Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet, Tounge Point, Whitsunday Island, Whitsunday Islands, Queensland, Australia - stock photo

Whitehaven Beach is a 6km stretch along Whitsunday Island. Its sand consists of 98% pure silica which gives it a bright white color. All of the Whitsunday islands sand originates from the coral of the Great Barrier Reef. When the coral broke off in storms it turned white as it died. It was then deposited on a small mound under the waves. Over a long period of time, more dead coral was deposited and eventually through the actions of currents and waves turned into some of the purest white sand.