Caves Beach, Sandy beach with sea caves in New South Wales, Australia

Caves Beach is a sandy beach in Lake Macquarie Shire, New South Wales, about 300 km northeast of Canberra. Forest surrounds much of the shoreline, and the local climate is humid subtropical, averaging 17 °C, with January highs near 23 °C and July lows near 12 °C.

Caves Beach lies in Lake Macquarie Shire, about 300 km south-west of Canberra on the New South Wales coast. The sources record no founding date, no events and no documented name changes, so its past is known only through its setting: a wooded shoreline in a subtropical climate with January averages near 23 °C and July near 12 °C.

The name comes from the limestone caves at the southern end, which visitors walk through at low tide. The beach sits in Lake Macquarie Shire, about 300 km north-east of Canberra, and the surrounding hillsides are covered in eucalypt forest. Local residents use the shore for recreation, and the caves are the feature people come to see.

Facilities along the beach include BBQ stations and picnic areas, which are clearly marked with directional signage. Timing your visit around low tide is important if you want to explore the caves, so check tide forecasts beforehand.

The southern end features multiple rock caves that form natural tunnels through the coastal rocks, revealing different details each visit. Ongoing coastal erosion continually reshapes these formations, creating new small niches and passages over time.