Jervis Bay

The bay that's home to Hyams Beach, said to have the world's whitest sand, with resident wild dolphins, beaches and camping in Booderee National Park, and whale watching in winter.

Jervis Bay is on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia, about 180 km south of Sydney (a 2.5–3 hour drive). It is a large, almost enclosed bay, its entrance guarded by the Beecroft Peninsula to the north and the Bherwerre Peninsula to the south. The western shore belongs to the City of Shoalhaven, with Huskisson and Vincentia the main bases; Booderee National Park and Jervis Bay Village on the southern shore are part of the Commonwealth-administered Jervis Bay Territory, jointly managed with the local Aboriginal community. The bay is famous for its fine white quartz sand, and Hyams Beach has been called the whitest beach in the world. The entire bay is a marine park, home to around 100 resident bottlenose dolphins, and humpback whales pass the bay entrance on their migration from May to November. Highlights: walking and swimming at Hyams Beach and on the White Sands Walk; Cave Beach, Murrays Beach, Green Patch campground and the Cape St George Lighthouse ruins in Booderee National Park; dolphin- and whale-watching cruises, snorkeling and diving from Huskisson; and on the northern shore, Currarong plus Honeymoon Bay and Point Perpendicular Lighthouse on the Beecroft Peninsula (open on days when the firing range is open to the public). Inland day trips include Kangaroo Valley, Cambewarra Mountain and Fitzroy Falls, passing through the town of Berry. December–March is peak beach season, when accommodation and parking are tight on weekends and school holidays; winter brings whales and fewer crowds. Allow 2–4 days. Driving is the easiest way to get around, and a vehicle pass is required to enter Booderee.

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