Drumroll, please! Tourism Australia’s annual Best Australian Beaches list for 2023 has been revealed, and Victoria’s very own Apollo Bay has come in at an impressive fourth spot – not bad for a quiet coastal town along the Great Ocean Road.
Coming in at first place was Stokes Bay on Kangaroo Island (the first time a South Australian beach has taken out the title), which beat out almost 12,000 Aussie beaches to nab the gold medal position. Boomerang Beach in New South Wales landed in the second position, followed by Queensland’s Rainbow Beach in third.
And rounding out the rest of the top ten (behind Apollo Bay in fourth, that is) was Adventure Bay in Tasmania, Hamelin Bay in Western Australia, Little Bondi Beach in the Northern Territory, British Admiral Beach in Tasmania, Flying Fish Cove on Christmas Island and Balmoral Beach in New South Wales.
The list was determined by Brad Farmer AM – a conservationist and advocate for the protection of coastlines – who travelled to beaches right across the country (talk about a dream job). And what were his expertly curated criteria, we hear you ask? According to Farmer, it was all about the vibe.
“I go to the beach, get to have a swim, talk to the locals and I get a feel for them. I’m much more immersive, and I guess a bit emotionally invested in it,” said Farmer. “Very much the [criterion] is, what kind of community are you going to experience when you get there?”
Now considering we Victorians rank ourselves pretty highly when it comes to having the best restaurants, bars and blockbuster musical productions in the country, it’s nice to also be able to lay claim to one of the best beaches. Prepare to hear us bragging about it for months.