Beach Energy, formerly Beach Petroleum, was established in the early 1960s by the late Dr. Reg Sprigg, a highly regarded Australian oilman, geologist, explorer and conservationist. Prior to founding Beach, Dr. Sprigg acted as technical advisor to Santos Limited, now one of Australia's largest oil and gas companies. Dr. Sprigg was instrumental in focusing Santos' early exploration efforts on the Cooper Basin of central Australia, now Australia's largest onshore petroleum producing region. The company's assets grew steadily through the 1960s, 70s and early 80s, by which time it held a broad range of promising exploration and production tenements, extensive cash reserves, plus a long term revenue base from its recent oil and gas discoveries.

Beach's pioneering exploration in the Otway Basin of south-eastern Australia resulted in significant discoveries of commercial gas at Port Campbell in 1979.

In the early 1980s it made oil discoveries at Jackson, Bodalla South and Kenmore in south-western Queensland.

A takeover by the Independent Resources Group in the mid 1980s resulted in a severe depletion of the Company's cash and assets.

With the election of a new Board in the 1990s, the Company has returned its focus to its traditional role as oil and gas explorer.

Beach now has what the Board regards as a comprehensive and exciting portfolio of exploration and production tenements.