Australia is full of beautiful beaches, but this hidden gem is “unlike any other” with its crystal clear water, white sand and lesser crowds that often plague the likes of popular beaches in Byron.
Less than three hours drive from Sydney is a beach so stunning, it rivals some of the most famous beaches in the country — but only locals know about it.
Murrays Beach is nestled in Booderee National Park, which surrounds Jervis Bay, along the southern end of NSW’s Shoalhaven region.
Jervis Bay is famous for its beaches, with Hyams Beach often attracting hype for its translucent waters and some of the whitest sand this side of the Pacific.
“They say the beaches here have the whitest sand of the world. Just stunning,” a visitor wrote on Instagram.
“Best beach. we swam with a manta ray here for about two hours last year. It was amazing,” another wrote on TikTok.
Murrays Beach, however, remains largely a secret, and is a tranquil paradise where stingrays, turtles, Wobbegongs and colourful arrays of fish can be spotted from the shoreline.
“What a glorious beach,” another wrote online, while a third added: “It doesn’t get better than this!”
Traditionally belonging to the Yuin People, Booderee National Park is co-managed by the Local Wreck Bay Aboriginal community and Parks Australia.
“It is a really special fact that a lot of people don’t know about, but the park is co-managed just like at Uluru and Kakadu,” local council worker Kristy Mayhew told news.com.au.
And Murrays beach isn’t the region’s only secret spot.
“There are so many hidden gems in Shoalhaven,” Ms Mayhewsaid.
She joked she has to be careful how much she discloses about the hidden gems or the locals will not be happy.
The nearby Tianjara Falls is another must-see spot in the area, hidden along the lesser-known Main Road 92.
“This is a great Australiana type route between the ACT and Shoalhaven that so many people don’t know about,” she continued.
The falls are well signposted and can be viewed just 50 metres from the car park. Once you reach the viewing point, you will find yourself in an Instagramable utopia.
The waterfalls plummet off a cliff face that is encompassed by Morton National Park, offering views of Golden Wattle, Maidenhair and Banksia as far as the eye can see.
Meanwhile, over in Western Australia a “stunning” location that’s quickly gaining traction on social media is Emma Gorge.
It is one of the Kimberley’s most spectacular and accessible gorges, set in the one-million-acre wilderness of El Questro.
WA-born ex-supermodel Megan Gale recently visited the site during a family trip to the region, describing it as a “front runner” for a favourite moment of her trip.
A Tourism WA spokesperson said given “the natural beauty and serenity” of Emma Gorge, it’s no surprise it has emerged as a popular TikTok location.
