#1 in Australia's Top 10 Beaches of 2025

For the first time ever, a Tasmanian beach has claimed the top spot on Beach expert Brad Farmer's (AM) Top 10 Best Australian Beaches list for 2025—and it’s none other than the breathtaking Bay of Fires.

While not just one beach, this 10-kilometre stretch of pristine coastline in the southern part of the Bay of Fires Conservation Reserve has taken the crown. This spectacular slice of Tassie is known for its vivid blue waters, dazzling white sand, and iconic burnt-orange lichen-covered boulders. Rugged, untouched, and uniquely Tasmanian, the Bay of Fires is a true coastal paradise.

Beaches don’t get much better than Tasmania’s Bay of Fires. The challenge with Tasmania’s pristine coastline, is the abundance of choice. Where to travel, where to stay, what to experience – and what’s for dinner, as food here is either from the sea or sourced from its famous paddocks of organic produce – straight to your plate. One certainty is that when you do come down to Tassie for air, there’s plenty of shoreline to discover in the natural state. In 2025,the Apple Isle makes its debut as winner of the Top 10 official Best Australian Beaches among 12,000 researched candidates.

Tasmania’s Bay of Fires is arguably the finest stretch of coast on the island and sits within the top five coastalzones in Australia for overall excellence. Selecting a single winning beach was near impossible, and so, for the first time, we are awarding not one, but a cluster of beaches over a 10km section of pure coastline. These handful of winningneighbouring beach bays are situated within the southern portion of the stunning Bay of Fires Conservation Reserve, located on the far north-east coast, Tasmania’s most easterly point of land. If stunning rocks the colour of sun-scorchedochre and pure white crystalline sand is up your alley, then the Bay of Fires is must-see. In 1773, the Bay of Fires was named by a British ship captain as he passed by and witnessed coastal heath fires set by the palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) custodians. These ancient clearing practices all formed part of a deep and ingrained respect for nature and its seasonal cycles upheld by Tasmania’s Indigenous peoples. The region is home to world renowned immersive palawaexperiences, rich with language, native food tasting and truth-telling.

The Bay of Fires is best suited for a day trip or a longer immersive beachside camping experience. Base yourself at the nearby town of St Helens, a charming coastal village just under three hours north-east of Hobart. Stay there or grab supplies to camp in an RV, tent or caravan in any of the several beachfront areas, among the drooping she-oaks and birdsong. Any of these beaches would rank among Australia’s finest. Plan ahead, check in with local park rangers, and let nature do the rest. After all, Tassie’s East Coast is a place to leave nothing but footprints and memories. Some sites have amenities, but all require BYO fresh water.

Flanked by a mountainous forested backdrop, and four magnificently pristine still water lagoons of varying sizes, this is nature at its best. The beach sand is either crystalline sugary quartz or powdery flour like silica, or a combination ofboth. The waters are dazzling blue and the scattered grand granite rocks divide each beach. It is a location made for photography or painting. Swim, paddle, fish or surf at your front door.

Visitors should be cautious of the occasional steepdrop off and, in some spots, potentially dangerous rips. There is phone service in certain areas, but the beaches are not patrolled. While the waters are also cooler, many ardent swimmers these days seem to enjoy the health and therapeuticbenefits of an invigorating dip. The wider Bay of Fires region stretches some 35kms, well north to Eddystone Point from the sweeping Taylors Beach, the most northerly accessible spot at The Gardens, which bookends the southern10kms, lower third of beaches, beginning in the south at the quaint village of Binalong Bay.

There are also some award-winning trekking groups including First Nations guided tours, who can arrange specialised walks for the more avidon-foot explorers. If Australia is down under, then Tasmania is down under, down under, and the quaint island is more budget friendly than people think. Plus - Tasmanians are perhaps the friendliest bunch of welcoming locals you’ll meeton any beach in Australia. Tasmania’s beaches are a tad saltier, served comfortably chilled, stirred but rarely shaken and the perfect mix of pure air, water and nature, all within arm’s reach. Now that’s a cocktail worth endorsing.

Written by Beach expert Brad Farmer AM