The 20 best coastal walks in Australia

The Great Ocean Road gets all the credit, but let’s shine a little light on a breezier option than driving. Victoria’s Great Ocean Walk is a wonderful multi-day hike to soak up all the sights of the famous rugged terrain down south. The track takes you from the expansive Apollo Bay, through waterfalls, secluded beaches and historical sites, all the way to the Twelve Apostles. Accommodation options along the way match budgets from conservative right through to luxury. 

Distance: 104km

Duration: 7–8 days

Difficulty: Moderate

Love walking, discovering secret beaches and got a free day in Sydney? Hit up the Spit to Manly walk on the city's gorgeous Northern Beaches. A moderate day walk that you can choose to do as much (or as little) of as you'd like, this hike winds through green coastal rainforests, past ancient Indigenous rock carvings and onto four secret beaches – so make sure you pack your swimmers. Plus, you can reward yourself with some seriously delicious food along the way. 

Distance: 10km

Duration: 3-4 hrs

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

The South Australian Government and six local councils teamed up to create this epic walking track starting just above Adelaide and working all the way down to Sellicks Beach. It’s a two-way path so you’ll encounter many cyclists as you go along. The trail can be completed in just a day or two if you really want to, but passing through so many quaint seaside towns just begs for a detour to stay the night and explore the area. If you’ve limited your holiday to only one place, like laid-back Glenelg or the natural Moana, the track is split into many smaller walks that are only around five or six kilometres.

Distance: 70km

Duration: 2 days

Difficulty: Easy

We wouldn’t blame you if the sheer makes you want to take to the nearest cliff face and yell ‘cooee’ into the wind. Though, the only other beings that would likely hear you are the resident wombats and wallabies. Tasmania often flies under the radar for its colder climate and isolation from Australia’s mainland, but a journey down south is worth it for this walk’s astonishing sights. If you’ve opted for a bougier walkthrough of the track, Maria Island Walk will book you in for a night at the heritage-listed Bernacchi House that’s been around since convicts settled in Tassie. 

Distance: 25–48 km (depending on your tour)

Duration: 4 days

Difficulty: Easy – moderate

This short and sweet traverse of Bouddi National Park’s coastline is a perfect weekend activity when you’re craving a breath of the great outdoors. The track starts at Putty Beach and finishes at MacMasters Beach, with plenty of lookouts and picnic spots along the way. Pack your cossies for a swim, or stay on dryland for one of the Central Coast’s best locations to watch migrating whales. 

Distance: 8.5km

Duration: 4 hours

Difficulty: Moderate

It’s not the most challenging walk in Sydney, but it’s one of the most popular – and for good reason. That coastline is spectacular, from every direction, and there are almost too many scenic spots to swim. The full stretch takes you by Waverley Cemetery, where it can get windy through the suspended walkway. Find there the secluded nook that is Gordons Bay, a good place to swim and snorkel. And you’ll pass several ocean pools and local swimming spots – especially Bronte Pool, around the concreted Clovelly inlet and Coogee’s rock pools.

Distance: 6km

Duration: 2.5 hrs

Difficulty: Easy 

Esperance is one of Australia’s (let’s not be modest – the world’s) best beaches. The sand’s white hue is about as pure as it gets and the blue colour of the sparkly water is unreal. However, it takes some effort to reach this untouched paradise. While you’re popping in, make your time worthwhile with this challenging hike just 30 minutes away. The beaches you’ll pass by are just as unreal.

Distance: 20km

Duration: 2 days

Difficulty: Difficult

Considering the Whitsundays in 70 per cent national park, you’ll have no trouble finding somewhere to stretch your legs and feel the sand between your toes. One of the Whitsundays’ most popular walks is the 1.3-kilometre Hill Inlet Lookout Track, which offers panoramic views of the famous Whitehaven Beach. On the way back, follow the path leading down to the beach where you can feel the 98 per cent silica sands (meaning it's whiter and softer than pretty much anywhere in the world) between your toes. Note: the Hill Inlet Lookout Track is only reachable by boat.

Distance: 1.3km

Duration: 30 mins

Difficulty: Moderate

This whopper of a hike is a pretty bloody good way to get a taster of what South Australia’s coast has to offer. We don't blame you if you’re not feeling up to the mammoth task of traversing more than 1,000 kilometres of terrain, but why not build up to it by sampling split-up sections of the walk? Brace for forests, national parks, vineyards (hello, Barossa Valley) and historic towns. You’ll pass through the mammoth Flinders Ranges and also the gorgeous cliffs of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Distance: 1,200km

Duration: 60 days

Difficulty: Hard

K'gari is a very special place. The world's largest sand island, this astoundingly beautiful place off the Queensland coast is full of all kinds of magic. The K'gari Great Walk is a spectacular multi-day hike that you can choose to tackle in sections if overnight hiking ain't your thing. Walk along sugar white sand beaches, swim in the crystal clear lake (but not the sea, it's not the safest), and explore the green serenity of the island. Watch out for dingoes, and if you're doing it alone, make sure you're prepared.

Distance: 90km

Duration: From a half-day hike to 6-8 day treks

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Trust us: there’s more to this hippie beach town than what you saw on Byron Baes. Wake up with the sun and walk along the headland to the old-fashioned Cape Byron Lighthouse (which happens to be Australia’s most easterly point). Keep your eyes out for wallabies, dolphins and even whales, and pack your swimmers for a post-climb dip in the sparkly blue shores at Wategos Beach.

Distance: 3.7km

Duration: 1-2 hrs

Difficulty: Moderate

This coastal clifftop walk in Mornington Peninsula National Park boasts picturesque vistas over the Bass Strait. To begin, set off from the Cape Schanck car park through sandy outcrops, adjacent farmland and banksia forest. Keep an eye out for whales, chatty birds and maybe the occasional kangaroo as it makes its way across the grassy clearings. Top it off with a dip in the cool waves at the trail’s namesake beach.

Distance: 2.7km one way

Duration: 45 mins

Difficulty: Easy to medium

This short little track in Newcastle really won’t take you long to complete, so you’ve got plenty of time to stop and observe. You can pay your respects and learn a little bit about Australian history with the walk’s monument to the region’s thousands of soldiers who served in the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli during World War I. If you’d like to extend your journey, the track also forms part of the longer Bathers Way walk.

Distance: 450m

Duration: 30 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Stretch your legs on the leisurely and flat 1.2-kilometre Oceanview Track, which winds around the rocky headland, connecting Burleigh Head with Echo Beach and Tallebudgera Creek. For a bite more adventure, tackle the 2.3-kilometre Rainforest Circuit. This route rewards you with a climb to the 88-metre summit at Tumgun Lookout, where you can enjoy panoramic views stretching towards Snapper Rocks. Keep an eye out for humpback whales during winter and spring.

Distance: 1.2-2.3km

Duration: 30 mins - 1 hr

Difficulty: Easy

The ridiculously picturesque lagoon, falls and beach at Wattamolla are a pretty big drawcard, as far as Sydney Royal National Park’s natural wonders are concerned. But it also marks the start of a great stretch of the Royal Coast Track that takes you along coastal cliffs, through beautiful salt-blasted heaths and denser bush. You'll emerge at one of the park’s most striking lookouts: Eagle Rock and the neighbouring Curracurrong Falls. Look out for native wildflowers along this hike, such as the ruby-red trumpeted blooms of the prickly fuchsia heath.

Distance: 7.4km return

Duration: 3.5 hrs

Difficulty: Easy

For new and old hikers alike, the Cape to Cape is a spectacular walking odyssey that is bound to (at some point) take your breath away. You can choose to do this walk in small segments in a day-walk kinda way (there are a number of shorter, accessible paved walking tracks available), or you can go for the full week-long walking challenge. You can do this self-guided, or with a guided company, like Walk Into Luxury. You'll hike in tune with nature on this intimate and stunning walk on the rugged Western Australian coastline. Expect wild cliffs, remote beaches and sheltered woodlands, all in one. 

Distance: 123km

Duration: 1-7 days, depending on how you choose to do it

Difficulty: Moderate

The boardwalk built around the North Gorge on Straddie allows easy viewing of this natural wonder. The elevated platform lets you get close to the cliffs and see the waves being funnelled into the spectacular gorge. There are several great spots to linger and watch the waves roll in. We’ve seen turtles, rays and dolphins from here and it's a great spot to spot migrating humpback whales between June and November. Plus there’s a giant blowhole down in the rocks when the tide and waves are just right. You’ll need to get the ferry over to North Stradbroke Island either with your car or on foot (and catch a bus to Point Lookout). 

Distance: 1.2km

Duration: 30 mins

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Not only does the Tomaree Coastal Track weave you in and out of the highest viewpoints in Port Stephens, but it also gives you incredible insight into the culture of the Indigenous Worimi people. The walk traces the tracks of the native people, with cultural artworks and plaques to learn from on your journey. Depending on where you start or end the hike, you’ll come face to face with the Southern Hemisphere’s largest moving sand dunes. Spend time here revelling in their size and even opt for some sandboarding or quad-biking action to round out your hike.

Distance: 27km

Duration: 2–3 days

Difficulty: Moderate – difficult

The denser bush along most of this track makes it feel like you’ve travelled much further away from Sydney's CBD than you really have. Start the track near Taronga Zoo, and from Athol Bay to the HMAS Memorial Mast, you’ll have sweeping views over to Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the PM’s residence. From Taylors Bay round to Chowder Head you’ll be able to spot Shark Beach and a slither of Watsons Bay. Once you reach Clifton Gardens Reserve, you can sit and watch the boats go by from the little kiosk by the beach.

Distance: 4km

Duration: 1.5-2 hrs

Difficulty: Moderate