Things to do

Beach Lifestyle

Secret beaches in Sydney

Milk Beach in Vaucluse. Image Andrew Gregory

Must do

Shelly Beach in Manly, Image Andrew Gregory

Highlights

Sydney’s secret beaches

Quiet secluded beaches sprinkled around the harbour and along the coast are the perfect spots to escape city life. Pack a picnic, sunscreen, a hat and water and head off to find your own secret beach hideaway in Sydney. Many are accessible by ferry.

Sydney’s best hidden beaches

Resolute Beach at Ku-ring-gai National Park. Image Andrew Gregory

Sydney’s most popular beaches can get busy in summer, so why not find your own secret beach? With so many beaches in Sydney, it’s still easy to find a beautiful sandy spot that’s close to the city.

At Milk Beach in Vaucluse, you’ll enjoy city views and complete serenity. Located behind historic Strickland House in the eastern suburbs, it’s just a short, scenic bushwalk from Milk Beach to Neilsen Park.

Take a short stroll along Manly’s coastal walk and you’ll find Shelly Beach. This sheltered north-facing cove is ideal for rock climbing, paddling and snorkeling. Hire a kayak from Manly Corso to reach Store Beach, at Manly’s North Head, as you can only get there by water. Perfect for a romantic picnic and spotting Manly's little penguin colony.

Further afield is Jibbon Beach in the Royal National Park where you can go scuba diving and snorkeling to spot seahorses. Travelling by boat is the easiest way to get to Resolute Beach, West Head north of Sydney. Alternatively, take the downhill track through Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park. Visit Point Piper and pretend you live on Sydney’s ritziest peninsula. Enjoy the serenity of Lady Martins Beach nestled in Felix Bay, you’ll find it down a narrow lane beside Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club.

Combine bushwalks and beach hideaways

North Head Lookout at Manly, Image Hamilton Lund

A summer bushwalk wouldn’t be complete without a cooling dip in the ocean or harbour, so make sure you pack your swimmers if you take the Rose Bay to Watsons Bay walk, or the Manly Scenic Walkway. You’ll find many secret beaches along the way, including Washaway Beach and Reef Beach, as well as others along the shore just north of Dobroyd Head

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This 250 metre stretch of sand is at the northern perimeter of Mosman, one of Sydney’s most genteel residential enclaves. Chinaman’s Beach...
www.mosman.nsw.gov.au/mos

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Newport Beach Sydney North, Sydney, Northern Beaches
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www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/

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Collaroy Beach Sydney North, Sydney, Northern Beaches
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www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/

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Neilsen Park Sydney East, Sydney, Surrounds
Neilsen Park is part of Sydney Harbour National Park with outstanding views of the harbour. It has the right mix of open space and shady reserves, as ...
www.nationalparks.nsw.gov

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Avalon Beach Sydney North, Sydney, Northern Beaches
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www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/

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Milk Beach Sydney East, Sydney, Surrounds
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www.woollahra.nsw.gov.au

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Freshwater Beach Sydney North, Sydney, Manly
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www.warringah.nsw.gov.au/

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Manly Beach Sydney North, Sydney, Manly
In company with Bondi, Manly Beach is Sydney’s most iconic strip of sand, named by the State’s first governor Arthur Phillip in 1788 for t...
www.manlyaustralia.com.au

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Bondi Beach Sydney East, Sydney, Bondi
Bondi Beach is Australia's most famous beach. Bondi's mixture of lifestyles would suit most visitors, whether you're drawn to the fashi...
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Balmoral Beach Sydney North, Sydney, Mosman
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