These worms on the beach can grow upto 300 cm long

So, what exactly are beach worms?

Beach worms—long, wriggly marine creatures—live just below the surface of the sand where the ocean kisses the shore. Most of the time, they stay hidden. But if you drop a bit of stinky bait like fish or prawns nearby, you might spot their little heads peeking out, sniffing around for food.

They belong to the same broad family as earthworms and leeches (don’t worry, they’re way less gross than that sounds), and some of them can grow up to three metres or 300 cm long, according to the Australian Museum. Still, most are much smaller and honestly kind of cool to watch once you spot one.

 

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You’ll mostly find these worms wriggling around under the sand along Australia’s eastern and southern coastlines—from sunny Queensland right down to South Australia. They like energetic, wave-filled beaches where the sand stays damp and easy to burrow into. The intertidal zone—where the waves wash in and out—is their sweet spot.

If you’re ever wandering near the water’s edge at low tide and the sand is squishy underfoot, you’re probably walking right over a few of them.

Are they dangerous? Do they bite?

Nope. They’re totally harmless to humans. Beach worms don’t bite, sting, or poison anyone. That said, like many marine worms, they do have tiny bristles along their sides, so if you grab one barehanded and it wriggles a lot, you might feel a little scratchiness. Nothing to worry about though—if anything, it’s just a reminder that they’re better off being handled gently.

Why do people catch them?

Here’s where beach worms really get noticed: fishing. They’re considered top-tier bait for surf fishing—especially if you’re after fish like whiting, bream, or mulloway. But catching beach worms isn’t easy. It takes patience and a bit of know-how. Fishers lure them up with smelly bait, then, just as the worm pokes out to investigate, they grab it quickly behind the head. Miss your moment, and it’s gone in a flash.

Because they’re so tricky to catch, some fishers actually get a bit of a thrill from it. It’s almost like a sport in itself.

Having said that, these worms are more than bait. These worms help clean up the beach by feeding on decaying matter and organic gunk in the sand. In doing so, they help recycle nutrients and keep the ecosystem ticking over.

And let’s not forget: loads of other creatures eat them too. Birds, fish, even other worms. So the beach worm might seem small and humble, but it’s kind of a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

If you ever want to try catching a few yourself, it’s best to check local guidelines and only take what you need. Better still, just watch them do their thing—it’s oddly satisfying.