Minnamurra beach was included in Tourism Australia's Top 20 Beaches for 2020.

Tourism Australia ambassador Brad Farmer announced the list, saying the local beach featured a long, wave-lashed shoreline.

"North via Mystics Beach to the Killalea National Surfing Reserve are inviting, as are the tranquil waters of the Minnamurra River," Mr Farmer said.

Read more: Port Kembla pool still closed - and no word on how long until it reopens

"Ideal for a day trip or weekend, this is an off the highway sanctuary. From the rivermouth to the backwaters, Minnamurra lives up to its Indigenous name 'plenty of fish' and Minno's is a coastal site of immense natural beauty."

Number one on the list was Cabarita Beach, followed by Currumbin Beach in Queensland.

For the first time, an inland beach was recognised on the list - Riverside: Wagga Wagga Beach came in at ninth place.

"Yes, it's a beach, but not as you know them," Farmer wrote.

It's been christened as Australia's first-ever officially recognised freshwater inland "beach", he said.