Jervis Bay

Jervis Bay is a deep, almost enclosed bay on the South Coast whose beaches are made of near-pure silica sand, so fine and white that it squeaks underfoot and turns the shallow water an improbable pale turquoise. Hyams Beach is the best known, though the same sand runs along many of the bay's beaches. The southern shore is Booderee National Park, jointly managed with the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community, with bushland, Aboriginal cultural sites, a botanic garden and coastal walks. A resident population of bottlenose dolphins lives in the bay and is the basis for cruises, and humpback whales pass close on migration between May and November.

History

Finds at Burrill Lake to the south show Aboriginal occupation going back 20,000 years, and in the Dhurga language the bay was Booderee, bay of plenty. James Cook sighted it on 25 April 1770 and named Cape St George, Lieutenant Richard Bowen of the Third Fleet transport Atlantic entered the bay in August 1791 and named it after Admiral John Jervis, and George Bass entered on 10 December 1797 and named Bowen Island. Alexander Berry's taking of land on the Shoalhaven drove the Aboriginal people out, and they were moved to Wreck Bay in 1822 (Wikipedia, Jervis Bay).

What you'll find

• The white beaches - silica sand and turquoise shallows at Hyams and beyond.
• Booderee National Park - jointly managed bushland, coast and cultural sites.
• The resident dolphins - bottlenose pods seen on bay cruises.
• The whale migration - humpbacks passing between May and November.

When to go

September to May for swimming and boat trips; the water is cold outside summer. Whales pass from May to November. January and Easter fill the area completely, with accommodation booked months out and Hyams Beach car parks closing when full.

Good to know

Hyams Beach has become so popular that the small village restricts access at peak times and locals have pushed back against the crowds. Booderee charges vehicle entry separately from other parks. Accommodation is expensive and scarce in summer, and there is little public transport.

Nearby

Huskisson is the main village; Murramarang and Ulladulla lie south along the coast.

Key facts