EDITORIAL: From Albany to the nation — suffer in your budgie smugglers, we’ve got Australia’s best beach

Albany, the home of Australia’s best beach? It’s enough to make a Queenslander spit out their XXXX while a Sydneysider chokes on a mouthful of soy chai latte. To those Eastern States critics who scoff at the idea that one of our beaches could trump their favourite stretch of sand — suffer in your budgie smugglers, because it’s official. We’re No. 1. Misery Beach, a north-facing sheltered slice of paradise at the start of the Flinders Peninsula, was named the nation’s best beach in annual rankings published by Tourism Australia on Sunday. Beach expert and judge Brad Farmer AM said apart from the obvious attributes of clear water, white sand and a stunning location, Misery Beach had an X-factor. That X-factor is history, with the beach situated close to Albany’s Historic Whaling Station. One theory is that Misery Beach got its name from the blood and guts that used to stain the sand when the whaling station was up and running. Admittedly, Misery Beach was a surprise winner, upsetting the heavyweight contenders from interstate and beating some stiff competition from places closer to home like Esperance. But life’s a beach — and ours is the best. To our bitter friends over east, look away now, because our new favourite beach expert went one step further, describing our rugged coastline as the best in Australia. “For a beach enthusiast, a real purist, it doesn’t get any better than Albany,” Mr Farmer told the Advertiser. You can almost hear the whinging from the Whitsundays.