Fewer Australian teenagers are willing to bake themselves in the hot sun for the sake of a tan compared to 10 years ago, a Cancer Council survey has found.

Getting a sun tan isn't as cool as it used it be among young Australians.

Only 38 per cent of teenagers are willing to bake themselves in the hot sun - compared to 60 per cent a decade ago, according to the Cancer Council's National Sun Protection Survey.

"It's wonderful to see teens understanding that a tan isn't the hallmark of health it was once made out to be," council CEO Ian Olver said.

"However, while most don't actively seek a tan, we do want them to actively protect themselves."

Professor Olver said adolescents continued to underestimate their risk of getting skin cancer, with one in two rating their chances of developing the disease as "low".

Around 23 per cent of those aged between 12 and 17 still get sunburnt on summer weekends, which has changed little since 2004.

Sixteen per cent believe a suntanned person is more healthy.

More than 1000 youngsters were interviewed over the 2013/2014 summer for the survey.