A born and bred beach girl, Kassandra Clementi is never happier than during summer.

As we travelled in Tropical North Queensland to shoot the latest campaign, our new Sunnylife ambassador shared some of her favourite sand, sun and surf memories.

By Tiffany Dunk

Is this your first time in Tropical North Queensland?

It is. I’d Googled all the locations before we arrived because that’s what everyone does when there’s a new place you’re heading to. And I have to say this has exceeded the pictures. Now I just want to explore – the reef, the rainforest, everything. Because anything you’d want in a tropical destination, anywhere in the world, is right here.

Being Australian born and bred, have you traveled around the country much?

I’ve done bits and pieces. I took a Whitsundays trip which was amazing. Also, when I was doing Home and Away I lived in Sydney. Palm Beach was my office which was incredible. I don’t think I’ll ever get another experience in my life where one of the most beautiful beaches in the world is your 9 to 5. I lived in Melbourne for a while too - I love going for dinner at St Kilda beach - and then I grew up in Adelaide

Now that’s a place that has some beautiful beaches.

It does but then again, the whole coast of Australia is beautiful. At least once a year my family will get a house in Middleton – which is on the coast in South Australia – and spend time at the beach together. The whole family will come, my cousins, my aunties and uncles, my brother, my mum will all travel down and spend some time. We’re a beachy family.

What is it about the beach that you enjoy most?

It just makes you so happy. Everyone has those times where you go, “You know what, this day felt less than average.” But then you go to the beach at the end of the day and something about it just cleanses you. Which sounds really hippy, but it’s true.

Do you prefer surf or harbour beaches?

I’ll take every kind of beach! Surf beaches are nice but then I love stand-up paddle-boarding, so I also enjoy going to places with calmer waters.

What’s always in your beach bag?

Sunscreen. My mum is the sunscreen bible and she drilled into me from a very young age that sunscreen is everything. Mum just turned 50 and doesn’t have a wrinkle, so kudos mother. She puts it down to being very sun smart, so sunscreen is always in my bag. As well as a portable speaker to play music, water and my Sunnylife towel

If you were trapped on a desert island, what five things would you like to have with you?

A helicopter to get off the island! My head goes to a very practical place. I’m a worrier so my head went straight to, “What do you need on an island to make sure everyone survives, and you don’t have to eat each other? How do I take care of everyone in that situation?” So, I want to pack the mother hen things. Cans of food, lots of water, a fire starter so that people know where we are, a first aid kit. And then the helicopter to make sure we can get back home. Although I wish I had the catalogue for Sunnylife in front of me right now because I know I’d be, “Plus I need this and this and this!”