Skin cancer is the most common type of human malignancy. Although there are significant efforts made to promote awareness of skin health and prevention methods, adherence is variable and skin cancer burden remains significant. We performed a cross sectional survey of beachgoers in Victoria, Australia to assess and quantify sunscreen usage (amount, frequency, SPF, factors influencing sunscreen use), knowledge of basic skin health (personal and family history of skin cancer, skin checks, source of sun safety knowledge), and the correlation between socioeconomic status (using postcode) and photoprotection. A total of 107 responses were received across 3 different beaches in Victoria during peak Australian summer. Overall, the survey demonstrated that 71.6% of respondents had used sunscreen that day, however almost half (46.1%) only wore sunscreen on sunny days. Moreover, 62.7% used less than the recommended sunscreen amount of 2.5ml on their face at any time. Importantly, the results demonstrated that there was a moderately correlation between socioeconomic status of residential suburbs and daily use of sunscreen (r=0.606, 95% CI 0.467-0.716) and use of sunscreen on the day of the survey (r=0.646, 95% CI 0.466-0.717). Further health promotion is necessary to increase sunscreen use and improve skin cancer prevention, particularly for those in lower socioeconomic areas.