Lucky Bay, Esperance: The beach with the whitest sand in Australia

A 2017 study showed Lucky Bay in the Cape Le Grand National Park, near Esperance in Western Australia, has the whitest sand of any Australian beach.

Australia has hundreds of top-drawer beaches, all with different vibes and qualities. Go people-watching at Bondi Beach in Sydney, learn to surf at Scarborough Beach in Perth or admire the white sands of Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays.

But one Australian beach that consistently comes close to the top on best beach lists in Australia is Lucky Bay in Western Australia. And Lucky Bay is the whitest beach in Australia.

Aerial view of Lucky Bay in the Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance, Western Australia. Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.

Whitest beach in Australia

A 2017 study showed that Lucky Bay has the whitest sand of any beach in Australia. Other close contenders were Hellfire Bay in WA, Tallebudgera Beach in Queensland and Whitehaven Beach in Queensland. In other states, the winners were Squeaky Beach in Victoria, Boat Harbour Beach in Tasmania, Hyams Beach in New South Wales, and Bromby Island in Northern Territory.

The study was undertaken by soil scientist Noel Schoknecht. It shook the long-standing claim of Hyams Beach on Jervis Bay to have the whitest sand.

Those white sands match up with some fabulously turquoise waters. Lucky Bay is a dream for photographers. It’s sheltered, so largely safe for swimming and snorkelling. The other thing that makes it one of the best beaches in Australia for wildlife is the mob of kangaroos that regularly shows up.

Getting to Lucky Bay

Unfortunately, Lucky Bay is not easy to get to. The Australian beach with the whitest sand is in the Cape Le Grand National Park, about 45 minutes away from Esperance in Western Australia.

If you want to get to Lucky Bay from Western Australian capital Perth, it’s a 755km drive. Going direct, that will take more than eight hours. It’s best added to a south coast road trip, going via Busselton, Margaret River and Albany.

Lucky Bay got its name in 1802. Matthew Flinders – the man who named Australia – was passing by on the HMS Investigator. He was sailing a very dangerous route through the Recherche Archipelago, and was hit by a storm. The ship took shelter in Lucky Bay – and the name comes from that fortune. A plaque at the lookout commemorates Flinders’ visit.

Camping at Lucky Bay

It’s also possible to camp at Lucky Bay. Bookings via the Western Australian Parks and Wildlife Service are essential for the Lucky Bay campground, costing $15 per adult. A 4WD vehicle is not necessary to get there – conventional cars can get down the road to the beach.

Other stunning, nearby Western Australian beaches covered in the Australian Beach Guide include Wharton Beach and Hellfire Bay.