Freshwater

Freshwater Beach

Freshwater NSW

The Beach and Surrounding Areas:

Freshie is a great beach with an interesting history, but the major reason I chose to review this beach is because it is one of the best beaches to learn to swim and surf at. Possibly named due to a fresh water creek that used to run into the ocean in this bay, Freshwater had a contentious history in it's name and was officially called Harbord from 1923 to 2008, whereupon it regained it's former name due to popular demand. Another interesting facet of Freshwaters history is that in 1914 Duke Kahanamoku visited this beach and introduced surfing to Australia. The local Surf Life Saving Club regularly patrols the beach and is home to a fantastic community of people. 

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Transport:

Getting into this area is easiest by bus or car, with no train service in the vicinity. As it is a very short distance from Manly, many people simply walk to experience the spectacular sea views. 

Shops:

Only a few hundred meters away from the beach is a strip of shops including cafes, restaurants, general stores, pharmacists, fast food stores and many more. If you can't find what you need here then you can just head into Manly or Brookvale where you can find almost anything to suit your needs.

Nightlife:

There are two places that you have to check out if you like bevvie or two, one is the Harbord Diggers Club, with on of the most spectacular outlooks of any club I have ever been too, it is a must. The other is the Harbord Beach Hotel, which almost looks like a castle and their main function area is set up to look very Roman-esque. If you want something a little more fast paced you can head around the corner into main Manly where you'll find pubs and clubs galore.

What Else:

Along with a fantastic beach that is one of the easiest places to swim, there is also a tidal pool for those a little less keen on any waves. If you're looking for somewhere to stay then there are many places in Manly, Curl-Curl and Queenscliff or there is accomodation available at the Harbord Beach Hotel. 

Conclusion:

This beach is an all time favourite of mine, with a great swell and an awesome vibe, with a history to match, this beach is epic. Simply epic, five stars!

Pat

Hyams Beach

 

 Hyams Beach

Shores of Jervis Bay, NSW 

The Beach and surrounding areas:

Located 1 hours and 47 minutes away from Sydney, Hyams beach is truly a remarkable place to visit. The beach faces out towards the rears of the pacific oceans, displaying a fantastic view of the sea and it's exotic bush lands. Tides are not as strong as the previous beaches mentioned, however with it's stunning white sand beach, this itself will win you over. Hyams Beach is currently listed in the Guinness book of records for having the whitest sand in the world. Hyams beach is a perfect place fora quiet getaway just for the couple, or even the family.  

Transport:

There a numerous ways to get to Hyams beach and all this information can be found on this link.

Shops and Entertainment:

With a recorded population of up to 76 people in 2006, the location wise of Hyams beach and it's surrounding area does not revolve much around technological culture. Its difference is defined by the special attributes which surround the Beach. From the North side of the beach, it is surrounded by natural wildlife found within Jervis Bay National Park, where travelers can go hiking across the mountain ranges. The south side of the each displays a magnificent collection of wildlife animals, native Australian fauna and flora found within the Botanic Gardens and Booderee National park. Overall Hyams Beach may not contain much of a nightlife or entertainment, However the stunning views and bays especially with the white sand beach could win anyone over if they're expecting a peaceful getaway.

Other Recreational Activities:

There are many other recreational activities for the family not inside Hyams beach itself but the surrounding beaches including stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, bush walking, and many more.  

A good 4 and a half stars!

Wilson L

Salamander Bay

 

Salamander Bay

Port Stephens- NSW

The beach & Surrounding Areas:
Salamander Bay is a beautiful place which offers its own charming and unique attractions to visitors and local.The area itself has many holiday resorts, caravan parks and apartments which can be enjoyed by young couples, retirees and large families. The bay is patrolled during busy summer months and school holidays to ensure all tourists and locals are safe in the beautiful ocean.


Transport: 

There are no train lines up to Salamander Bay, however there are buses and coaches frequently traveling up to Port Stephens. If holidaying up as Salamander Bay for a week or so, there are many places that you can hire cars to drive for the week. In addition, taxi's drive all around the bay, local buses and bike hire is also possible. Overall though, most facilities and entertainment are located in the central area of Salamander Bay; therefore walking is always a fun and healthy option!

What else: 
Salamander Bay is the perfect place for families and friends to enjoy a holiday away! There is Salamander Bay shopping centre in the heart of the town and many restaurant and cafe's to visit for a breakfast, lunch and dinner! A day trip up to the Bay is made perfect and easy as there are shops all around for any occasion or entertainment need. 


Overall, Salamander Bay is a perfect place for families to enjoy time away from their busy schedules.  The accommodation in the area is of high standards with many relaxing facilities to enjoy. I give Salamander Bay a 4.5 star out of 5 as I've been there many times and my experience has always been highly relaxing and enjoyable!

By Natasha D.

Dicky Beach

Dicky Beach

Dicky Beach QLD

The Beach and Surrounding Areas:

The Sunshine Coast is home to many beautiful beaches with calm, warm waters. I chose to look at Dicky Beach in particular because of the iconic wreck of the SS Dicky which can be found on it's shores. The area itself is home to a large caravan park, a small strip of shops and restaurants, a skate park and the Dicky Beach Surf Life Saving Club. The beach is patrolled and the SLSC won the DHL Queensland Surf Life Saving Club of the Yeah in 2009, so you can feel safe in their hands. You can sometimes get a good swell if surfing is in your schedule, but for the general swimmer or families the waves are gentle and great to learn to swim in. An added benefit of this beach is that it is quite flat, great for those interested in some skimboarding.

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Transport:

As there is no train line going to the Sunshine Coast, this area relies mainly on buses for public transport, there are a few taxis around as well. If travelling into the area from Brisbane, the easiest way to get here is via a train to Landsborough and then catching a Sunbus to the coast. Brisbane Rails train schedule can be found here and the Sunbus timetables can be found here!

Shops:

There is a small strip of shops just up from the beach which include surf shops, cafes, restaurants, a pharmacy and a great little fish'n'chips place called The Fishmongers Wife, they do a great fish and chips for a reasonable price. 

Nightlife:

The Sunshine Coast has a few spots where the parties go well into the night, Dicky Beach, unfortunately, isn't one of them. Apart from a few restuarants, most of the area closes down as the sun goes down. If you are looking for a bit more of an exciting night, you can head down the coast about 5 minutes towards Caloundra, where you will find a number of pubs, clubs and taverns that are open 'til late. Otherwise you can head north towards Mooloolaba where at the Esplanade you can find numerous clubs, check our the Wharf Tavern if you head there, usually goes off.

What Else:

The big seller for Dicky Beach is the closeness of accommodation, with the caravan park being 500m from the beach. It makes holidaying in this area easy and comfortable, for more information about this holiday park please visit this link. One final must when visiting Dicky Beach is to visit the wreck of the SS Dicky, as sadly one day it will have completely washed away, and I know in my repeat visits to this beach I have noticed a slow reduction in size of the wreck.

Conclusion:

All in all I find this beach to be a fun, relaxing beach, with calm waters and a good feel to it. The only possible reason I can find to give it less than five stars is it's lack of nightlife, but this can be found just around the corner in other suburbs. I give Dicky Beach 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Cheers,

Pat

Mona Vale Beach

Mona Vale Beach

Mona Vale NSW

The Beach and Surrounding Areas:

Mona Vale beach is located to the north of the Sydney CBD in a region known as the Northern Beaches and is a great place to take the kids. It is a patrolled beach that also has an ocean pool towards the northern end, great for kids or inexperienced swimmers. The northern side of the beach, known as 'The Basin', usually has very calm waves, great for people who are learning to surf. The southern side is a bit more rough and ready for those who are ready to test out their surfing skills. Adjoining the beach is the Mona Vale Golf Club, a venue which has fantastic views and beautiful greens but is also host to many events and functions. Across the road from the beach car-park is a lovely play area for kids of all ages, with play equipment for toddlers all the way to a bike riding track for the big kids, there are also many areas for BBQ's and picnics. If you feel like exploring the land a little, there are many walks leading up to the headlands which give walkers a fantastic view of the coast.

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Transport:

The beach is easily accessible by car or bus, with a large parking area right beside the beach, this is ticketed at a small sum, and with bus stops at an easy walking distance from the beach. Mona Vale itself is located 28 kilometres from Sydney CBD so when travelling here return times should be taken into account. For bus info please click here.

Shops:

The majority of shops in the beach vicinity are cafes or fish'n'chip shops, there are both very close and give an easy alternative to bringing a packed lunch. They are also a big hit with the kids as they provide many different types of ice-creams. A short walk or drive into Mona Vale offers a wide range of stores, eateries and supermarkets to interest even the pickiest of shoppers. One must is the little pie shop on Park Street, Paddy's Pies, they do a great range of pies that are fantastic! It's right beside Pittwater Place.

Nightlife:

Whether you want to have a few drinks with mates, play a game of pool or have a quiet Martini, Mona Vale can find a place for you. Starting off closest to the beach you have the Mona Vale Surf Life Saving club, who although aren't open as a regular venue they are open for events or functions which have a beautiful view of the beach. Heading further into town you can find the Armchair Collective, a small little fully licensed restaurant who offer a wide range of tastes for all to enjoy. As we reach the main road you will find Missy Foxhall's a Mexican restaurant with a wide variety of tequilas, margaritas and other cocktails to kick your night off with. Directly across the road you will find Mona Vale Hotel, a popular location for both locals and visitors, with a sports bar, restaurant, three dance floors including an upstairs dance floor and bar, the Mona Vale hotel is quite the venue. Further down Park Street, you will find the quaint Park Street Social Club, a refined little hole-in-the-wall bar with a very Melbourne-esque feel.

What Else:

Mona Vale Beach and it's surrounds offer many fantastic places to visit, see and explore as you head further north through the suburbs of the Northern Beaches, you can find many great places to go for bush-walking. The Ku-ring-gai national park is just around the corner which is one of the most pristine nature reserves in all of Sydney and is well worth checking out.

Conclusion:

Mona Vale beach is a great little beach for families, with it's wide range of kid friendly spaces and places to eat. It is also a great place to go to have a surf and for this blogger is also a place to call home, so for that slightly biased reason I'm giving this beach 5 out of 5!

Enjoy!

Pat