Jervis Bay offers some of the finest coastal scenery in the Shoalhaven and much of it is protected in national park, marine national park and restricted Commonwealth lands. The bay is dotted with small holiday-orientated villages such as Currarong, Callala Bay, Huskisson, Vincentia and Hyams Beach (which reportedly has the whitest beach sand in the world) where a variety of accommodation can be found. Camping is also popular in the area especially at Honeymoon Bay near Currarong and Greenpatch in Booderre NP, though most designated areas are often booked out during school holiday periods. Northern Jervis Bay 6 walks. Southern Jervis Bay 9 walks

Use 1:25,000 topographic maps

Northern Jervis Bay
These walks are accessed from the Currarong Road. Take the Greenwell Point Rd east out of southern Nowra and then follow the signs to Currarong.

Southern Jervis Bay

The walks are accessed from the Jervis Bay Rd., approximately 12km south of Nowra on the Princes Highway.

7. Huskisson - Mangrove / Blackbutt walk, easy grade 1.5 km easy grade. Commences at the Lady Denman Museum car park at the end of Dean St., Huskisson. This short walk passes through saltmarsh, mangroves, a small estuary (Currambene Ck.) and some beautiful tall eucalypt forest (Spotted Gum, Grey Gum, Blackbutt and Bangalay). The forest was burnt out in 2002 and even parts of the mangrove boardwalk were destroyed. The area has recovered well from the wildfires and birdlife is prolific. Birds found here include Whimbrel, Grey-tailed Tattler, Sooty and Pied Oystercatcher, Striated Heron, Spotted Pardalote, White-naped Honeyeater, Musk Lorikeet. There is a fine museum here centred on the large ferry Lady Denman, which is also worth having a look through.

8. Hyams Beach to Plantation Point, easy to moderate grade, 6km return. Proceed along the Jervis Bay Rd. until you see the turnoff to Hyams Beach. Pull over and explore the heathland around this intersection; Eastern Bristlebird, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater and Southern Emu-wren can be found around here. Proceed into Hyams Beach and turn left (north) into Cyrus St. Drive to the end of this and park in the Jervis Bay National Park carpark. The walk heads north along the White Sands track to Greenfields Beach and passes through coastal heath and woodland which contains a large diversity of wildflowers and small birds. The passes two lookouts over the bay and eventually a picnic ground and car park at Greenfields Beach. From the track continues north out of the national park into a council reserve. It follows the headland through natural and disturbed woodland to eventually reach Plantation Point at Voncentia which has a fine tidal rock platformn. Return to car the same way or alternatively detouring along beaches where possible. Excellent scenery and a diversity of habitat make this a great birding walk. Birds may include White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Whistling Kite, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Variegated Fairy-wren, Eastern Yellow Robin, New Holland Honeyeater, Satin Bowerbird, Ruddy Turnstone, Eastern Reef Egret, Sooty Oystercatcher.

9. Booderee National Park - Note there is an entry fee to Booderee NP. Maps of the road and track network are available at the information centre at the park entrance - Greenpatch, the most popular camping area in the park, book well in advance to avoid disappointment, especially in summer and autumn. There are several walks radiating out of the picnic area at Greenpatch. The shortest one, of around 1km return, goes through some fine tall forest to Bristol Point camping area and returns along the beach front (best at low tide). There are boardwalks over a couple of creeks and usually plenty of birds around including King Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Rainbow and Musk Lorikeets, New Holland Honeyeater, Eastern Spinebill. This track is also good spotlighting at night with Greater Glider and Ringtail Possum and Brush-tailed Possum often observed. I have had Powerful Owl a few times here and Tawny Frogmouth.

10. Booderee National Park - Telegraph Creek, 2.5km loop, easy grade. Traverses a wide range of forest, woodland, heath environments and delightful creek crossings. A broad range of species are often recorded including Southern Emu-wren, Eastern Bristlebird, Noisy Friarbird, Brown-headed Honeyeater, Little and Red Wattlebirds and the occasional raptor overhead. Highly recommended.

11. Booderee National Park - St. George Lighthouse, off the Stony Creek Rd. The is the easiest spot in Australia to find Eastern Bristlebird. This rare and often quite difficult bird is easily observed in the car park here, where they bravely wander out from the heath to eat dead insects on and around the parked cars. A variety of seabirds can be observed from the cliffs in windy weather, and whales are possible during spring and autumn. It's a brief stroll from the car park. The history surrounding the now ruined lighthouse (which was built on the wrong headland) is fascinating and provides an interesting perspective to colonial thinking. Additionally you can drive/walk south of the car park to Stony Creek and the real Cape St. George through coastal heath and woodland, where I have observed Brush Bronzewing, Tawny-crowned Honeyeater and Spotted Quail-thrush amongst others.

12. Booderee National Park - Cave & Bhrewerre Beaches, 500m and 800m from the car park at the end of Cave Beach Rd. and as many kilometres as you like along Bhrewerre Beach (up to 14km return). Cave Beach is popular for swimming (not patrolled) and there is a walk in camp ground. Bhrewerre is one of my favourite beaches (second only to Port Kembla beach), and I have spent many hours over the years wandering its wind-swept and isolated length. Although Cave Beach is popular, Bhrewerre is usually deserted. The beach is sometimes home to a party of Hooded Plovers, though you often have to walk several kilometres before encountering them. Pied Oystercatcher and Double-banded Plover also occur here, while Swamp Harrier, White-bellied Sea-Eagle, Australian Raven and Ruddy Turnstone are other regulars. Seabirds are common, and this beach has turned up some interesting recoveries over the years. During summer, Short-tailed and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, along with Pomarine Jaeger are often observed just behind the breaking surf. In winter these are replaced by Fluttering and Hutton's Shearwaters, Fairy Prions and Black-browed Albatross. Fairy Penguin (which breed on Bowen Island in Jervis Bay) can sometimes be found here. On the track from the car park you pass through woodland and Ryans Swamp, which is a shallow lagoon where Purple Swamphen, Great Egret and Pacific Black Duck can sometimes be found. On you way back along the beach you may notice the vehicular track (fire trail) that enters the beach south of the walking track. This will provide you with an alternative (2km) route back to the carpark through heath and woodland, I have observed Eastern Bristlebird, Southern Emu-wren, Olive-backed Oriole, eastern Whipbird and Rose Robin here.

13. Booderee National Park - Lake McKenzie. This area doubles as an annex to the national botanic gardens. There are numerous short walks here through a wide variety of habitat and it's a great place for lunch. The can attract a diverse range of waterfowl including Musk Duck, Chestnut Teal, Hardhead (White-eyed Duck) and in drought times, Freckled Duck. I recommend the walk around the lake, which passes through an interesting section of remnant coastal rainforest and tall moist forest.

14. Murray's Beach and Governors Head, 6km loop, easy to moderate grade, through heath with prominent views of the ocean, 100m+ cliff faces and the bay. This walk is primarily through heath and apart from the stunning views is excellent for Tawny-crowned, White-eared and White-cheeked Honeyeaters and Southern Emu-wren. If you only wish to walk from the car park at Murray's Beach to Governors Head, its about 2km return.

15. Steamers Beach section - The southern section of the NP contains a wide selection of excellent walking tracks if you're staying in the area for a couple of days. A 14.5km loop takes you to many secluded beaches and rocky cliffs - details area available at the information centre at the park entrance. Shorter walks from the car park include; Steamers Beach car park is the starting point for walks to Steamers Beach (4.5km return), Brooks Lookout (6.5km return), Black's Waterhole (6.5 km return). All these walks are predominately through forest and tall forest, but are well worth a look if your staying for a few days in the park.