Nudey Beach
Fitzroy Island, Queensland, Australia
Nudey Beach sits on the far side of Fitzroy Island, a short ferry ride off Cairns in Queensland, Australia, and it's the kind of coral sand cove that keeps landing on best-beach-in-Australia lists. Fringing reef starts right off the sand, close enough that you can snorkel out from the shore at either tide.
The reef access right off the sand is genuinely rare for a beach this easy to reach, but it functions almost entirely as a day trip and resort destination rather than anywhere with a resident local community of its own.
How we score beachesWear reef shoes if you have them, the beach itself is coral rubble rather than soft sand, and bare feet make the walk to the water less pleasant than the photos suggest.
The island is boat access only, reached by ferry from Cairns in about 45 minutes, several times a day. From the jetty, it's roughly a 1.2 kilometer round trip walk through rainforest to reach the beach.
Queensland Parks doesn't maintain wheelchair accessible tracks in this park, and the coral rubble beach itself makes even assisted access to the water difficult.
Pets aren't allowed anywhere in Fitzroy Island National Park, including the tidal areas around it.
May through October is the dry season and also stinger free, the safer window for swimming without a full body suit. Stinger season runs roughly November through May, and while crocodiles haven't been recorded on the island itself, a stinger suit is still the standard precaution here in season.
More Australia & Oceania beaches
Agnes Water
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Turquoise Bay
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Hellfire Bay
Esperance, Western Australia, Australia · Australia & Oceania
Hellfire Bay is a sheltered, calm cove inside Cape Le Grand National Park, a short drive from Esperance on Western Australia's south coast. It's one stop on a loop that also includes Lucky Bay and Thistle Cove, all known for squeaky white sand and clear turquoise water.