26 of the best beaches of the NSW south coast in Australia
Rugged. Pristine. Uncrowded. If it is magnificent coasts you’re seeking, then these beaches of the south coast of NSW, Australia, should be high on your radar.
By Esta Pinto.
Many of the surrounding areas to these beaches were impacted by the black summer 2019-2020 bushfires, and it’s with great hope I say so much of the native bush has bounced back and seems to be thriving again. Likewise, it’s a joy to spot wildlife knowing what they’ve been through.
You’ll be spoilt for choice when deciding which south coast beach gem you want to visit. There are hundreds. Some are well-known due to Tourism Australia or because they’re well-known tourist hotspots (hello Hyam’s beach!).
Conversely, some are somewhat off the beaten track, somewhat a secret. They’re brought to you by me flailing around in a bush, swatting away flies, stumbling around rocky tracks, with muddy shoes and twigs in my hair. But I promise you, it has been worth it. Mostly.
I’ve graded their difficulty level for you in terms of how easy or hard they are to get to, so you can take it easy if you choose.
So without further ado, here is the crème de la crème of the best South Coast beaches of NSW. Grab your swimmers, some good walking shoes and perhaps some fins if you feel extra. And check out these underrated beaches, from the Shoalhaven all the way down to the Eurobodalla coast.
Before we begin, I wish to acknowledge Brinja-Yuin, Budawang, Jerrinja, Murramarang, Walbunja, Wandandian, Wodi Wodi, Yuin and Yuin-Monaro people as the traditional owners of the South Coast NSW/Yuin country and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging. I honour the uninterrupted care, protection and belonging to these islands, skies and waterways, before the invasion and colonisation of European settlement. I honour their stories, songs, art, and culture, and their aspirations for the future of their people and these lands.
Shoalhaven beaches.
Target Beach, Beecroft Peninsula.
Nestled in the beautiful Beecroft Peninsula near Currarong, Target Beach has become one of my absolute favourites along the south coast. What makes it even more special is that it's tucked away on the lesser-known side of Jervis Bay, part of the reason why it gets that incredible, almost unreal, blue colour. The best part? You won't have to deal with the crowds you'd find at Hyam's or Murray's Beach, not even close!
It takes about a 25-minute walk to access these beaches from the car park near Honeymoon Bay, which means there are always fewer people and the serenity is top-notch.
If, by some unlikely chance, Target Beach is a bit too busy for your liking, don't worry. Just shimmy your way across the rocks to the far corner, and you'll stumble upon a hidden gem called Little Target. I should mention, though, if you're not into getting a little dirty or have a fear of snakes, you might want to skip that part.
Difficulty: Medium-hard
2. Merry Beach, Kioloa.
No matter how often I see them, I still never fail to be utterly delighted when I see a kangaroo, and there’s no lack of them at Merry Beach in Kioloa. Just be sure to give them plenty of space, as they’re wild animals. It’s a family-friendly, user-friendly beach here, surrounded by scenic bushland, interesting hikes and tranquility.
Check out the Pretty Beach to Snapper walking track for some scenic coastal views, and seasonal whale watching.
Difficulty: Easy
3. White Sands Walk, Jervis Bay.
There’s a reason this stretch of coastline is infamous, maybe even overhyped. Because the colours you’ll spot at this cluster of beaches will make you think your eyeballs have turned into Instagram filters. But thankfully, they have not because these startling shades of blue are real.
You can start the walk at Plantation Point, cross Blenheim’s Beach, Greenfield’s Beach, Chinaman’s Beach and finally finish up at Hyam’s Beach before making the return journey.
Hyam’s is undoubtedly one of the most popular beaches of the south NSW beaches, so be prepared for crowds if it’s a nice day in the school holidays and on weekends in general.
To return, you can either go via the beach, or go via the Scribbly Gums track, which is a little steeper, but full of cool birds, lizards and other wildlife.
Difficulty: Easy
4. Pebbly Beach, Murramarang National Park.
These special beach-loving kangaroos that inhabit Pebbly Beach have been known to take a dip in the water if the temperature gets too hot, but I have yet to witness it. Maybe one day.
To get to this gem, the turn-off is about 10 kilometres south of Termeil. Lots of birdlife here too. Very spesh.
Difficulty: Easy
5. Cudmirrah Nature Reserve Beach/Berrara South.
Stumbling across a magical swimming pool carved into rock is really quite breathtaking, and definitely a reason why this place is one of the best beaches in the NSW south coast.
As one of the deepest rock pools found on Shoalhaven beaches, you can access this ethereal beauty via Berrara south by paddling across at low tide, or do what I did and walk a fair distance via slightly tricky terrain from Bendalong in the south.
Difficulty: Medium-hard
6. Crookhaven Beach, Culburra.
Just a good ol’-fashioned user-friendly beach with decent waves for surfing. Bring your pooch, because it’s a dog-friendly beach too, although on-and-off lead times may apply.
Check out Tilbury Cove for a cosy little nook full of nice blue water, dolphins and gentle waves.
Head to the far side of Crookhaven Heads for some cool rock pools (low tide).
Penguin Head and the Crookhaven Heads lighthouse walk is also full of good vantage points for whale-watching. Discover more about the best things to do in Culburra Beach here.
Difficulty: Easy
7. Bawley Point.
This photo was taken along the beautiful track between Murramarang beach and Racecourse beach, more specifically around the corner from Bull Pup Beach.
Check out the gorgeous Murramarang Aboriginal area walking track. You’ll see middens and other sites of great Aboriginal cultural and historical significance.
Highly recommend.
Difficulty: Easy
8. Meroo Heads at Termeil Point Beach.
This little treasure is accessible from Meroo Heads campground, but you’ll have to drive there via a dirt road, often filled with potholes, to get to the campground. Make sure you’ve got a sturdy vehicle.
From there, walk through a bit of bush to get here, but no doubt it’ll be worth it. The black summer bushfires sadly impacted this area, but the new re-growth is astounding.
Difficulty: Easy-medium
9. Steamer’s Beach, Booderee National Park.
This one is NOT a walk in the park to reach. You’ll need at least an intermediate fitness level and be able to descend and ascend a steep set of stairs to access this gem. Regardless, the reward is more than worth it. I certainly rate it as one of the best south coast walks in NSW in the Shoalhaven region.
Difficulty: Hard
10. Cunjurong Point.
Pictured here is Cunjurong, but you can’t go wrong in the whole general vicinity encapsulating Manyana, Cunjurong and Green Island. Prawns and beer optional. There’s a bonus serene lake called Berringer Lake close by too, and the marvellous Green Island is close by and accessible at low tide.
It’s hopeful and uplifting to see this area bounce back to life again after the black summer bushfires. #ManyanaMatters — we really need to take care of this special little pocket and save so many vulnerable species facing the brink of extinction.
Difficulty: Easy
11. Pretty Beach, Kioloa.
Just south of Merry Beach, near Durras Mountain, lies the aptly-named Pretty Beach.
When you walk down to the beach, you'll find some interesting rock formations on the left. There's plenty of wildlife to observe, including wallabies, kangaroos, whales, birds, and more.
Difficulty: Easy
12. Callala Beach.
Oops, ignore the person paddling around on a surfboard in a snorkel and fins in Callala Beach — and marvel at that water clarity! The lesser-hyped northern area of Jervis Bay. De rien!
Difficulty: Easy
13. Wilson’s Beach, Honeysuckle Point, Currarong.
They often say that great things come in small packages, and this saying holds true for beaches too. Take, for instance, Wilson’s Beach, Honeysuckle Point accessible from Abraham's Bosom Reserve car park. Just follow the signs guiding you to Honeysuckle Point.
A word of caution for arachnophobes: If you're not a fan, you might want to skip the walking trail to this beach during the hotter months, speaking from personal experience.
Difficulty: Easy
14. Warrain Beach, Culburra to Currarong.
Warrain Beach stretches a whopping 3.7 kilometers from Culburra to Kinghorne and right through to Currarong. What sets it apart? Well, no matter when you visit, even in the peak of summer, you'll find it refreshingly uncrowded.
Getting there is a breeze, but heads up: there are some areas where dogs aren't allowed, especially around Lake Wollumboola, where endangered shorebirds make their nests.
When that lake opens up to the ocean, it's breathtaking!
Difficulty: Easy
15. Long Beach, Beecroft Weapons Range.
A picture is worth a thousand words, so I’m just leaving this here. However, if you do want to read my ramblings on Long Beach, check out my guide to the Beecroft Weapons Range here.
Difficulty: Easy
16. Wairo Beach, Lagoon Head - Lake Tabourie.
Welcome to Wairo Beach, an expansive five-kilometre stretch in the Shoalhaven region from Lagoon Head to Lake Tabourie, with its multiple access points along the Princes Highway. It’s generally quite uncrowded and has great waves for surfing and a cool island at the end, which you can walk across to at low tide.
Difficulty: Easy
17. North Beach, Bawley Point.
Located between Willinga Point and Nuggan Point near Ulladulla, we have here North Beach in Bawey Point, yet another lovely beach that is easy to access and with nowhere near the crowds of Jervis Bay beaches.
Difficulty: Easy
18. Dolphin Beach, Dolphin Point.
The adjacent locale to Burrill Lake, Dolphin Beach at Dolphin Point is a rocky beach perfect for exploring rock pools, headland walks and surfing. The inlet itself is a quintessential Burrill Lake blue, which means what you think it means.
Difficulty: Easy
19. Honeymoon Bay, Beecroft Peninsula.
Just a small but beautiful horseshoe-ish shaped, ridiculously calm and blue bay, located in the lesser-known side of Jervis Bay National Park in the Beecroft Weapons Range. If you were wondering, there are camping sites at Honeymoon Bay, although, in busy holiday periods, you’ll need to enter a ballot system to get a spot in this tiny slice of paradise.
Difficulty: Easy
Eurobodalla beaches.
20. Meringo.
You’ll encounter panoramic views of the majestic sweeping ocean coastline down this incredible turnoff for Meringo — don’t miss it! Head down Meringo Road to get to this section.
Difficulty: Easy-medium
21. Guerilla Bay & Burrewarra Point.
This one is a doozy. The sleepy yet idyllic village of Guerilla Bay gets its name from the language of our First Nations people, 'guarella', meaning 'big rock'.
Of course, you can do all your favourite water activities here, like scuba diving and snorkelling in the exquisite turquoise blues. But what sets Guerilla Bay apart is its “big rock” island, extending 600 m off the southern Rosedale headland, pictured above.
Burrewarra Point.
What I also love about the postcode of Guerilla Bay is its headland Burrewarra Point, a ginormous headland and lush green, banksia-filled walk that reveals sweeping panoramic views of the coastline in all directions. In whale season, there’s a high probability you’ll be able to spot one or ten.
Difficulty: Easy-Hard
22. Congo.
South of Moruya, lies yet another gorgeous beach. It’s called Congo, and it’s full of good surf and peaceful vibes.
In the times we have been there, we’ve had the entire beach to ourselves.
Difficulty: Easy
23. Bingie.
An important place for the traditional custodians of the land, just further south of Meringo is another spectacle of goodness. Bingie Beach and Mulimburra Beach.
Check out the Bingi Dreaming track if you want to cram in as much of this glorious coastline as possible.
To get to some of these beaches, you’ll need a sturdy car as there are plenty of dirt road tracks to explore. You generally can’t go wrong, no matter which track you explore.
Difficulty: Easy-medium
24. Narooma.
There are plenty beaches all connected up to where this sweet little seal colony bask in the sun. Head here via Bar Rock road to check these cuties out, but don’t get too in their face, they don’t like it, and who can blame them?
You’ve got your pick of beaches around here, from Kianga’s Carter Beach slightly north, or Narooma Beach to the south.
Difficulty: Easy
25. 1080 Beach.
A beach named after a poison bait? That’s macabre AF, but okay, don’t hold it to the beach, because it’s really a nice beach. Perhaps they should consider renaming it to something in the language of our First Nations People, like they did with Beowa National Park on the Sapphire Coast.
This stretch of coast is close to Mystery Bay, which is also a really nice place to explore if you have the luxury of being able to do a bit of reconnaissance. It’s more dirt road to get here, but once you’re at the car park, it’s a simple set of stairs to access the beach.
Difficulty: Easy
26. Potato Beach and Jemisons Beach, Potato Point.
Now a beach named after the humble potato? I can support that. Packed to the rafters with wildlife, this special corner of the world holds a permanent spot in my heart.
Further north, you’ll find Picaninny Beach, part of an unspoilt section of Eurobodalla National Park, across the inlet from Tuross Heads.
Difficulty: Easy
With these 26 underrated and lesser-known best beaches on the Shoalhaven and the Eurobodalla coast that I’ve shared, get ready to plan a fun new adventure. Remember, they’re just a few out of hundreds. Either way, you’ll have the best adventures finding your own hidden gems. Part of the fun is getting lost, so embrace the unknown, the pothole-riddled dirt roads, the wild native bush and the marvels we’re so lucky to have here on the NSW south coast of Australia.
If you’re seeking more walking adventures, check out some of the best walks on the NSW south coast here.