Misery Beach
Best Beach · WA
Tourism Australia's Best Beach 2022, No. 1.
The winner of the Best Australian Beach for 2022 comes straight from the pages of a beachscape artist’s sketchbook.
Here lies a dramatic feast for the senses with the look and feel of a perfectly framed filmset. Crystal clear, turquoise water, virgin white sand, bounded by spectacular granite outcrops, Misery Beach belies its grim name. Australia’s last active whaling station nearby closed in 1978 and its historical past of slaughtering the giant Sperm Whale now seems a distant memory. For decades, this shoreline was often awash with whale offal, staining the beach blood red. These days, you’ll find only a handful of beachcombers, swimmers or kayakers availing themselves of its sublime surrounds. Home of the Menang Noongar First Nations peoples, this is a pristine beach deserving of cultural reverence. Five hours south-east from Perth, yet only 15 minutes from WA’s historic first European settlement, Albany, this 200-metre-wide bay welcomes seals, dolphins and returning migratory whales, seeking its calm shelter. Neighbouring Isthmus Hill, a former whale lookout point, provides spectacular views of the surrounding coast, which is well worth exploring for other glistening treasures in this truly special region.
⚠️ Ocean conditions can change quickly and rips can form even on calm days. Only swim at patrolled beaches, and supervise children at all times.