A NSW beach has been crowned the country's best 'hidden gem'
Everyone knows about Australia's "best" beaches - from popular spots like Bondi to award-winners like Wineglass Bay and Whitehaven.
But our country is also home to tens of thousands of amazing beaches whose true beauty has gone unsung, known only by locals and the occasional adventurous traveller.
The team at BoatBooker has analysed Google Maps data to uncover Australia's best-kept coastal secrets.
By searching for "secluded beaches," "hidden beaches," and "quiet beaches" and focusing on locations with fewer than 100 reviews, they identified the country's most pristine, uncrowded beach destinations that locals have been keeping to themselves.
Read through to see them all - but don't tell anyone!
16. Agnes Water, QLD
This tropical beach in north Queensland has spectacular sunrises and is the gateway to exploring the waterways and national parks of the Discovery Coast.
15. Almonta Beach, SA
A stunning stretch of blindingly white sand and crystal-clear waters, Almonta Beach is home to kangaroos and the occasional emu. It's great for swimming, picnics, and exploring rock pools.
14. Morgans Beach, SA
When you're here, you often feel like the only person in the world. Nestled below 50-metre-high cliffs, you can drive onto the sand if you have a 4WD.
13. Shell Beach, SA
This beach is part of Coffin Bay National Park and is famous for the tiny white shells that form the beach surface. There's also a campground here, so you can stay the night.
12. Blenheim Beach, NSW
Blenheim is a short beach that forms part of the famous White Sands Walk in Jervis Bay National Park. Surrounded by dense bushland it offers a much quieter alternative to its popular neighbour, Hyams Beach.
10. Main Beach Gold Coast, QLD
While no beach on the Gold Coast could technically be a 'hidden gem', this stretch of sand is praised for being less crowded than Surfers Paradise.
10. Sellicks Beach, SA
Tied at number ten is Sellicks Beach, just south of Adelaide.
It's known for its unusual geological feature of towering cliffs made up of horizontally layered rocks, a result of millions of years of sedimentary deposits.
9. Tugun Beach, QLD
Head south of Surfers Paradise for the quieter, family-friendly Tugun Beach. It's appreciated for its relaxed atmosphere compared to some of the busier Gold Coast beaches.
7. Teewah Beach, QLD
A long stretch of beach within the Noosa North Shore, the beach has impressive sand cliffs in a range of colours that stretch up to 200 metres high.
It's a popular spot for 4WD enthusiasts, fishers, campers. and paragliders.
