The Trusted Traveller

Simple & Stress-Free Travel Planning

  • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
  • Destinations
  • Travel Planning
    • Booking Your Trip
    • Getting Around Guides
    • How to Plan Your Own Trip
    • Reviews
    • Suggested Itineraries
    • Things to Do in….
    • Where to Stay
  • Travel Tips

The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches

April 21, 2018 by Jen Lyons 17 Comments

Australia is famous the world over for its excellent beaches.  With over 25,000 km’s of coastline, there’s a perfect patch of sand for everyone to enjoy. And the NSW South Coast beaches are among some of the very best in the country.

There are hundreds of beaches stretching south from Sydney to the Victorian boarder that are perfect for summer vacation activities like swimming, surfing, walking, fishing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and just simply relaxing.

So with an abundance to choose from, where do you start? Right here of course!

As always I’ve got you covered with this list of the very best NSW South Coast beaches. Each and every one I’ve picked has been tried and tested (it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it right!) so you know you can trust my recommendations. I’ve travelled the entire NSW South Coast and have deemed these 16 beaches to be the best of the best.

The list is in order from north to south and I’ve included a handy map to help you visualise where they are located.

I’d love to have your input at the end too. If you’ve got a favourite NSW South Coast beach, let me know what it is in the comments at the end of this post.

Coledale Beach, Coledale

Coledale Beach - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

My pick of the many great beaches on the coast just south of Sydney. It’s in close proximity to the Sea Cliff Bridge and doesn’t get quite as busy during peak times like nearby Austinmeer, but it’s just as good.

Read More

Exploring the Grand Pacific Drive

City Beach, Wollongong

City Beach, Wollongong - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

Wollongong has two great beaches and really I could have put both on this list but I picked City Beach because you can literally step out of the Wollongong city centre onto the beach.

Jones Beach, Kiama Downs

Jones Beach, Kiama Downs - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

Not only great for swimming and surfing in summer, Jones Beach is worth a visit any time of year to see the Cathedral Rocks at the southern end of the beach.

Werri Beach, Gerringong

Werri Beach, Gerringong - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

I love this beach to enjoy a stroll or eat takeaway fish and chips bought from the town up the hill. There’s also rock pools to explore on the southern end of the beach.

Seven Mile Beach, Shoalhaven Heads

Seven Mile Beach, Geroa - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

One of the longest continuous stretches of sand on the NSW South Coast, Seven Mile Beach stretches from the sleepy town of Geroa to the popular summer holiday town of Shoalhaven Heads.

Culburra Beach

Culbarra Beach - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

This surf beach can get some wicked swells making it excellent for surfers visiting the area. It’s also located in a neat little town that is the perfect place to spend the summer holidays, with Jervis Bay and the Shoalhaven nearby.

Cabbage Tree Beach, Jervis Bay

Cabbage Tree Beach, Jervis Bay - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

Secluded and virtually untouched, Cabbage Tree Beach is on the Beecroft Peninsula which is part of the Department of Defence Weapon Range. At certain times of the day you’ll find local kangaroos on the beach and lots of other wildlife in the surrounding bush.

Callala Beach, Jervis Bay

Callala Bay Beach, Jervis Bay - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

Calm crystal clear water perfect for kayaking or stand up paddle boarding and pristine white sand make this an excellent choice from the many great beaches in Jervis Bay.

Hyams Beach, Jervis Bay

Hyams Beach, Jervis Bay - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

This beach has been said to have some of the whitest sand in the world. Need I say more!

Murrays Beach, Jervis Bay

Murrays Beach, Jervis Bay - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

I love Murrays Beach for its incredible Jervis Bay views, crystal clear water and surrounding dense bush. It’s a 10-15 minute walk from the carpark so it’s not an obvious choice of beach for most which makes it reasonably peaceful, even in high season.

Read More

Things to Do in Jervis Bay

Mollymook Beach

Mollymook Beach - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

Even in miserable weather Mollymook impressed me for its natural beauty, crystal clear water and white long stretch of sand. It’s super popular in summer so get down there early to claim your perfect patch of sand.

McKenzies Beach, Malua Bay

McKenzies Beach, Malua Bay - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

Small, secluded and wild. It’s not the obvious choice of beach in the Batemans Bay area but I loved it for its feeling of seclusion yet ease of access.

Read More

Things to Do in Eurobodalla on the NSW South Coast

7 Eurobodalla Culinary Delights That Should Not Be Missed

Tuross Beach, Tuross Head

Tuross Beach, Tuross Head - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

The colour of the water at Tuross Head is possibly the best I saw anywhere along the NSW South Coast, so of course it has to be included in this list.

Read More

Two Week NSW South Coast Road Trip Itinerary

Surf Beach, Narooma

Surf Beach, Narooma - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

This beach has everything. It’s perfect for surfers, swimmers and families because it has excellent waves, but it also has a bit of a sandbar near the shore which protects swimmers from the biggest waves. And then at the southern end of the beach is the famous Glasshouse Rocks!

Lions Park Beach, Pambula Beach

Lions Park Beach, Pambula Beach - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

While I also loved Pambula Main Beach, the tiny beach at Lions Park at the mouth of the Pambula River captivated me as the perfect place to relax on the sand under the shade of tree with a good book.

Read More

A Magical Oyster Tour on the NSW South Coast

Pinnacles Beach, Ben Boyd National Park

Pinnacles Beach, Ben Boyd National Park - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

Crystal clear water, pristine white sand and interesting rock formations make this one of the most interesting beaches on this list. It’s great for summer time swims or year round visits to see the Pinnacles themselves.

Read More

How to Spend a Day in Ben Boyd National Park

Things to Do on the NSW Sapphire Coast

Two Week Sydney to Melbourne Road Trip Itinerary (The Coastal Route)


Looking for suggestions on where you stay when visiting the NSW South Coast? I’ve put together this list of the best self-contained NSW South Coast accommodation to help with your travel planning.


PIN THIS FOR LATER!

Culbarra Beach - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller
Pinnacles Beach, Ben Boyd National Park - The 16 Best NSW South Coast Beaches - The Trusted Traveller

Over to you!

Do you have a favourite beach on the NSW South Coast? Which would you most like to visit?

Let me know using the comments section below or join me on social media to start a conversation.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post.

Related

Filed Under: Best Of Tagged With: Australia, NSW, NSW South Coast, Oceania

Comments

  1. Barbara Radisavljevic says

    May 23, 2016 at 4:20 pm

    Those are some beautiful beaches. I’d enjoy any one of them, but if I’m choosing, I’d go for the more secluded or rocky beaches. Maybe someday.

    Reply
    • Jen Seligmann says

      May 24, 2016 at 7:22 am

      They most certainly are. Thanks for leaving a comment Barbara.

      Reply
  2. Katie Featherstone says

    June 26, 2016 at 8:46 pm

    What an amazing collection! I spent some time in Jervis Bay a couple of years ago, it was so beautiful. The white sand and turquoise water makes you feel like you’re on a tropical island. 🙂

    Reply
    • Jen Seligmann says

      June 27, 2016 at 9:14 am

      Totally agree! Thanks for stopping by Katie.

      Reply
  3. James says

    November 4, 2017 at 7:56 pm

    Very nice selection, I´m glad that you include Wollongong, I use to live there, NSW got amazing beaches and JervisBay ones are maybe the best.
    Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
    • Jen Seligmann says

      November 11, 2017 at 3:49 pm

      Thanks James. I love Wollongong too!

      Reply
  4. Ben says

    May 9, 2018 at 12:54 pm

    From your list Seven Mile Beach and Murrays Beach would haven to be our family favorite, however many there that I have not been to and need to checkout

    Reply
    • Jen Seligmann says

      May 26, 2018 at 2:15 pm

      Hope you get to see them all soon Ben.

      Reply
  5. Rob says

    June 21, 2018 at 10:56 pm

    Great site which has given me lists of options for my next road trip in Oz. You may be able to help me with a bit of a mystery: I listened to a radio account of a traveller finding a beach south of Sydney possibly in a National Park with ‘Black’ in its name – I wasn’t paying enough attention! Any ideas? Rob

    Reply
    • Jen Seligmann says

      June 23, 2018 at 11:12 am

      Thanks Rob. There is Black Beach at Kiama. Maybe that is it?

      Reply
  6. John says

    November 2, 2018 at 11:20 pm

    I like the beaches at Bawley Point and Kioloa. Great settings and views and uncrowded even in mid summer, they are my favourite.

    Reply
  7. Martin says

    December 28, 2018 at 2:19 pm

    Hi

    There is a beach somewhere near wollongong where the rocks changes colour when they are taken out of the water and there are lots of patterns on the rock. Do you know what beach this is? I remembered there might be a hotel nearby there.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Jen Seligmann says

      January 2, 2019 at 4:36 pm

      I’m not sure sorry Martin but if you find out please let me know I’d be very interested to check it out myself.

      Reply
  8. Mary says

    September 11, 2019 at 12:49 pm

    I am looking for a quiet family beach that is somewhat secluded in southern new south wales. Quiet bay beach. Preferably in a small town that is not too expensive for summer accommodation but a close drive away to a larger town (that has a GP etc). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply
    • BoB says

      August 8, 2020 at 9:48 am

      shoalhaven heads ,, 2 caravan parks and many many houses for cheap weekly rent close to beack and shopalhaven river ,
      Nice pub great food never any trouble ,
      1 hour 45 minutes from south sydney
      Well thats my pick

      Reply
  9. Bob says

    August 8, 2020 at 9:46 am

    hyams beach is not worth the effort , 2 hours to park and full of tourists leaving rubbish and dirty nappy`s on the sand , the rest of the beaches i 100% agree with ,

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Most Photogenic Beaches Around The World - The Wandering Lens - Travel Photography says:
    July 27, 2016 at 7:48 pm

    […] Jen Seligmann of The Trusted Traveller […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Join Me on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Most Recent Articles

  • 9 Best Day Trips from Melbourne
  • Things to Do in Melbourne
  • The Best Annual Events in Melbourne
  • 25 Free Things to Do in Melbourne
  • Two Week Sydney to Melbourne Road Trip Itinerary (The Coastal Route)

Book Your Trip with Me

Join Me on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer

Copyright © 2021 · Parallax Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in