Live shelter ratings for every beach in this region, updated every 15min. View the beach ratings below to see how sheltered it is right now.
The Sunshine Coast balances the unique north-facing calm of Noosa Main Beach — nearly immune to Queensland's prevailing SE trades — with the long, exposed ocean beaches of Maroochydore, Coolum and Caloundra's headland breaks, all within easy reach of each other. Whether you're looking for the most sheltered beaches on the Sunshine Coast updated every 15 minutes or tracking the SE trades for the best kitesurf and surf conditions, our live beach ratings help you find the perfect Sunshine Coast beach for every activity and skill level.
The best beach on the Sunshine Coast depends on current wind direction. Noosa Main Beach is unusually sheltered thanks to its north-facing aspect, while beaches from Caloundra to Coolum face open, south-east trade wind exposure. Check the live shelter rating to see which is calmest right now.
Noosa Main Beach faces almost directly north into Laguna Bay, an unusual aspect on the Sunshine Coast that leaves it nearly immune to the region's prevailing south-east trade winds. Just three kilometres away, Noosa North Shore and Sunshine Beach face open exposure and can be dramatically different on the same day.
Noosa Main Beach and the river-mouth beaches at Cotton Tree and Twin Waters near Maroochydore are among the calmest, most family-friendly options on the Sunshine Coast, thanks to their sheltered, north-facing aspects.
Beaches of Australia calculates each rating from three live inputs — current wind speed, wind direction, and the beach's exact facing direction and surrounding topography. These combine into a live algorithm that produces a score out of 10, recalculated every 15 minutes, so the rating always reflects real conditions rather than a seasonal average.
A rating of 8–10 means a beach is currently well protected from wind, with calmer water suited to swimming and families. A rating of 1–3 means it's highly exposed, with rougher conditions likely. Because ratings update live, the same beach can move up or down within hours as wind shifts.
Wind speed, wind direction and shelter ratings are updated every 15 minutes using live weather data. That means the rating you see reflects current conditions, not last night's forecast — so it's worth checking again just before you leave.
Select your state or region and Beaches of Australia ranks every beach by its live shelter rating, so you can see at a glance which nearby beach is currently most sheltered from wind — updated every 15 minutes.
Yes — Beaches of Australia is free to use. Every shelter rating, updated every 15 minutes, is available at no cost across all regions.
Help us document the best beaches in Australia. If you have a better photo than the one used or have a beach that you’d like listed on the site, send us an image with location details or a Google map link to beachesofaustralia@gmail.com.
All accepted photos get an onsite reference with a link to your folio or business.
Email usMany thanks to our contributing photographers. If you wish to add or remove any photographs from the site send us a email: beachesofaustralia@gmail.com
Email usEvery beach is different. Facing direction, surrounding headlands, reef platforms and coastal geography all determine how wind and swell behave at any given spot. Beaches of Australia uses a custom algorithm — combining real-time wind speed, wind direction and each beach's unique topography — to calculate a live shelter rating out of 10, updated every 15 minutes.
Whether you're searching for the most sheltered beach near you, a calm family swim, or tracking conditions up and down the Australian coast, your answer is always current. Not yesterday's guide. Not a static list. A live rating, built on local knowledge.
Find the best beach near you. Right now.
Effective Date: September 2025
Beaches of Australia ("we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information in connection with our website.
Information We Collect
At this time, we do not collect, store, or process any personal information from visitors to our website. You may browse our site anonymously without providing any personal details.
Use of Cookies & Analytics
Currently, we do not use cookies or tracking technologies. In the future, we may use Google Analytics or similar tools to help us understand how visitors interact with our website. These tools may collect information such as: pages visited; time spent on pages; browser type and operating system; general location (e.g., city or region). This information will only be used to improve the functionality and content of our site. You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings.
Affiliate Marketing & Partnerships
In the future, our website may include links to affiliate partners or advertising partners. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate partners may use their own cookies or tracking methods. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services or websites you interact with.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external sites.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us at: agcdesign@gmail.com
Last updated: September 2025
This Cookie Policy explains how Beaches of Australia ("we," "our," "us") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on beachesofaustralia.com.au ("Site"). By using our Site, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this policy.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to the site owners.
Types of Cookies We Use
How We Use Cookies
Cookies help us: remember your preferences and settings; understand how you interact with our Site; improve our Site's performance and content; measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns (if applicable).
Your Choices Regarding Cookies
You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies. Please note that blocking essential cookies may affect the functionality of the Site.
For managing cookies: In Chrome: chrome://settings/content/cookies; In Firefox: about:preferences#privacy; In Safari: Preferences > Privacy.
You can also opt out of Google Analytics tracking via their opt-out browser add-on.
Updates to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.
Contact Us
If you have questions about our use of cookies, please contact us at agcdesign@gmail.com
Last updated: 7th September 2025
Welcome to Beaches of Australia ("we," "our," "us"). By accessing or using our website located at beachesofaustralia.com.au ("Site"), you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our Site.
1. Use of the Site
You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in a way that does not infringe the rights of, restrict, or inhibit anyone else's use and enjoyment of the Site. Prohibited behaviour includes harassing or causing distress to any person, transmitting obscene or offensive content, or disrupting the normal flow of dialogue.
2. Intellectual Property
All content, features, and functionality on the Site, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, videos, and software, are owned by or licensed to Beaches of Australia, and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell or exploit any portion of the Site without express written permission.
3. No User Data Collection
Currently, our Site does not collect personal data from visitors. Should this change in the future, our Privacy Policy will be updated accordingly.
4. Links to Other Websites
Our Site may contain links to third-party websites for your convenience and information. We do not control these sites and are not responsible for their content or practices. Accessing linked sites is at your own risk.
5. Disclaimer of Warranties
The Site and all content are provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.
6. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Beaches of Australia shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of your use or inability to use the Site.
7. Changes to Terms
We reserve the right to revise and update these Terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. Your continued use of the Site following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.
8. Governing Law
These Terms shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of Australia, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
9. Contact Us
If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at agcdesign@gmail.com