WELCOME TO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF DRIVE BEACHES
The journey from Cairns to Cape Tribulation is one of Australia’s greatest coastal drives.
The Great Barrier Reef Drive takes you from the city to the jungle and along the way you will find numerous pristine beaches.
This page is your guide to most of the beaches, and we hope you will enjoy them.
Please be aware that most of these beaches are remote and abandoned, life guards, stinger nets and warnings are only present at some of the city beaches and in Port Douglas.
Everywhere else you will have to make your own judgement to swim, and be aware that box jellyfish can be present in the waters from November till May.
Use the Map page to locate all the beaches.
Enjoy our ultimate guide to the Great Barrier Reef Drive beaches!
Beaches along the Great Barrier Reef Drive
Machans Beach
The first tranquil and unspoilt hippie style beachside community on the way out of Cairns, not all that popular with tourists, although there are a few B&Bs here. Locals desribe themselves as "down to earth working class people" and have successfully protested against larger tourist developments. The southern end of Machans Beach meets the mighty Barron River.
Holloways Beach
Holloways Beach is the second beach out of Cairns and does not take long to get to, unfortunately it is only a few metres in width but it is a perfect spot to cool off, take the dog for a walk, sit and enjoy the sunsets, or throw out a fishing line. A very nice restaurant and cafe add to the attraction, and Holloways Beach has a stinger net during the jellyfish season.
Yorkeys Knob
Yorkeys Knob is a suburb and home to many Cairns residents but the waterfront has developed into a tourist location that is very convenient being only about 15 minutes drive from Cairns and not far from world-class golf courses. The mangrove creek at the south end of Yorkeys Knob Beach is great for fishing, few people venture this far down because the road ends a long way back along the beach. Yorkeys Knob is a very popular beach for water sports and even has a small amount of surf generated by the sand bar..