Australia's worst beach revealed by Google reviews as Sydney takes six of the bottom 10

Key findings

Sydney has six of the 10 lowest-rated beaches in the country. Hayes Street Beach in Neutral Bay is second from the bottom at 4.19, followed by Revesby Beach on the Georges River at Picnic Point (4.24) and Lady Bay Beach at Watsons Bay (4.25). Double Bay Beach, Kutti Beach in Vaucluse and Cabarita Beach on the Parramatta River are also in the bottom 10.

At the other end, Norman Beach at Tidal River on Wilsons Promontory is the best-rated beach in Australia at 4.87 from 157 reviews. Sandy Bay in Cape Range National Park, near Exmouth, also rounds to 4.87 but falls just short on the unrounded figure, and Rainbow Bay at Coolangatta is third at 4.86.

The average beach in the ranking scores 4.64, and even the lowest-rated averages more than four stars. Two Melbourne beaches at Werribee South, Campbells Cove (4.27) and Werribee South Beach (4.27), are fifth and sixth from the bottom, and Sunnyside North Beach at Mount Eliza is 10th (4.32). All 10 of the lowest-rated beaches sit on sheltered water in a harbour, bay or river rather than on the open coast.

Queensland has four of the 10 best-rated beaches, with Coolangatta Beach seventh (4.85), Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island ninth (4.84) and Currumbin Beach 10th (4.84) joining Rainbow Bay. Western Australia has three, with Twilight Beach in Esperance fifth (4.86) and Little Beach at Two Peoples Bay, near Albany, eighth (4.85). Silver Sands Beach at Aldinga, south of Adelaide, is fourth (4.86) and Greenfield Beach at Vincentia on Jervis Bay is sixth (4.85). One Sandy Bay reviewer wrote: "What an amazing beach! Such clear turquoise waters and at one point we were the only ones there."

Some of the best-known names sit in the middle of the table. Bondi Beach ranks 221st of the 366 with 4.63 from 5,665 reviews, just under the national average. Glenelg, the most reviewed beach in the ranking with 7,368 reviews, is 88th at 4.72, and Manly is 127th at 4.69.

Queensland's 57 beaches average 4.70, the highest of the six states, followed by Western Australia and South Australia, both at 4.65. Victoria's 71 beaches average 4.60, the lowest.