The Challenge
Discover Sydney's 169 beaches across 11 regions. Choose a timed challenge, track your lifetime progress and unlock a new status as your beach count grows.
How it works
Tap “Yes, I’ve been here” on every beach you’ve already been to. No account is needed to start; a free account saves your count. These past visits count toward your lifetime total, Beach Status and badges.
When you visit a beach, check in on your phone while you’re there. A GPS-confirmed check-in is what counts for the leaderboard, timed challenges and groups.
Timed challenges start automatically when you create your account.
Each unique beach counts once. Repeat visits can be shared but don’t increase your count.
Swimming is never required.
Timed Challenges
| Challenge | Target |
|---|---|
| 30-Day Challenge | 30 beaches within 30 days |
| 3-Month Challenge | 50 beaches within three months |
| 6-Month Challenge | 100 beaches within six months |
| One-Year Challenge | All 169 beaches within one year |
Every challenge timer starts automatically when the player joins, and all four run at the same time. If a deadline passes before the target is reached, a new window starts straight away. Missing a deadline does not remove completed beaches or lifetime progress.
Beach Status
| Milestone | Status |
|---|---|
| 10 beaches | 🦶Toe Dipper |
| 25 beaches | 🏖️Beach Hopper |
| 50 beaches | 🕶️Beach Bum |
| 100 beaches | 🌊A Local |
| 169 beaches | 👑Sydney Beach Legend |
Status is based on lifetime unique beach visits. It never expires or resets.
Achievements
Completing a timed challenge unlocks a challenge badge and shareable results card. Anyone visiting all 169 beaches becomes a Sydney Beach Legend. Completing all 169 within one year also unlocks the One-Year Challenge badge.
Check-ins & history
Live check-ins
Check in while you're at the beach. If you share your location and you're within 500 m of the beach, the check-in is marked GPS confirmed. Only GPS-confirmed check-ins count toward timed challenges and leaderboard rank. Without location it's saved as unconfirmed and counts toward your lifetime status and badges only. The visit date is always today — you can't back-date a check-in.
Beaches you've been to before
Been to a beach before you joined? Tap Yes, I've been here on any beach page or search result, or add lots at once from Beaches I've been to. They count toward your lifetime status and badges, but never toward timed challenges or your rank on the main leaderboard — even if you check in there again later.
🌴 Central Coast bonus set
41 Central Coast beaches are a bonus set. Visit them all to earn the Central Coast Complete badge. They don't count toward the 169 Sydney beaches, your status, timed challenges or the main leaderboard.
All badges (25)
Beach-count and region badges use your lifetime Sydney beaches (check-ins plus history). Challenge badges need live check-ins inside the challenge window.
First Beach!
Visited your first Sydney beach
5 Beaches
Visited 5 different beaches
10 Beaches
Visited 10 different beaches
25 Beaches
Visited 25 beaches
50 Beaches
Visited 50 beaches
75 Beaches
You're a true beach lover!
100 Beaches
Triple digits! Incredible!
150 Beaches
Almost every beach in Sydney!
LEGEND - All Beaches!
Visited every single Sydney beach. You are a legend!
30-Day Challenge
Visited 30 beaches within 30 days
3-Month Challenge
Visited 50 beaches within three months
6-Month Challenge
Visited 100 beaches within six months
One-Year Challenge
Visited all 169 core Sydney beaches within one year
Hawkesbury/Cowan Complete
Visited every Hawkesbury/Cowan beach
Pittwater Complete
Visited every Pittwater beach
Northern Beaches Complete
Visited every Northern Beach
North Harbour Complete
Visited every North Harbour beach
Middle Harbour Complete
Visited every Middle Harbour beach
Sydney Harbour Complete
Visited every Sydney Harbour beach
Eastern Suburbs Complete
Visited every Eastern Suburbs beach
Botany Bay Complete
Visited every Botany Bay beach
Bate Bay Complete
Visited every Bate Bay beach
Port Hacking Complete
Visited every Port Hacking beach
Royal National Park Complete
Visited every RNP beach
Central Coast Complete
Visited every Central Coast bonus beach
Beach safety
- Swimming is never required to count a beach — a visit is a visit.
- Only swim at patrolled beaches, between the red and yellow flags.
- Rip currents are common on Sydney ocean beaches. If caught: relax, float, raise an arm and signal for help.
- Most patrols are seasonal and not every day (a few beaches, like Bondi, have lifeguards all year). Check today’s patrol times and conditions on Beachsafe before you go.
- Boat-only and bush-track beaches need extra planning: check weather and tides, carry water and tell someone your plans.
- Never rush to beat a challenge deadline. No badge is worth a risk.
Patrol status is a guide only and may change. In an emergency call 000.