Image credit: J.F. RED
Australia is the largest island in the world and unsurprisingly it has a plethora of beaches. There are an estimated 10,000. That is, if you visited a different one every day, it would take more than 27 years! Do you want to know which are the most unusual or curious beaches in the land of Oz?
Shell Beach, the beach without sand
Considered one of the most unusual beaches in the world. This Australian beach is located in Shark Bay. Its peculiarity? Its surface is covered with small shells instead of sand! More than 60 km of coastline covered by thousands and thousands of shells. This is due to the high salinity of the terrain, which makes it a suitable habitat for the marine conch called Cardiid. It is recommended to visit it at dusk, when the light of the sunset reflects on the shells, offering us a unique landscape (do not forget to take sunglasses).
Barfleur Beach, the brightest
Less than 3 hours from Sydney, is Jervis Bay, where are the beaches with the whitest sand in the world. In addition, this place has been a center of interest due to a curious natural nocturnal phenomenon: bioluminescence. This is caused by algae that emit light as a defense mechanism. This phenomenon dyes the seashore an iridescent blue. Other places where bioluminescence can be observed in Australia are: Lauderdale, Rocky Cape, Lauceston (Tasmania) or in the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria. It is spectacular!
Cape Hillsborough Beach, sunrise with kangaroos
This beach is located within the national park that bears the same name, on the central coast of Queensland. Its infinite beach of fine sand and tan color is frequented by friendly kangaroos and wallabies at sunrise. Of course, don’t even think about taking a bath. In addition to kangaroos, it is infected with jellyfish and crocodiles.
Hyams, the whitest
This beach holds the Guinness Record for having the whitest sand in the world. Its color is due to the fact that its largest component is the magnesium granite that emerges from corals. When you walk on it there is a noise very similar to walking through the snow.
Cable Beach, like a mirage
Located in Western Australia, this white sand beach and turquoise waters is also considered one of the most beautiful. However, the most curious thing is one of the activities that can be done in it: camel rides at sunset. Doesn’t it give you the feeling of seeing a mirage in the desert? Attention, Cable Beach is also one of the most famous nude beaches in Australia!
James Price Point, the wildest
This cape is in the same region as Cable Beach. This area is said to contain the largest collection of dinosaur footprints in the world that are between 127 and 140 million years old. Its reddish rock terrain makes it one of the wildest beaches in Australia.
Whitehaven Beach, the crème de la crème
It is on Hamilton Island, so you will have to access by sea or air. It is considered the most beautiful beach in the world. Its sand is also one of the whitest and finest, since it is composed of 98% silica, a component that does not retain heat. In this way, you can walk calmly at any time of the day without burning yourself. To make matters worse, it is rated as the most ecological and cleanest beach in the world.