North Smoky Beach

Matt & Megan
Nude Beach Map. Visited 2026

North Smoky Beach might just be one of the most beautiful nude beaches we've visited in Australia! Located on the NSW Mid North Coast, near South West Rocks, this spectacular stretch of golden sand is a fair drive from Sydney, but we reckon it's absolutely worth the trip. We visited on a weekday and were blown away by just how beautiful and quiet it was. This is quintessential Australia at its best!

When we arrived, there were only about five people on the entire beach, including a few people fishing. Compared to some of the busier nude beaches in NSW, North Smoky feels incredibly remote. There's no development, no crowds and nothing but beautiful golden sand, the Pacific Ocean and lush green bushland. It's hard to believe places like this still exist!

Getting to the beach is part of the adventure. From near Smoky Cape Lighthouse, the Jack Perkins walking track takes you down through the national park to the sand. It's roughly an 800-metre walk downhill, which took us around 10–15 minutes. We found the walk down surprisingly easy, although we both joked that the return journey would be a completely different story! It's fairly steep in places, particularly when you're walking back uphill in the summer heat.

One thing that made us laugh was the signage along the walking track. We weren't entirely sure whether we'd found the right beach or if people actually went naked here. Thankfully, a couple of handwritten signs, courtesy of someone with a Sharpie, reassured us we were heading in the right direction! Nothing particularly official, but we appreciated the effort.

Despite the overcast weather during our visit, it was absolutely stinking hot. We couldn't wait to strip off and get into the ocean. The water initially felt a little chilly, but once we were in, it was incredibly refreshing. We were also pleasantly surprised by how calm and gentle the water was that day. Megan, who isn't experienced with ocean waves particularly appreciated the conditions! Keep in mind that this is an unpatrolled ocean beach, and conditions can change significantly.

Another thing we loved was the area behind the beach. Thick green vegetation provides some natural shade, meaning you can escape the direct sunshine without needing to haul a beach umbrella down the walking track. The contrast between the golden sand, green trees and blue ocean is stunning. There's something about being surrounded by so much nature that makes getting naked here feel completely natural.

North Smoky isn't an officially designated nude beach, although it has a long history of clothing-optional use. You might encounter a mix of nude sunbathers, fishermen and other visitors. During our midweek visit, there were so few people around that finding a private spot was certainly not an issue. If you're looking for a social naturist experience, somewhere like Cobblers Beach in Sydney might be a better choice. North Smoky is all about the natural surroundings and the opportunity to enjoy some peace and quiet.

There are no facilities or lifeguards on the beach, so bring plenty of water, sunscreen and anything else you'll need. There are facilities up near the lookout, but once you're down on the sand, you're on your own. There is also no mobile phone reception from the beach. We'd also recommend wearing decent shoes for the walk, particularly for the uphill return.

We absolutely loved North Smoky Beach. In fact, we gave it five bums out of five during our visit! The scenery, isolation and incredible natural surroundings make this one of our favourite clothing-optional beaches outside Sydney. If you're travelling along the NSW coast, we'd highly recommend making the detour. It's a little out of the way, but that's precisely what makes it so special.