approximately 90 minutes). Rottnest Fast Ferries departs from Hillarys Boat Harbour (45 minutes) with the advantage of free parking. Adult return fares range from approximately $65 to $130 depending on departure point, season, and operator.
Book well in advance for school holidays and summer weekends.
Best time to visit: Autumn (March–May) is the sweet spot, offering warm water without peak crowds. Spring (September–November) brings whale sightings and quokka joeys. Summer delivers the warmest water at around 23°C but also peak pricing and large crowds.
Where to stay: Discovery Resorts sits a four-minute walk from the beach with eco-tents and the popular Pinky’s Beach Club restaurant, from around $277 per night. Samphire Rottnest is the island’s boutique hotel option from approximately $170 per night. Stay Rottnest’s self-contained heritage cottages and budget campground represent the most affordable options, with off-peak rates from around $96 per night.
Booking opens nine months in advance and sells out quickly.
Getting around: Cycling is the primary mode of transport as Rottnest Island is car-free. Bike hire from Pedal & Flipper costs $33 per day for adults, with e-bikes available at $80 per day. The hop-on-hop-off Quokka Coaches bus service costs approximately $30 per day.
Cultural note: Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) holds profound significance for the Whadjuk Noongar people. The island’s Whadjuk name translates as “the place across the water where the spirits are,” and the island served as a transit point for spirits in Noongar belief long before European contact. Its colonial history as a prison site for nearly 4,000 Aboriginal men and boys from across WA between 1838 and 1931 means any visit is enriched by engaging with this history. Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours offers guided walks covering the island’s cultural significance, Dreamtime stories, and Noongar language.
Read our Rottnest guide here.
5th Place – Hellfire Bay, Western Australia
If Pinky Beach represents the accessible, sun-drenched face of WA beach culture, Hellfire Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park represents something altogether more elemental. It is a beach that earns its place on your bucket list not through ease of access but through sheer, breathtaking drama.
Nestled between massive sea-swept granite headlands roughly 60 kilometres southeast of Esperance, Hellfire Bay delivers the same brilliant white silica sand and extraordinary water clarity as its WA counterpart on Rottnest, but surrounds it with ancient granite formations, Recherche Archipelago island silhouettes on the horizon, and a silence that reminds you of just how big this state really is.
The name reportedly derives from St Elmo’s fire, the electrical discharge occasionally observed above ship masts in storm conditions. On calm days the bay is sheltered and safe for swimming and snorkelling around the headlands. On windier days the Southern Ocean makes its presence felt emphatically, and the beach is completely unpatrolled. Read conditions carefully before entering the water. For a calmer option on rougher days, Little Hellfire Bay lies 1.8 kilometres through scrubland from the car park and offers additional shelter.
Getting there: Cape Le Grand Road from Esperance is sealed to the park entrance, and the road to Hellfire Bay’s car park is accessible by standard 2WD vehicles. No four-wheel drive is required to reach the beach. The park sits 720 kilometres southeast of Perth, approximately 7–8 hours by road. Rex Airlines operates direct daily flights from Perth to Esperance (around 1 hour 35 minutes) with fares from approximately $109 one way (expect an average of $250-350 during peak times and non-sale periods). National park entry costs $17 per vehicle per day.
Best time to visit: October through April. Spring combines the park’s celebrated wildflower season with beach conditions. Summer delivers the warmest weather though the Southern Ocean remains bracing at around 20°C. Autumn offers mild conditions with noticeably fewer visitors.
What else is nearby: Lucky Bay, a short drive within the park, is famous for kangaroos sun-baking on its white sand and is regarded as Australia’s whitest beach. Frenchman Peak (Mandooboornup) offers a challenging but spectacular 3 kilometre return hike to a cave that fills with sunrise light. Thistle Cove and Le Grand Beach are both within the park and worth adding to any itinerary.
Where to stay: Esperance township provides the full range of accommodation from around $130 per night for motel rooms to self-contained apartments from $150 per night. The RAC Esperance Holiday Park is a consistently recommended option. Within the park, Lucky Bay and Le Grand Beach campgrounds offer unpowered sites at $20 per adult per night.
Bookings are essential via ParkStay (parkstay.dbca.wa.gov.au) and open 180 days before arrival. Summer bookings sell out quickly.
Come prepared: There is no drinking water, food, or mobile phone coverage within the park. Bring everything you need from Esperance, carry a Personal Locator Beacon for hikes, and check DBCA alerts for road closures before travelling.
Cultural note: Cape Le Grand sits on the traditional lands of the Wudjari people (Wudjari Nyungar), whose presence here dates back at least 13,500 years. Esperance carries the Wudjari name Kepa Kurl, meaning “where the waters lay like a boomerang.” Dabungool Cultural Experiences, founded by Wudjari Nyungar woman Annie Dabb, is the only 100% Aboriginal-owned tour operation in Esperance and offers guided walks covering six Noongar seasons, bush tucker, and Wudjari cultural history. Some operators offer a Dabungool experience specifically at Hellfire Bay.
The Full National Top 10: Where WA Stands
For the full picture, here are all ten beaches in the 2026 national study. Western Australia’s two entries are highlighted.
| Rank | Beach | State / Territory |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bate Bay Beaches | New South Wales |
| 2 | Pinky Beach | Western Australia |
| 3 | Beachcomber Cove | Queensland |
| 4 | Tallow Beach | New South Wales |
| 5 | Hellfire Bay | Western Australia |
| 6 | Godfreys Beach, The Nut | Tasmania |
| 7 | Inskip Point | Queensland |
| 8 | Mount Martha | Victoria |
| 9 | Smoky Bay | South Australia |
| 10 | Ellery Creek Big Hole | Northern Territory |
New South Wales took the top spot with Bate Bay Beaches, a collection of nine beaches in Sydney’s south that Farmer describes as “quite simply, stunning” with a 4.8 kilometre stretch of undeveloped sand accessible by train from the city centre. NSW also placed Tallow Beach near Byron Bay in fourth. Two east coast results in the top four is a strong showing, but it is worth noting that a WA beach finished higher than any Queensland, Victorian, South Australian, Tasmanian, or Northern Territory entry.
Read more about Bate Bay Beaches and the full national rankings at Road Trip Reviews here.
What Makes This Year’s Study Different
The 2026 list is more than a beauty contest. Farmer’s annual study carries a consistent message about coastal conservation and the importance of encouraging travellers to look beyond overcrowded hotspots. The 130-point evaluation system assesses beaches on a comprehensive range of factors including water quality, natural condition, accessibility, safety, and cultural significance.
Both WA entries sit firmly in Farmer’s “slow-travel” category, a deliberate designation for beaches that reward patience and preparation rather than convenience. “These are places where you can still hear the wind and the waves rather than the crowds,” Farmer notes. For Western Australians who already know these places intimately, that description will resonate immediately.
Tourism Australia Managing Director Robin Mack reinforced the value of the study in directing visitors beyond capital cities. “From the stunning sands of Bate Bay in NSW and Pinky Beach in WA to the iconic backdrop of The Nut in Tasmania and Ellery Creek Big Hole in the NT, these locations encourage both Australians and international visitors to explore more of Australia beyond the traditional hotspots.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Western Australia placed two beaches in the national top five for 2026. Pinky Beach on Rottnest Island ranked second in Australia, and Hellfire Bay in Cape Le Grand National Park ranked fifth.
Yes. Three ferry operators run regular services from Fremantle (25–30 minutes), Perth’s Barrack Street Jetty (approximately 90 minutes), and Hillarys Boat Harbour (45 minutes). Pinky Beach is a ten-minute walk from the main settlement and ferry jetty.
No. The road to Hellfire Bay’s car park within Cape Le Grand National Park is accessible by standard 2WD vehicles. Four-wheel-drive is only needed for beach driving at Lucky Bay or accessing more remote tracks within the park.
October through April offers the best combination of weather and conditions. Spring is excellent for combining the visit with wildflower season. Autumn offers mild temperatures and fewer visitors. Campsite bookings open 180 days before arrival via ParkStay and sell out quickly for summer dates.
WA was the only state to place two beaches in the top five for 2026. No other state or territory outside NSW matched WA’s combined ranking position, with both entries landing ahead of Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory.
Start Planning Your WA Beach Trip
Western Australia does not just have great beaches. It has beaches that make you question whether you ever need to leave. The 2026 national rankings confirm what WA residents have long taken for granted, and they provide an ideal framework for planning your next coastal escape whether you are hopping on the Rottnest ferry this weekend or planning a proper Esperance road trip for later in the year.
Bookmark this page as your starting point. We are building out individual destination guides for both Pinky Beach and Hellfire Bay throughout 2026, covering everything you need to plan your visit in detail.
Two beaches. Two top five finishes. One state that clearly knows how to do coastline.