📍8 Best Beaches In Ballina To Visit This Australia Day For Swimming & Surfing. (2024.)

CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THE BEST BALLINA BEACHES ARE?

Ballina is one of the Northern River’s most prominent seaside towns. While it often gets overshadowed by its world-famous neighbour Byron Bay, it shouldn’t because it offers just as many breathtaking beaches, perfect for undertaking all kinds of water activities but with a much more laid-back atmosphere.

So, for those looking for a peaceful place to swim, surf, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard or any other beachside activity or watersport, here are the best beaches in Ballina to do so for people of all ages and abilities from my experience, along with some local insight from my boyfriend’s friends who live in the area.

2. Shelly Beach.

Sitting on the other side of the Ballina Head Lighthouse and extending north to Black Head, another fantastic beach in Ballina to visit is Shelly Beach. Easily distinguishable by its distinctive dark-coloured rocks rather than shells like its name suggests this 700m stretch of sand is a lovely place to spend time by the sea.

It’s a great spot to enjoy a frolic in the ocean, like swimming, boogie boarding, or skip boarding. However, like Lighthouse Beach, it is also dominated by rips, so it’s imperative to do so between the red and yellow flags where it’s the safest and the patrolling lifeguards can keep an eye on you.

As for those who aren’t the strongest swimmers or just prefer calmer water over waves, Shelly Beach has a fantastic alternative. Towards the southern end lies a small, shallow enclosed swimming pool nestled within the rocks opposite the cafe, perfect for those who still want to enjoy the refreshing saltiness of the ocean but without the danger and undulating movement of being in the sea. However, it is only visible during low tide. I couldn’t find it, but my boyfriend, who is local, showed it to me on Google Maps satellite view.

As for surfers, it’s a bit less consistent than what’s on offer at Lighthouse Beach due to variable surf beach breaks around the rocks, but it still provides plenty of opportunities for riders to work with.

• Access: Conventional vehicle access to 4 parking lots. The northernmost is rough and the least maintained.
• Facilities: Toilets, outdoor showers.
• Nearby Recommended Accommodation: Grandview Apartments.

Pros.

• Seasonally patrolled & during school holidays.
• Good surfing alternative to Lighthouse Beach.

Cons.

• Dogs are not allowed.
• One of Ballina’s most popular beaches, so while it’s typically fairly peaceful and laid-back, it can get busy during the summer school holidays!

3. Sharpes Beach.

Further north along the coast lies the last of the three patrolled ocean-facing beaches in Ballina and the quietest. Located between the picturesque Whites Head and Flat Rocks, this beautiful spot is the best place to get those back-to-nature swimming experiences whilst being supervised under the safe and watchful eyes of surf lifesavers.

While it’s a lovely spot for a swim, it’s also a fantastic place to surf. The beach has breaks in the centre, while the reef and sandbars around Flat Rock offer solid left-handers during summer northerly conditions. The latter is also an excellent place for beginners who are not comfortable progressing to more sizeable waves yet. It’s such a great place to go for that, that it’s usually where they pick to teach people how to surf!

Additionally, this is one of the handful of places in Ballina that allow puppies to roam the beach with you, although granted, they have to be on a lead the whole time.

• Access: Conventional vehicle access to car parks at Flat Rocks and south of Whites Head.
• Facilities: Toilets.
• Nearby Recommended Accommodation: Grandview Apartments.

Pros.

• Seasonally patrolled.
• More natural setting.
• Less frequented.
• Good place for surfing, especially for beginners around Flat Rock.
• Dog Friendly (On-Lead.)

Cons.

4. Shaw Bay.

Nestled in the heart of Ballina, Shaws Bay is a picturesque cove that you can’t miss on your way through town, featuring several beaches cordoned off from the Richmond River by the North Break Wall, providing a tranquil place for families and their children to enjoy a refreshing swim without waves or any of the typical hazards of being in the ocean or river, such as currents, rips, boogie boarders, surfers and boats, etc. The calm water also means it’s excellent for stand-up paddleboarding, and give them a go at kayaking without worrying they’ll venture off too far.

What’s great about this stunning attraction is its accessibility from numerous sides. Pop Denison Park is the official way to reach the bay. With plenty of parking, picnic tables, BBQ facilities, a sizeable playground and two beaches, it’s a phenomenal spot to enjoy an immersive day out making memories with the kids.

Compton Road also has plenty of pull-in parking spaces that overlook the bay, several benches and even more beach access. But my favourite spot to have a dip in Shaws Bay is at the very southern tip, accessible from the North Rock Wall car park, where it’s very shallow and clear, perfect for the littlest members of the families and everyone else who just wants somewhere peaceful to enjoy a semi-submerged sun bake.

Note: You can also walk or cycle the rock wall that separates the bay from the river.

• Access: Conventional vehicle access car park at Pop Denison Park, along Compton Road and behind the north walk
• Facilities: Sheltered Picnic Tables, BBQs, a playground and toilets at Pop Denison Park. Benches along Compton Road. Toilets at the wall.
• Nearby Recommended Accommodation: Grandview Apartments.

Pros.

• Great for kids and people who like calm water and undertaking such activites.
• Fantastic spot for having a beachside day out.
• Less windy than the ocean-facing beaches.
• Lovely spot to do stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, snorkelling or laying in a pool floaty.
• Plenty of parking.

Cons.

• No currents or rips to contend with.

5. North Creek Beach.

As you drive through town and over the Missingham Bridge to East Ballina and all its gorgeous ocean-facing beaches, you’ll see spectacular views overlooking the Richmond River to the south and, more impressively, North Creek to the north.

What’s great about the latter is that it looks vastly different depending on what time you visit. That is because North Creek is a shallow estuary that changes significantly with the tide. When it is high, it just looks like a regular river with a small beach. But when it recedes, it exposes a vast expanse of tidal beaches, completely changing the waterway’s appearance.

When it’s low like this, it’s great to walk around and reach as far as the middle of the creek which is covered half the time with water. Get the kids to look for sand-swelling creatures like crabs and shellfish, or help them build a grand sandcastle that will slowly disintegrate as the tide rises up again.

Thanks to its calm waters, North Creek Beach is also a great place to enjoy water activities such as stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking, where the adventurous can go considerable distances up the waterway for an immersive day out on the creek or stay nearby if they don’t want to venture nearly as far.

• Access: Conventional vehicle access to Serpentine Road parking area.
• Facilities: None.
• Nearby Recommended Accommodation: Grandview Apartments.

Pros.

• Peaceful.
• Fun to explore when the tide is out.
• Great spot to launch a kayak or stand-up paddleboard.

Cons.

• If you have a kayak, for example, that you need the assistance of a trolley to get it to the water, the rocks present a hazard.

6. Missingham Beach Off-Leash Area. – Dog Friendly.

For many people, their pets are considered family. So, if you’re looking for somewhere in Ballina where the whole family, including your pet, can have a fun and active day out, Missingham Beach is the place to be!

This fantastic dog-friendly off-leash area located on the northern banks of the Richmond River west of the bridge of the same name gives them the freedom to explore and play, not just with the members of your brood, but allows them to socialise with other dogs in a fun and picturesque riverside setting without the constraints of a lead. The tranquil and picturesque setting also makes it a perfect location for a family picnic and a relaxing stroll along the shore with your beloved furry family member.

• Access: Conventional vehicle access to Ballina Head Lookout & North Wall.
• Facilities: Sheltered picnic tables, BBQs, toilets, skate park, lawn
• Nearby Recommended Accommodation: Ballina Manor Boutique Hotel.

Pros.

• Dog-friendly off-leash beach.

Cons.

• Subject to currents.
• For those who require a trolley or wheels to move their kayak, there is a steep mound to pull it over. Elsewhere rocks separate the park and the beach, making it difficult if you are by yourself and can’t carry it over them on your own accord like I need to.

7. Angels Beach.

A little further north up the coast, past the popular beaches of Lighthouse and Shelly Beach, you’ll discover one of the town’s best sandy escapes: Angels Beach. Running from between the picture headland of Black Rock and the small cluster of rocks at Flat Rock, this stunning stretch of coastline is divided into two sections, the north and the south, courtesy of Pontoon Rocks.

It is a beautiful spot for long walks on the beach as, although many people pass behind it when travelling between Lennox Head and Ballina, not many people stop to see it, choosing the more popular beaches over this one. That means it is generally significantly less crowded than the usual hotspots and a great place to soak in the serenity.

I found the southern end particularly picturesque, and while the whole length of it looks like an inviting place to swim with wave heights averaging 1.5m, it is not recommended due to no lifeguards patrolling it and the presence of strong rips and currents.

As for a surfing experience, the prospects are better. The areas around the aforementioned Pontoon Rocks and especially Black Head in the south are known to have some solid swells and notable right-handers that make some fantastic wave riding.

Another great thing about Angels Beach is that it’s one of Ballina’s handful of dog-friendly beaches, so you don’t have to go to the beach without your four-legged friend. However, while they are allowed to enjoy this little slice of paradise with you, they do have to be kept on lead.

• Access: Conventional vehicle access to the car parks at Flat Rock, halfway down the beach and from White’s Headland, although the latter is pretty rough and unmaintained.
• Facilities: Toilets at the first two parking lots.
• Nearby Recommended Accommodation: Grandview Apartments.

Pros.

• Peaceful, less trafficked and more natural.
• Great for long walks on the beach.
• Home to some great surfing spots.
• Dog-friendly (On-lead.)

Cons.

• Not Patrolled.

8. South Ballina Beach.

If you’re looking for a true beach escape where there’s a high chance it’ll just be you and no one else, South Ballina Beach is the place to be. Prior to the construction of the roads to the northern side of the Richmond River and cars making it easier to traverse, this beach was a popular spot for enjoying time by the sea.

But since it’s now easier to get to the other side, this one gets much fewer visitors and is now one of the town’s best-kept hidden gems, featuring 30km of stunning pristine coastline that begins at the southern entrance of the Richmond River and extends all the way through the unspoilt expanse of Broadwater National Park to the beautiful town of Evans Head.

To reach this isolated sandy heaven involves either a 40km drive down the Pacific Highway (M1) to Coolgardie or catching the Burns Point Vehicular Ferry from West Ballina to Burns Point, where you can then access the beach by driving to the car park for the South Ballina Wall or along one of the backroads that leads to the dunes behind the foreshore.

It’s out of the way but is a beautiful place for long, uninterrupted walks along the beach. Unfortunately, it’s not great for swimming as it’s remote, unpatrolled, gets strong southerly waves and has numerous rips. However, if you’re a proficient surfer who knows how to read the ocean, I’m told by my boyfriend’s surfer buddy that the area just south of the break wall is a fantastic place to ride a wave if there is a northerly swell happening.

• Access: Conventional vehicle access to the car park at the end of South Ballina Beach Road. An alternative route instead of heading down the Highway is to catch the Burns Point Vehicular Ferry.
• Facilities: Toilets.
• Nearby Recommended Accommodation: Ballina Beach Nature Resort.

Pros.

• Peaceful & isolated.
• The longest stretch of uninterrupted coastline in the Northern Rivers.
• Great for long, relaxing walks.
• Just south of the break wall is excellent for surfing if there is a northerly swell.

Cons.

• Unpatrolled.
• Not great for swimming.
• Long way out of the way.

Ballina Beaches Map.

Forget Byron Bay. There is a slew of fantastic beaches in Ballina, each with unique characteristics that make them fantastic places to enjoy all kinds of water-based activities. Whether you love the thrill of riding the waves, there’s Lennox Point and the South Ballina Wall, or want to swim and boogie-board within the safety of the flags, Lighthouse Beach and Shelly Beach are perfect for that. But if you’re looking for somewhere calm to take the kids for a splash or to stand-up paddleboard or kayak, Shaws Bay and North Creek Beach are phenomenal places to do that.