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[title]If there’s one thing Australia manages to have in both quality and quantity, it’s beaches. But like many things in life, there can only be one best-in-class beach. For Australia, that rule was bent slightly when its best beach of 2026 was actually awarded to a collection of beaches: Bate Bay – a stretch of beaches in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, including Cronulla, Elouera and Gunnamatta Bay.
Cronulla wasn’t one to rest on its laurels after that win because, as of this month, it’s now home to a 12-month trial of Sydney’s first-ever beachside special entertainment precinct, as part of the NSW Government’s multi-step plan to improve nightlife across NSW. Found everywhere from Enmore Rd to Hornsby, these precincts allow local businesses to stay open later, with more flexibility around late-night noise levels.
For Cronulla, that means new venues like Nelly Robinson’s coastal-inspired NEL sibling NOA, contemporary Asian eatery Isora, the day-to-night Meadow Music Room and the hybrid pizza and Mexican-serving Retro will be at the heart of the precinct, inspiring vibrant summer dining and a lively entertainment scene.
And if you’re in the mood to move, sources tell us that the Sutherland Shire is the crown jewel of Sydney’s next boot-scooting craze. It’s an area where you can get line-dancing lessons from not one but at least five local venues, including Northies at Cronulla and The Prince at Kirrawee.
If you need a proper bucket list to make the most of the year of late nights to come, you can peruse our picks for the best restaurants in Cronulla for 2026, here.
For more information about Cronulla and Sutherland Shire, or to plan your next visit, head here.