Beaches
Long surf beaches & sheltered bays
The best beaches in Limestone Coast
The Limestone Coast strings together kilometres of clean surf beach and calm swimming bays - from Robe's famous Long Beach, where you can drive on the sand, to the sheltered waters of Beachport and Kingston SE.
The Limestone Coast trades the crowds of busier shores for long, empty white-sand beaches and dramatic limestone cliffs. At Robe, the famously broad Long Beach lets you drive right onto the firm sand, while the rugged Obelisk headland shows the wild side of the same coastline.
Further along, Beachport curls around a sheltered bay with one of South Australia's longest jetties, and the salt-dense Pool of Siloam offers an effortless float. Surfers and four-wheel-drivers head for the wide ocean beaches of Canunda and Little Dip Conservation Parks, where dunes meet the Southern Ocean.
Many of these beaches sit beside calm bays ideal for families, while others face the open swell for surfing and fishing. Summer brings the warmest swimming, but the coast's clear light and quiet sands make it rewarding to explore year-round - often with a seafood feed waiting in the nearest fishing town.
Browse beaches by area
19 places
Beachport Conservation Park
A coastal park of dunes, salt lakes and surf beaches wrapping around the town of Beachport.
Beachport Foreshore
The calm, sheltered bayside foreshore of Beachport, with safe swimming, a playground and the long jetty close by.
Beachport Jetty
FreeOne of Australia's longest jetties
A 772-metre jetty reaching out over clear water at Beachport, a favourite for fishing, walking and watching the fishing fleet.
Canunda National Park
A wild coastal park of towering dunes, surf beaches and rugged cliffs stretching between Southend and Carpenter Rocks.
Cape Buffon Walk (Southend)
Canunda's clifftop circuit
An easy 2.5 km loop at the northern end of Canunda National Park, tracing limestone cliffs, sea stacks and lookouts above Rivoli Bay at Southend.
Cape Martin Lighthouse
Beachport's working light
Beachport's mainland lighthouse, first lit in 1960 with the apparatus from the 1878 Penguin Island light that still stands abandoned just offshore.
Geltwood Beach
Wild 4WD beach in Canunda named for a famous shipwreck.
Kingston SE Foreshore
$Kingston's long sandy foreshore and jetty, the calm bayside face of the town beneath Larry the Lobster.
Little Blue Lake
FreeA sinkhole swimming hole
A deep, intensely blue water-filled sinkhole south of Mount Gambier, a popular spot for a bracing freshwater swim.
Little Dip Conservation Park
FreeWild dunes and freshwater lakes
A coastal wilderness of shifting sand dunes, surf beaches and freshwater lakes just south of Robe, laced with 4WD tracks and walking trails.
Long Beach
FreeDrive-on family beach
A 17km sweep of firm white sand at Robe where you can drive your car right onto the beach and swim in calm, protected water.
Nora Creina Bay
A horseshoe of white sand south of Robe
A near-circular bay of white sand and reef about 15 km south of Robe, backed by a tiny, tightly held settlement of beach shacks.
Port MacDonnell Foreshore
The waterfront of South Australia's southernmost town and busiest rock-lobster port, with a sheltered swimming pool and jetty.
Robe
Historic seaside town
A beloved holiday town with a colonial port history, heritage main street, fresh crayfish and easy access to drive-on beaches.
Robe Foreshore Playground
A waterfront playground steps from Robe's town beach.
Robe Obelisk
FreeThe candy-striped landmark
Robe's iconic red-and-white striped obelisk, built in 1855 as a navigation marker on the cliffs of Cape Dombey.
Robe Town Beach
The town's sheltered swimming beach below the Obelisk, with calm water tucked under the limestone cliffs.
The Granites
The only rocks on the Coorong beach
A cluster of smooth granite boulders rising from the surf about 20 km north of Kingston SE - the only rock outcrop in roughly 180 kilometres of Coorong beach.
Wyomi Beach
Lacepede Bay's gentle swimming beach
A long, calm swimming beach on Lacepede Bay at the edge of Kingston SE, with white sand, gentle waves and easy access for families.
Beaches in Limestone Coast - frequently asked questions
What is the Limestone Coast known for when it comes to beaches?
The Limestone Coast is famous for long, uncrowded stretches of clean white-sand surf beach broken up by sheltered swimming bays, often framed by dramatic limestone cliffs. The signature spot is Robe's Long Beach, one of the few beaches in the region where you can drive your car right onto the firm sand, while towns like Beachport and Kingston SE are known for their calm, family-friendly bays.
Can you really drive your car onto the beach at Robe?
Yes - Long Beach at Robe is one of the few beaches in South Australia where you can drive onto the compacted sand, with vehicle access via numbered ramps. Kingston SE's beach can also be driven on with a car or 4WD. Always check current conditions, stick to designated access points, and a two-wheel-drive car can manage the firmer southern sand at Long Beach while softer dune sections need a 4WD.
Which beaches are best for safe family swimming on the Limestone Coast?
Kingston SE has some of the safest swimming in the state thanks to the calm, gentle waters of Lacepede Bay, and the Beachport foreshore offers a sheltered bay that is protected from hot northerly summer winds. At Robe, the southern end of Long Beach around First and Second Ramp has the gentlest surf, with bigger waves further north past Third Ramp - good for surfers and bodyboarders.
Are the beaches dog friendly, and do you need to pay or book?
Most Limestone Coast beaches are free to access and don't require booking, and many are dog friendly. At Robe's Long Beach, dogs can run off-leash outside the busy 1 December to Easter long-weekend period, with leash and time restrictions applying through summer on certain stretches. National park beaches such as Canunda do charge vehicle entry or camping fees, so check Parks SA before you go.
When is the best time of year to visit the beaches?
Summer, roughly December to March, brings the warmest water and the most settled weather for swimming, which is also the busiest period for towns like Robe and Beachport. Spring and autumn are quieter, still pleasant for beach walks, fishing and 4WD touring, and have fewer dog restrictions. The Southern Ocean stays cool year-round, so many swimmers find the calm, shallow bays the most comfortable spots.