These are Australia's best beaches, for everyone from families to romantics

Hyams Beach, NSW: A perennial finalist in beauty contests, Hyams Beach on the South Coast is three hours from Sydney on the spectacular Grand Pacific Drive, or just 2.5 hours from Canberra. Renowned for its squeaky, sugar-white sand and calm, clear water, Hyams is perfect for swimming, snorkelling, sand castling or just splashing around. Meet the local birdlife on Hyams Beach trail, explore the rock pools, take a whale-watching tour from nearby Huskisson and recharge with lunch, an ice cream - and perhaps a restorative vino - at Cooked Goose café.

Bells Beach, Victoria: Offering huge, consistent right-handers, Bells is perfect for fast surfing and aggressive manoeuvres. There are three distinct breaks and when the conditions are right, waves start out at Rincon and run all the way through Outside Bells into The Bowl. The biggest waves roll in from April to October, luring surfers from around the world, particularly to Easter's Rip Curl Pro. Apres-surf, head into Torquay to check out the Australian National Surfing Museum and the merch at the Rip Curl store.

Cottesloe Beach, Western Australia : Anywhere on the west coast will present you with a blazing Indian Ocean sunset. So why Cottesloe? Halfway between Perth and Fremantle, the soft sand at 'Cott' is fringed by shady Norfolk pines and tiered grassed areas perfect for a picnic and the twilight show. Cottesloe also has a vibrant restaurant, bar and café scene, headlined by the fine-dining Indiana Perth, Longview and Mediterranean-themed Barchetta, the trendy Cottesloe Beach Hotel and Ocean Beach Hotel and frozen treats worth queueing for at Gelato Bar. Visit Sculpture by the Sea in March or tackle the annual Rottnest Channel Swim, which starts from here in February.

Whitehaven Beach, Queensland: Australia's most Instagrammed beach, the impossibly fine, pure white silica sand on Whitsunday Island snuggles up to verdant bushland, turquoise water and fringing coral reefs. Diving, snorkelling, paddling, pedalling, sailing, hiking and camping are all on the agenda. Charter boats and hire vessels are available from Airlie Beach 25 kms away but a favoured way to arrive is by seaplane or helicopter, taking more post-able pics of Heart Reef - and the other Whitsunday Islands - along the way.

Wineglass Bay, Tasmania: The immaculate curve of this pristine beach nestled among pink granite mountains in Freycinet National Park 2.5 hours from Hobart is best enjoyed from the Wineglass Bay Lookout, at the top of a track for two. The spectacular view is the perfect prelude to dipping your toes - and more - in the pellucid water during your romantic stay at luxurious Saffire Freycinet or Freycinet Lodge. Take an adults-only cruise to Wineglass from Coles Bay, get an even better view with Tasmanian Air Tours and get a taste of the region on The Long Lunch Wine Tour.

Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia: North-facing and protected, Stokes topped Tourism Australia's annual Best Australian Beaches list for 2023. This 'hidden' beach is reached by a sandy passageway between rocks and through caves. Grab a beachside feed at Rockpool Café and meet 'roos, wallabies and koalas at the nearby campground. Some wildlife encounters are still closed following the 2020 bushfires but the flora and fauna on this amazing island - dubbed the 'zoo without walls' - are still here and are best experienced on a Kangaroo Island Wildlife Tour.

Yallingup Beach, Western Australia: This one has it all - big waves offshore, a sheltered lagoon for the little ones, stunning sunsets at Canal Rocks and a romantic getaway at Injidup Spa Retreat. Yallingup is three hours south of Perth at the northern end of the endlessly epicurean Margaret River region. Gastronomy reigns, from the seafood basket at Lagoon beach kiosk to fine dining - or indulgent high tea - at Caves House. Try the roast meats, duck fat potatoes and a tasting paddle of boutique beers at Wild Hop Brewing Company, join a cooking class at Wildwood Valley Cottages or drive along Wildwood Road and fill your picnic basket.

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The scenic rivers, lakes, streams, billabongs and natural thermal springs of inland Australia offer plenty of opportunities for a pleasant dip in picturesque surrounds.

Cutting through a gorge in West MacDonnell National Park, Ellery Creek Big Hole is seriously inland, lying about 80 kilometres from Alice Springs, while just south of Darwin, two waterfalls feed Wangi Falls in Litchfield National Park.

In South Australia, Mount Gambier's Little Blue Lake was formed by a collapsing cave and is a renowned inland diving destination. Karijini National Park in north-west WA hosts gorgeous gorges, or check out Barrabup Pool in Blackwood River Valley in the south west.

The Grampians in Victoria is home to Venus Falls, Lake Fryans and Lake Bellfield, near Halls Gap. Chill out at 'The Res' near Mount Macedon, built in the 1860s as a water supply for the gold rush.

South of Cairns, the cool water Babinda Boulders swimming holes are perfect for the tropical heat. Dalrymple Creek near Goomburra on the Darling Downs and the granite rock pools in Girraween National Park are also highly recommended.

In NSW, Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains features cascading natural plunge pools, the Colo River near Wollemi boasts a sandy river beach and Dangar Falls near Dorrigo is a must-dip.

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