Solo traveller's stunning Aussie beach find so secret it doesn't even have a name: 'Very peaceful'

Have you ever come across a photo of water so blue and inviting that you think it surely must be somewhere exotic and far away, like The Maldives or Tahiti? You start mentally planning your next holiday there, dreaming of days spent swimming and snorkelling only to be rudely brought back to reality by the massive cost attached to a trip like that.

Luckily for us, Australia has hundreds of places where you can enjoy swimming in crystal-clear water and, the best part is that many of these places do not cost an arm and a leg to visit. Even better, several of them are fairly secluded so you don't have to battle the tourist crowds.

33-year-old Brisbane woman Sarah Rose Foster discovered one such place on her travels, stumbling across a stunning secret cove at Carrickalinga Beach in South Australia.

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Sarah, who is travelling solo around the country in her Mazda BT-50, told Yahoo Lifestyle that a local gave her the tip-off about the hidden spot when she was in the area exploring its rock pools.

"When exploring new locations, I use social media location tags and Google Maps to source hidden gems like rock pools," Sarah said. "On the way out of the rock pool, I continued down the path to do some exploring when I walked past a local who actually mentioned to me that there was a hidden beach further along."

How to find the Secret Cove at Carrickalinga Beach

Sarah decided to check it out, taking her social media followers along for the journey and explaining that while she usually geotags her location in her videos, that wasn't an option here as the spot doesn't even have a name but is simply referred to by locals as a secret cove.

Describing the beach as "absolutely beautiful" and "highly recommended" in her video, she also mentions that while the hike is worth it, it does involve a bit of a rock scramble to access it.

"Finding the right path down is tricky," she told Yahoo Lifestyle. "I would not recommend this for small children (toddlers/babies) as there is one section that requires you to scale across a rock face so you would need to be tall enough to have both your hands and feet in contact with the rock. Children would need to do this unsupported effectively."

Once you are able to reach the cove, however, there is a good chance you will have the place to yourself, much as Sarah did.

"I was there for around 2 hours in which there were only 2 other groups of people when I arrived and it stayed that way for the whole duration I was there," she explained.

Where to stay at Carrickalinga Beach

As for where to stay in order to be close to Carrickalinga Beach, its hidden rock pools and secret cove, there are a couple of options.

"As I was exploring the greater area, I camped at Trig Campground in Deep Creek," Sarah said. "This is a 40-minute drive roughly to Carrickalinga Beach."

Trig Campground is accessible for 2WD and 4WD, as well as tents and camper vans/caravans and an unpowered site costs about $25 a night.

Another option is Rapid Bay campground, where sites start at $12.50 and, bonus, dogs are permitted.

"I would recommend Rapid Bay campground, although I did not personally stay here due to it being booked out," Sarah said. "It looked like a central location right on the beach - still a 25 minute drive but still central if you're exploring the area."

Is Carrickalinga Beach safe for solo travellers?

For anyone travelling solo like Sarah, it's important to feel safe - something which she assured us she did.

"[It's] very safe," she said. "It's a very popular beach and even if you choose to spend the day within the main beach you cannot go wrong. If you choose to venture down further, the walk alone to the hidden beach is very peaceful but you will pass others enjoying the area."

She does caution, however, to be aware of your surroundings and the changing tides when exploring.

"If you are hiking to the rock pools, please check tide times as this can change the conditions drastically - always opt for low tide," she said. "This will also impact getting to the secret beach also, a higher tide can make it more of a challenge scaling the rocks."

What to do at Carrickalinga Beach

If you are concerned that simply hanging out at a spectacular, secret cove is not enough to keep you entertained, Sarah assures us that there are plenty of other activities to keep you occupied.

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"Where do I begin? This whole area is stunning, with so much to see!" she enthused. "I went squid fishing at Rapid Bay and also explored the caves whilst I was there.

"If you venture further down, I highly recommend Blowhole Beach. You can choose to drive down with a 4WD or you can take in the stunning hike down to the beach. Lastly, explore Deep Creek with all the hikes, lookouts and waterfalls."

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