Yarra Bay Beach on Botany Bay, Sydney, offers white sand and calm water for swimming. You can also get a restaurant meal at the Yarra Bay Sailing Club.
Yarra Bay Beach in Sydney is one of the city’s best hidden secrets. Most Sydneysiders wouldn’t be able to tell you where it is. In fact, given that it shares a name with the Yarra River, most would probably assume that it is in Melbourne.
Where is Yarra Bay Beach?
Yarra Bay Beach is located on Botany Bay, however. It is on the northern side of the bay, just round from the La Perouse beaches. It is technically in the little-known suburb of Phillip Bay, and is about 850 metres long.
The reason that most Sydneysiders will overlook Yarra Bay Beach is that it is next to Port Botany. Let’s be honest – the view here isn’t great. Nobody really wants to look out towards shipping containers and cranes from the beach.
Five great things to do while you’re in Sydney
- Take a small group tour to the Blue Mountains – with a Parramatta River cruise thrown in.
- See the landmarks and secret beaches – on a Sydney Harbour cruise.
- Discover Sydney’s most historic neighbourhood – on a Rocks walking tour.
- Go on a whale-watching cruise – and admire migrating humpbacks.
- Learn to surf at Bondi Beach – with beginner surfing lessons.
Swimming at Yarra Bay Beach
On the flip side, Yarra Bay Beach does offer remarkably calm and usually clear water. The slope of the beach is gentle, too, making it a good place for swimming. It’s a particularly good spot for children, as they can practice swimming without having to contend with waves or nasty currents.
The real star attraction of Yarra Bay Beach, however, is the white sand. It’s not quite at the level of Callala Beach, Cave Beach, Blenheim Beach or Greenfield Beach in Jervis Bay, but the sand here is unusually white by Sydney standards.
There are a few shells mixed in, too. Kids enjoy finding the prettiest shells without there ever being too many of them to hurt tiny feet.
Yarra Bay facilities and restaurants
Yarra Bay Beach is light on facilities, though, although there are toilets. You’ll also find picnic tables and barbecues in the sprawling Yarra Bay Bicentennial Park, just behind the beach.
Should you not fancy cooking yourself, the Yarra Bay Sailing Club has a bistro and restaurant.
The sailors at the Yarra Bay Sailing Club concentrate on 16ft skiffs. But locals are more concerned with bigger ships at the moment. There have been proposals to build a cruise ship terminal at Yarra Bay, and the Save Yarra Bay campaign is aiming to prevent that from happening.
Alternative Sydney beaches
Other beaches worth checking out in Sydney include Bondi Beach, Bronte Beach, Clovelly Beach and Maroubra Beach in the eastern suburbs. Good options on the harbour include Balmoral Beach, Parsley Bay, Milk Beach and Camp Cove. Alternatively, plump for the Northern Beaches, including Bilgola Beach, Avalon Beach, Whale Beach and Collaroy Beach.
More Sydney travel
Other Sydney travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Sydney’s top historic museums – including the Justice and Police Museum, Susannah Place Museum, Hyde Park Barracks and Museum of Sydney.
- 7 fantastic attractions in Sydney that most visitors overlook – including the Sirius anchor, the Macquarie Lighthouse, the Anzac Memorial, the Quarantine Station, the State Library of NSW and Elizabeth Farm.
- A practical guide to visiting the Australian National Maritime Museum.
- Planning a visit to Lane Cove National Park.
- What to expect at Calmsley Hill City Farm.
