Sydney Beaches - New South Wales
Summers spent along the coast are part of Australian life and culture. Our abiding love of the sea and the surf can be traced beyond European settlement to those first Australians, the coastal tribes who inhabited the golden beaches in sheltered coves along our coast. In fact Australia's first surf carnivals were tribal sporting events where members of numerous tribes would gather at a beach or inlet and test their skills in swimming and canoe races.
There are thousands of beautiful, golden-sand beaches stretching along the New South Wales coast - for sports lovers there's always a fish biting or surf breaking somewhere.
Beach life is part of the Sydney way of life, and sandy beaches overlooked by sandstone headlands characterise a lot of the Sydney Harbour foreshore. To the north and south of the city there are 24 beautiful beaches, many of them minutes away by bus, ferry or taxi. Within the harbour are Balmoral and Chinamans, Nielsen Park and Parsley Bay beaches.
For surfing beaches, there's world-famous Bondi Beach, home to Australia's oldest lifesaving club, established in 1906. Bondi's crescent of golden sand is flanked by Campbell Parade, a busy stretch of cafes, bars and boutiques which is especially popular with young backpacking tourists. For more peaceful beaches, head south to Bronte, Clovelly or Coogee.
On the north side, there is Manly, a seaside village with both ocean and harbour beaches. Close to Manly Wharf are a wonderful range of cafes, restaurants, boutiques, and the aquarium, Oceanworld.
Along the city's Northern Beaches Peninsula, from Sydney to Pittwater there is a string of 18 beaches where you can surf, swim, windsurf, hang-glide or sail almost all year. Palm Beach, about 30km from Sydney at the tip of the peninsula, is one of Sydney's most beautiful beaches. Sightseeing highlights include the Barrenjoey Lighthouse, Pittwater and the amazing beach houses dotted among the trees. Short ferry trips around Pittwater and Scotland Island are available from Pittwater Wharf.
There are so many quality patrolled beaches in Sydney, it would take you 2 weeks to enjoy them all. And they are all unique.
Offering quality surfing and relaxation for the residents of Sydney, these beaches from the northern beaches and south of the city are an excellent escape for holiday makers in Sydney, looking to put the city life style away for awhile.
(all photo's courtesy of Tourism NSW)
