Jervis Bay | A Natural Wonderland
Fact one: Jervis Bay is nine times bigger than Sydney Harbour. Fact two: Jervis Bay is the deepest bay in Australia. Fact three: Jervis Bay has 20km of pristine, white-sanded beaches curving around its shores. And, except for during a few busy weeks in summer, there's hardly anyone on them.
As a born and bred Sydneysider, I am ashamed to say that I have only had of visiting Jervis Bay once in my life. I can’t quite believe it took 27 years for me give in to all the hype. Home to some of the whitest sand beaches in the world and gentle crystalline waters, Jervis Bay is one of Australia’s most popular seaside destinations. The locals say the sand here is the whitest in the world. One man we spoke to said, "replace the eucalyptus with palms and you could be in the Maldives".
Nestled in the Shoalhaven region of the south coast of New South Wales, just 200km south of Sydney, Jervis Bay’s 102 square km of water are fringed with national parks and crowded with dolphins. Its underwater creatures are among the luckiest in Australia — they live in a marine park, where fishing is illegal. Whether you're paddling, snorkeling or lazing on the beach, you're bound to meet dolphins, rays, weedy sea dragons, Port Jackson sharks, fish and, from late autumn, whales.
WHERE TO STAY
We spent a summer weekend getaway at Worrowing Estate, a historic 250-acre coastal farm property with intimate secluded cottages minutes away from the pristine white sand beaches, rugged bushland and charming seaside villages of Jervis Bay. The Estate features a homestead with a formal gardens, paddocks, rolling hills, tall tree stands, dams, bushland and neighbouring national parks teeming with local wildlife; kangaroos, wallabies, possums, wombats, echidnas, and many rare bird and animals species. Our ‘Wilderness Hut’ was tranquil and romantic; it was everything we could have wanted for a weekend to ourselves.
WHAT TO DO
Our primary goal for this weekend was to spend as much time as possible laying on a towel, basking in the sunshine and swimming these turquoise waters. We visited remote beaches and got up-close with a variety of friendly Australian wildlife. The many bay and ocean beaches, lagoons, secret coves and hidden creeks are perfect for swimming, kayaking, boating, fishing, and stand up paddle boarding.
We spent part of the weekend at Hyams Beach admiring the unique colours of the sand, and then we discovered Murrays Beach inside Booderee National Park (which is inside Jervis Bay), which faces north towards Bowen Island and the other side of the bay. We had the entire beach to ourselves, which was quite a surreal experience.
If you’re planning a more active weekend, there are walks a-plenty. For a gentle stroll, take the White Sands Walk and Scribbly Gum Track, a 2.5-km loop, taking in Hyams, Greenfields and Seamans Beaches. More strenuous adventures are to be had in Booderee National Park, which stretches across Jervis Bay's southern headland. Hit Cape St George Lighthouse for dizzying cliffs, diving sea eagles and tragic sailors' tales.
Jervis Bay is also one of the best places in Australia to witness whales on their annual migrations. You can catch a glimpse of the humpbacks and southern right whales both offshore and inside the calmer waters of the bay from June through to November. You can also do a 90-minute Dolphin Watch Cruise, but be warned it is typically jostling with tourists hoping to encounter the bays 120 resident dolphins.
