Ah, Whitehaven. Everyone’s heard of this dreamy beach in the Whitsundays which, together with Bondi and Surfers Paradise, is probably one of the three most-famous beaches in Australia.

Located on Whitsunday Island, the largest in the group of 74 islands that lie off the coast of Central Queensland, it’s regularly voted the most beautiful beach in Australia – and scores highly on lists of the world’s best, too.

The seven-kilometre stretch of beach is basically Australia’s answer to the Maldives. The sand is the whitest of white and fringed by the clearest aqua-blue water. The overall result is one that looks like it’s been Photoshopped. 

But with such fame and beauty comes the crowds. Happily, we don’t mean French Riviera-numbers of beachgoers, where you struggle to find space for your towel, but it is a famous tourist attraction, so boats arrive and depart regularly, bringing with them tourists keen to set eyes – and feet – on this famous stretch of sand.

Consisting of 98% silica (which also makes it cool underfoot – and squeaky!), theories abound that the sand drifted here millions of years ago, explaining why it’s so fine and pure, and so different to the sand in the rest of the Whitsundays.

That is, unless you jump on a boat or a kayak and take the quick trip to an opposite shore, on the nearby Haslewood Island. Here you’ll find Chalkies Beach, considered by many to be Whitehaven’s superior, both above and below the water.

It boasts a magnificent beach with the same pure-white, soft silica sand as Whitehaven, so it’s great for envy-inducing photos (and for cleaning jewellery – silica is apparently good for polishing gold and silver).

There’s also water every bit as aquamarine as Whitehaven, and great snorkelling from a fringing reef that can be accessed from the shore, making it easy for anyone, of any ability. As well as coral and fish, you might even get to see – and swim alongside – a turtle in these gorgeous waters.

Chalkies Beach is located on the western side of Haselwood Island, which is completely natural with has no manmade structures, and lies within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The waters here are also calmer, as it’s sheltered from the prevailing south easterly winds. 

And, best of all, because most tours take people to its much more famous neighbour, you’ll likely have this idyllic beach to yourself. Well, almost.

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