Who needs Hawaii when you've got Sydney? A VERY casual Scott Morrison hits one of Australia's most popular beaches for a swim with his daughters on Boxing Day

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Scott Morrison has been spotted at the beach just days after returning home from his controversial trip to Hawaii. 

The prime minister enjoyed a day out at Sydney's Bronte Beach on Boxing Day with his mother Marion and two daughters, Lily and Abbey. 

Mr Morrison, wearing charcoal-black budgie smugglers, took a dip in the water before returning to his family on the sand.   

Scott Morrison stepped out of the office and into budgie smugglers for a day out with his mother and daughters at Bronte beach 

The Australian prime minister is seen gazing ahead after enjoying a dip at the popular beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs

The outing follows criticism over Mr Morrison's decision to leave Australia for a family vacation as his country battles one of its worst bushfire seasons on record. 

The prime minister spent this week in damage control, apologising for 'any offence' caused by his trip away. 

Mr Morrison touched down in Sydney on Saturday evening and returned to work the next day, admitting the timing of his holiday wasn't ideal. 

'I apologise for that,' he said. 

At least 873 homes have been destroyed in NSW in the bushfire season to date, as well as almost 100 in South Australia and more than a dozen in Queensland.

Temperatures cooled to 27C in Sydney on Thursday, as the heatwave sweeping the country settled across NSW.

Seventy bush fires continue to rage across the state as of Boxing Day, with 30 uncontained.  

Mr Morrison, who is under fire for taking a family holiday to Hawaii during the bushfire crisis, took a swim before heading back to the sand to his daughters and his mother on Boxing Day

Australia's leader walked back to the sand, still covered in water droplets, after taking a dip amid 27C temperatures in Sydney