Scarborough Beach a ‘national gem’ and one of Tourism Australia’s top 10 beaches for 2025

Scarborough Beach has been ranked in the top 10 beaches in Australia for 2025, with the nation’s leading beach expert hailing its redeveloped foreshore as the best in the country.
 
Brad Farmer AM is a passionate coastal conservationist who curates an annual list of Australia’s best beaches in his role as Tourism Australia’s Beach Ambassador.
 
Beaches are judged against his comprehensive 130-point beach assessment guide, which covers natural characteristics, culture, safety, facilities, management and more.
 
Mr Farmer announced his 2025 list today, placing Scarborough Beach at No. 8 and heaping praise on a destination he called a “national gem”.
 
“Perth may well be remote, but Scarborough is very well placed for an increase in visitation by domestic and overseas visitors to Australia,” he said.
 
“It’s just so intrinsically well designed for people and play by the ocean, ticking all the boxes for a perfect beachside destination well into the future.”
 
Mr Farmer highlighted the natural beauty of Scarborough Beach, as well as the year-round patrols and accessibility, but he said it was the redeveloped foreshore that made it “an absolute standout”.
 
“Not only do I believe it’s the best such beachfront development in Australia, but I don’t know of any other in the world that could rival its overall excellence,” he said.
 
The jewel in the City of Stirling’s coastal crown, Scarborough Beach been a favourite destination for generations of Western Australians.
 
It was the place to be in the 1950s, when FJ Holdens, milk bars and rock’n’roll were all the rage and young revellers danced their nights away in the Snake Pit.
 
In 2018, the community celebrated the completion of a $100 million foreshore redevelopment, delivered in partnership with the WA Government.
 
The redevelopment breathed new life into Scarborough Beach, creating vibrant public spaces and world-class beachfront facilities and attracting significant private investment.
 
It marked the start of a new era while paying tribute to the past, reviving the Snake Pit moniker as the name of a dynamic skate park precinct.
 
City of Stirling Mayor Mark Irwin, a former president of Scarboro Surf Life Saving Club, said he was pleased to see Scarborough Beach getting national recognition.
 
“I think it can be easy to take for granted what we have here at Scarborough, but like Brad Farmer says, it’s world-class,” Mr Irwin said.
 
“You can surf some of Perth’s best waves, swim in our stunning outdoor pool, skate, play basketball, enjoy the hospitality venues – the list goes on.
 
“We’re really proud of Scarborough Beach and we put a lot of effort into making sure it remains a safe and family-friendly destination that attracts visitors and events from around the world.”
 
Scarborough Beach was one of two WA beaches named in Mr Farmer’s top 10 for 2025, along with Little Lagoon near Denham.
 
Bay of Fires in Tasmania topped the list, followed by Woolgoolga in New South Wales and Emily Bay Lagoon on Norfolk Island.