Wanda Beach, Public beach in Cronulla, Australia

Wanda Beach is the northernmost patrolled beach of Bate Bay, in Cronulla, south of Sydney. A sand path between low dunes fenced with weathered grey timber posts and wire mesh leads down to the waterline. Near the high-water mark a red and white lifebuoy is mounted on a timber stand, and a small white sign with black text stands on a pole in the sand.

The Gweagal people of the Tharawal tribe inhabited the area before European settlement, and their presence shaped the name of this beach. The location later became known as a place of community gathering when lifesaving clubs formed in the mid-20th century.

Wanda is an Aboriginal word for beach or sand hills, and the Gweagal clan of the Tharawal people are the traditional custodians of the land. The Wanda Surf Lifesaving Club, founded in 1946 by men who had served together in wartime, adopted Army red, Air Force blue and Navy blue as its colours. Its more than 900 members range from five-year-old Nippers to the original founding members, and Sunday nippers sessions and carnivals bring the sections together.

Lifeguards patrol the beach during peak seasons, providing an extra layer of safety for swimmers and water sports enthusiasts. The strong currents here mean you should take the water conditions seriously and know your comfort level before entering.

In 1965 Wanda Beach gave its name to the Wanda Beach Murders, the killings of two teenage girls whose bodies were found in the dunes north of the beach. The case became one of Australia's largest police investigations and remains unsolved.