A secluded stretch of Kangaroo Island coastline has beaten back shorelines around the nation to claim the title of the country's best beach.
Stokes Bay on the South Australian island's north coast has been recognised by Tourism Australia for its "family friendly" features and suitability for wading and snorkelling, claiming the Best Australian Beach award for 2023.
Its commendation comes as further proof of the island's rejuvenation, almost exactly three years after it was engulfed by devastating bushfires.
Boomerang Beach in New South Wales and Queensland's Rainbow Coast rounded out the top three, but beaches from all states and the Northern Territory featured in the top 10.
The territory was represented by the pristine Baringura, or Little Bondi Beach — less renowned but just as charming as its Sydney namesake — say the award's organisers.
Conservationist and Tourism Australia ambassador Brad Farmer — who curates the awards — said it was the first time the accolade had gone to a South Australian beach.
"South Australia's been the bridesmaid — it's underrated and it's overlooked so often," he told ABC Radio Adelaide's Deb Tribe.
"The New York Times last week called Kangaroo Island the seventh-best place to visit in the world, and the 'zoo without fences', so it's got a lot more to offer."
While Mr Farmer joked that the task of visiting beaches to assess their merits was "a tough job [but] someone's got to do it", Tourism Australia said the awards reflected a range of attributes.
Managing director Phillipa Harrison said the task of reducing Australia's thousands of kilometres of coastline to less than a dozen top spots was not necessarily an enviable one.
"With about 12,000 beaches to explore across our country, including many of the best in the world, it is not easy to name a top 10," she said.
Top 10 beaches |
Region |
|---|---|
1. Stokes Bay |
SA, Kangaroo Island |
2. Boomerang Beach |
NSW, Mid North Coast |
3. Rainbow Beach |
Queensland, Cooloola Coast |
4. Apollo Bay |
Victoria, Great Ocean Road |
5. Adventure Bay |
Tasmania, Bruny Island |
6. Hamelin Bay |
WA, South-West |
7. Little Bondi Beach |
NT, East Arnhem Land |
8. British Admiral Beach |
Tasmania, King Island, Bass Strait |
9. Flying Fish Cove |
Christmas Island |
10. Balmoral Beach |
NSW, Sydney Harbour |
Kangaroo Island mayor Michael Pengilly said that, while Stokes Bay was not the easiest beach to access, tourists who made the effort were rewarded.
"Stokes is special … you've got to go through a rock tunnel to get to the beach, it's a stunning little beach," he said.
"The natural rock pool there is fantastic for children and you've got the high-energy beach further down, which is for more advanced swimmers.
"When you get great publicity like this, it's hard to say what it'll do."
Kangaroo Island tour operator Craig Wickham said it was reassuring to see interest in the island continue to bounce back after the 2019-20 bushfire crisis, but said the honour was already stoking healthy rivalry among locals.
"We cater mainly for interstate and international visitors and they love Stokes Bay," he said.
"It's fantastic that there's interest in our coastline, and I love the fact that so many people are chiming in, [however, the locals are asking,] 'But what about our beach? What about our beach?'.
"That is the best thing — if we can get more people loving their local area and looking after it, that's going to be a great thing for locals and our visitors alike."
