Top 10 beachfront campsites

Over many years, my wife and I have been in search of the perfect beachfront caravanning spot. Does it exist?

I suppose it depends on your criteria, but try as we have, we have never ticked off every box on our list. Perhaps you have been luckier.

Here are our criteria:

1. Absolute beachfront. By this I mean no more than a step off your awning mat onto the soft sand leading directly to the water.

2. Unobstructed view of the water. Nothing to spoil the picture perfect.

3. No visible neighbours. Call me antisocial if you like, but if I want to step outside naked, I can.

4. No sticks, stones, sharp shells, seaweed or stingers.

5. A gentle slope into the water. We want to walk in, not clamber over rocks, stub our toes, or hike out hundreds of metres to find low tide.

6. Warm. It needs to be in the mid/high 20s to make Point 3 worth the risk!

7. West, or northwest facing. Necessary for enjoying ‘sundowners’, as long as the weather complies with Point 6.

8. Some afternoon shade, ideally from a leaning palm tree or two. Not too much though, as too much will stop the solar panels from recharging your battery/batteries. The palm is ideal for pics to make your stay-at-home-friends envious!

9. Place for an open fire, ideally safely on the beach between you and the water after the sun drops.

10. Water feature. Frolicking whales/dolphins/migrating turtles/kite surfers/sail boarders, etc. But no crocs, please.

Now, you might think we’re hard to please, but when many other caravanners seem content with views of their neighbours and annexes from their manicured site at the local Big 4, we're not. However, it might surprise you to know just how close we have come to our coastal caravanning Nirvana:

Town of 1770, Queensland

Large site at local camping ground right on the northwest-facing beach, but unattractive sand, rocky entry to water and very tidal.

Cooloola Coast, Queensland

Ideal beach camping behind or on low dunes with uninterrupted water views, but east-facing with continual 4WD beach traffic and wild surf.

Waddy Point, Fraser Island, Queensland

Ideal beachfront location, but east-facing and lots of people because it’s so good.

Cape Hillsborough, Tropical  Queensland

There’s a rustic privately-run camping ground right on the beach at the end of the bitumen here, with the lower sites just metres from the sand, a good swimming beach, with kangaroos gathering at dawn to be photographed. It’s so good there are too many neighbours though!

Cape Tribulation, Far North Queensland

Some of the sites at Cape Trib Camping are just 20 metres’ walk from the palm-fringed beach facing Cape Tribulation, but watch the crocs in the mangroves!

One Arm Point, Cape Leveque, Western Australia

Great coastal camping, not far off the bitumen, but a small sandy bank above its narrow beach.

Gnaraloo Station, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

North of Carnarvon on privately-owned Gnaraloo Station.  Ticked off all the boxes, including whales frolicking, but neighbours too close on either side and the rocky beach below a low cliff not really swimmable, meaning a short walk to the right.

Punsand Bay, Cape York, Queensland

Great beach camp at the top of Cape York, but sites not really on the water.

Ellis Beach, Lower York Peninsula, Far North Queensland

True bush, beachside camping, 80km north of Cooktown, but you’ll only get a lightweight camper trailer onto the sandy sites near the water. Not sure if you’d risk swimming in the wet season with the local crocs though...

Memory Cove, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia

Ticks all boxes except east-facing and no palm trees.

Streaky Bay, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia

North-facing, with sites right on the beach edge, but tidal and with neighbours.

Perlubie Beach, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia

Situated 20km north of Streaky Bay, it cost $2 a night including flushing toilets and cold showers with an honesty box when we first visited in early 2009, but the town has grown with holiday stays; the price has now hiked to $10 and the original camp area behind the dunes is overgrown.

You can still camp under a thatched shelter right on the beach, but there’s lots of seaweed, the neighbours are close  and it’s pretty barren.