Australian families ranked The Whitsundays in Queensland as the best spot for a coastal break. Source: Supplied

IT'S official - Australians may be travelling to Bali, Thailand and Fiji in record numbers, but they have realised our beaches are better.

Six out of ten Australians rate local beach destinations higher than our biggest Asian and South Pacific rivals, a new survey shows.

While young, childless travellers prefer overseas beach holidays, families ranked The Whitsundays in Queensland as the best spot for a coastal break.

Western Australia's north-west coast ranked highest amongst older travellers without children.

With the strong Australian dollar and cheap flights luring a record number of Australians overseas, Tourism Australia's Domestic Consumer Demand Survey tested six of Australia's most iconic beach holiday destinations popular with domestic travellers against Bali, Thailand and Fiji.

The Australian destinations were the Gold Coast, Whitsundays and Tropical North Queensland, the north-west coast of Western Australia, South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island and Tasmania's Freycinet Peninsula, which includes perennial favourite Wineglass Bay.

Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said the survey put paid to the myth that Australians had fallen out of love with domestic beach holidays.

''This research confirms our country offers some of the most beautiful, safe and high quality beach holiday experiences in the world,'' he said.

''There's a place, of course, for overseas holidays but it never fails to amaze me that people are prepared to battle queues and immigration to sit on busy beaches, sharing the sea frontage with noisy pubs and heaving night clubs, when Australia has some of the world's most incredible pristine coastline and beaches.''

Read more:

Our beaches are the best, say Aussies