For a place called Misery, it's a little slice of paradise.
Little-known Misery Beach, 20 kilometres south of Albany on Western Australia's south coast, has been named the best beach in the country by Tourism Australia.
It beat beauty spots including Alexandria Bay on Queensland's Sunshine Coast and The Neck in Tasmania to take the top spot for 2022.
Tourism Australia's beach ambassador, Brad Farmer, said Misery Beach was world-class.
"It is a stunning beach," he said.
"It just ticks all the boxes of what the typical beachgoer is looking for — uncrowded, crystal-white sand, turquoise waters and a very dramatic granite backdrop.
"Albany is a fascinating place to go exploring for other beautiful beaches in that south-west region."
Bloody history behind name
Mr Farmer said the story of how Misery Beach got its name was one of the compelling reasons for the accolade.
A major whaling station operated just two beaches away until 1978.
Whale offal would wash ashore, staining the white sand and clear waters blood red.
Menang elder Vernice Gilles said during her childhood the beach was not good for swimming due to the whale blood and fat in the water.
"They would dump all the whales' teeth," Ms Gilles said.
Ms Gilles said Misery Beach was historically good for spearing fish and camping.
"When the old warriors were hunting they would drive the kangaroos towards the beach and into the ocean where they could spear and catch them, so that was an important area," she said.
Beachgoers bored with obvious choices
The Tourism Australia list has not been without controversy over the years.
In 2020 it ranked inland Wagga Beach – 270 kilometres from the New South Wales coast – at in ninth spot.
Mr Farmer said many of Australia's famous beaches were "fatigued and overexposed".
"I'm really looking at the nooks and crannies and the stories and the communities that make a 'best beach'," he said.
"People are looking for quirky and out-of-the-box beaches."
Western Australia's hard border had increased interest in the state's beaches, Mr Farmer said.
"The longer you lock us out the more we want to come," he said.
"There's a lot of cabin fever and a lot of envy.
While Misery Beach has been relatively unknown nationally until now, Albany's Brad Mostert said he had long been a fan.
"The colour of the beach, the sand and everything — it ticks all the boxes," he said.
"There's not much more you could ask for."
Fellow beachgoer and Canadian tourist Cat Wyszomirski agreed.
"(It's) unlike any other beach I've seen," she said.
"It's amazing."
