The ultimate guide to Tasmania's best beaches

For patrolled experiences

Ned Reardon grew up learning beach safety at Nippers at Clifton Beach, a favourite Tasmanian surf beach. He’s now the Senior Life Saving Services Coordinator at Surf Life Saving Tasmania and wants to see that all Tasmanians enjoying our beautiful beaches over summer get home safely at the end of the day.

Ned recommends swimming between the flags at patrolled beaches where possible, although there are only 14 patrolled beaches in Tasmania. Ned says there are extra things people can do to stay safe.

“Look for things like hazards, safety signs, where the nearest patrolled beach is and check the weather conditions. Also visit the Surf Life Saving Beachsafe app to see where the closest patrolled beach is. Stay alive by never swimming alone. Always swim between the red and yellow flags at a patrolled beach, avoid drugs and alcohol around the water and importantly, supervise children in all aquatic environments.”

Ned’s current pick of the patrolled beaches in Tasmania is at Bicheno on the East Coast: “Waubs Beach, which is patrolled by Bicheno Surf Life Saving Club is my favourite. The coastal environment around there is lovely. The colour of the water, the small community – it’s just a great area on the East Coast.”

For family-friendly beaches

Sisters Beach and neighbouring Boat Harbour Beach, nestled within the Rocky Cape National Park in north west Tasmania, are well worth a visit, says resident and local cafe owner, Sarah Myers. Sarah has owned Seekers Cafe, in the local surf club’s building, for almost five years.

“It’s just one of those beaches that, once you see it, you just can’t believe that it’s there,” she says. “It’s like a hidden little gem tucked away at the bottom of this hill with squeaky white sand and turquoise-blue waters,” she says.

“Most days it is nice and calm and perfectly flat, and then you have other days where there’s swell and surfers down there.”

Sarah says Boat Harbour and Sisters beaches are both very popular with families.

“My kids grew up here, and they spent their days at the kiosk, swimming and climbing the rocks. There are a lot of Airbnbs here these days, so everybody comes for Easter and Christmas, and it’s absolutely packed.”

Down south, families flock to the calm waves of Bellerive Beach, on Hobart’s eastern shore, and Long Beach, just across the Derwent at Sandy Bay. They both have great fenced playgrounds with options for various ages and stages, shady grassed areas, toilets, relatively safe swimming spots, easy parking and shops nearby. Kingston Beach is also popular with families.       

For camping by the beach

Richardsons Beach at Freycinet National Park is a hit with families for many reasons: flat, sandy sites are within easy reach of the long stretch of a calm kid-friendly beach, the facilities are great and you’re on the doorstep of one of our most iconic walks to the Wineglass Bay Lookout. And because it’s a national park, camping is as cheap as chips at around $16 per night (plus the cost of a Parks Pass). Nearby Friendly Beaches campsite reopened this year with restored facilities after ​a bushfire swept through in September 2023, too. If camping isn’t your style, check out Freycinet Lodge.

You can also camp by the beach at Fortescue Bay (with easy access to the Cape Hauy day walk which is part of the popular Three Capes Track) and Bay of Fires Conservation Area (check the website for facilities as some campsites are very basic). Way down south, Cockle Creek is a stunning camping spot with access to beaches and a lagoon. 

In the north, Narawntapu National Park, rich in Aboriginal history, is a wild and beautiful spot to camp where you might get to see Forester kangaroos. Feel like a swim? Be careful – the beach is not patrolled. Be extra cautious at Badgers Beach, where rips and undertows are common, and around the rocks at Griffiths Point and in the Port Sorell estuary. Bruny Island, Maria Island and Flinders Island are all great options for beachside camping in Tasmania too.

Then there are our non-national park options, many of which offer a bit more when it comes to facilities (hot showers, anyone?). Bridport Caravan Park is a standout for its incredible position along a string of stunning white-sand beaches with classic orange lichen. There’s a lovely cycle path to further beaches or into the small town that offers basic groceries, fish and chips and even SUPyoga (yoga on stand-up paddleboards).

For beaches with the best views

Sarah Myers reckons Boat Harbour Beach has one of the best views in Tasmania. “Looking back at the beach is amazing because it’s surrounded by hills, and then looking out to the ocean, you can see Table Cape and Wynyard, which is a beautiful view,” she says.

“But my personal favourite is the first drive down into Boat Harbour. It’s a windy, tree-lined road, and when you first get that look of the blue water, it’s amazing.”

It’s pretty hard to find a beach in Tasmania without a wonderful view. Climb up a few hundred steps to the Truganini Lookout at Bruny Island’s The Neck, and you’re rewarded with 360-degree views of the north and south islands of Bruny and across the D'Entrecasteaux Channel. Or try the new and improved Single Hill Track above Seven Mile Beach, part of a longer walk along the coastline. At Kingston Beach’s dog-friendly end you can also do as much or as little of the Alum Cliffs Track as you like – you’ll get beautiful views almost immediately, or you can continue all the way to Taroona’s Shot Tower.

For accessible beaches

While accessibility continues to be a work in progress for many holiday areas in Tasmania, Bicheno’s Surf Life Saving Club at Waubs Beach has a beach wheelchair available for loan. There is also accessible parking, beach matting and facilities nearby including outdoor hot showers. Bicheno East Coast Holiday Park has accessible rooms, so you can make a stay of it.

Beach wheelchairs are also available for use from the Surf Life Saving Clubs at the following beaches: Ulverstone, Port Sorell, Kingston Beach, Bridport, Somerset, Carlton Park, Burnie, Devonport, and from the Surf Life Saving Tasmania State Centre in Mornington.           

Other accessible beaches in Tasmania include the family-friendly Bellerive Beach and Long Beach.