A popular Gold Coast beach has been ranked among one of the best in Australia.
The Spit came in at number three on Tourism Australia’s list of the finest stretches of sand in the country.
The list was compiled by beach expert Brad Farmer from more than 12,000 beaches in Australia.
Farmer described The Spit as a “national treasure to be preserved for future generations.”
“Away from the intensely developed concreted city spine, here soft walking trails through low vegetation lead to a frequently uncrowded, four km stretch of beach, backing onto the tranquil Broadwater, on its immediate western shoreline,” Farmer said.
“The Spit is reserved for quiet bushwalks or surfside reflections – with less crowded surfing conditions than the more iconic National Surfing Reserve pointbreaks to the south.
“The Seaway Promenade at the Top of The Spit provides a wide, 670 m long accessible pathway, enabling visitors to reach the eastern end of the southern Seaway wall with its spectacular views of the Gold Coast skyline.
“Whether it’s walking your dog, getting wet or launching your boat in the Broadwater, The Spit really has something for everyone.”
Taking out the top gong for 2022 was Western Australia’s Misery Beach in the Torndirrup National Park near Albany.
Horseshoe Bay at South West Rocks on the New South Wales mid-north coast came in second.
Other Queensland beaches to feature in the top 20 include Blue Pearl Bay on Hayman Island, Alexandria Bay in Noosa and Lake Wabby on K’gari (Fraser Island).
Australia’s Best Beaches 2022
- Misery Beach, W.A
- Horseshoe Bay, NSW
- The Spit, QLD
- Flaherty’s Beach, S.A
- Loch Ard Gorge, VIC
- The Neck, TAS
- Blue Pearl Bay, QLD
- Depot Beach, NSW
- Murrays Beach, Jervis Bay Territory
- Dundee Beach, NT
- Dudley Beach, NSW
- Thompsons Beach, VIC
- Coogee Beach, W.A
- Mots Beach, VIC
- Alexandria Bay, QLD
- Emu Bay, S.A
- Lake Wabby, K’gari, QLD
- Congwong Beach, NSW
- Jellybean Pool, NSW
- Ethel Beach, Christmas Island