Queensland beach named world's best

Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays has been named the world's most eco-friendly beach.

Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays (Photo: Dick and Pip Smith)

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WHITEHAVEN BEACH IN THE Whitsunday Islands has been named the Number One Eco Friendly Beach in the world by global news network CNN.com.

The CNN website says the "sparkling" 4.3km Whitehaven Beach has "won many awards, including Cleanest Beach in Queensland, and national awards for resource recovery and environmental protection.

"The breathtaking beach is located on Whitsunday Island, the largest of a 74-island chain. Visitors are limited by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and must register with a tour guide for access," the site says.

CNN says most of its eco-friendly beaches remain in good condition because access is limited.

Whitehaven Beach was the only Australian beach to be honoured, said Tourism Whitsundays CEO Peter O'Reilly.

Peter says he was immensely proud of the efforts of Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Whitsunday Regional Council, local tour operators and the community to keep Whitehaven so pristine.

"This is a huge honour and one which everyone in the Whitsundays, and Australia, should be proud of," he says.

The beaches, in order are:

1. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Australia
2. Playa Matapalo, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
3. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Oahu, Hawaii
4. Koh Libong, Trang Province, Thailand
5. Las Islas Cies, Galicia, Spain
6. Sancho Bay, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
7. Short Sands Beach: Oswald West State Park, Oregon
8. Goosewing Beach Preserve, Little Compton, Rhode Island

LAUNCH THE GALLERY OF BEST AUSSIE BEACHES

Home to a warm climate and the crystal clear waters of the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland is a tropical paradise. Off the coast lies the Great Barrier Reef, a breathtaking coral system abounding in exotic fish and spectacular colours. The lush World Heritage-listed Daintree forest in the far north provide some relief from the heat, while further inland, the Simpson Desert’s earthy red dunes offer a stark change of scene.