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The most picturesque beaches in Jervis Bay

Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
This picturesque region boasts some of Australia’s best beaches.

The best Jervis Bay beaches have every aspect covered on our bucket (and spade) list: think white sands, turquoise-tinted waters, and vast swathes of bushland tumbling down to the sea. A visit to Jervis Bay wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of these spectacular spots.

In short

Booderee National Park holds great significance to the Traditional Owners of Jervis Bay. Set off on the Munyunga waraga dhugan loop walk to learn more about Indigenous heritage and culture.

Murrays Beach

Murrays Beach, Jervis Bay
Murrays Beach is sheltered by Bowen Island. (Image: Destination NSW)

You can’t camp directly on Murrays Beach, but you can camp nearby in Booderee National Park, which is jointly managed by Parks Australia and Wreck Bay Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community. Wake early, to the tune of birds singing soprano, so you can set off on the Munyunga waraga dhugan walking trail in the lilac pink of dawn. Learn about Indigenous culture and native flora and fauna along the 5.4-kilometre-long track which affords great opportunities to spot wildlife. Entry fees apply.

Greenfield Beach

Greenfield Beach, Jervis Bay
The stunning Greenfield Beach is perfect for beachside picnics. (Image: Destination NSW)

Close your eyes and imagine, if you will, the absolute best Jervis Bay beach day. There are children scampering toward the water. A few doughy tourists learning to paddleboard. And a bunch of old blokes in board shorts fishing off the beach. Walk down the timber boardwalk hemmed with native grasses and build a pillow of sand so you can stare at the horizon bathed in a golden light. The family-friendly Greenfield Beach has barbecues, picnic areas and wheelchair access.

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Honeymoon Bay

Honeymoon Bay, Jervis Bay from above
The pristine bay is exceptionally clear and vibrant blue. (Image: Jordan Robins)

When viewed from above, Honeymoon Bay resembles an opal, ringed with blues and golds that fade into a pearly white crescent of sand. It’s the perfect spot for swimming, but doesn’t have much chop for surfing. Honeymoon Bay is a popular place for proposals; scratch Marry Me into the sand with a stick and Instagram the whole thing, so you enshrine the story into your family’s mythology. Prefer to fly solo? Wander the shoreline at low tide to enjoy some quiet contemplation.

Cave Beach

a family exploring Cave Beach, Jervis Bay
The rugged cliffs make for a dramatic backdrop. (Image: Dee Kramer)

Aussie surfers love Cave Beach. The remote beauty of the place makes it a magnet for intermediate wave riders who like to avoid the crowds. The beach is protected by pillars of rock that are pockmarked with caves that yawn open to the elements. There’s a camping area on a grassy knoll some 300 metres from the car park, but all equipment must be schlepped in. The rugged cliffs make for a dramatic backdrop and provide nesting areas for seabirds.

Green Patch Beach

Green Patch Beach, Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay
Swim or snorkel in the calm waters. (Image: Discover Jervis Bay)

If the Jervis Bay beaches were themed Green Patch Beach would be in the Convivial category. The beach has a campground that seems to attract families due to its calm conditions and powdery soft sand. Cue the vigorous applause when you arrive at this beach, which is also popular with folks who want a leisurely swim or snorkel without big waves. The Jervis Bay beach is an easy escape from Sydney and a recommended location for scuba diving.

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Hole in the Wall Beach

My father-in-law’s advice is always sapiential when it comes to recommending under-the-radar beaches. He lives in Canberra and he added a lot of emphasis when he recommended Hole in the Wall Beach to us as a serene spot to take the kids. Our insatiable curiosity led us to this hidden spot tucked away in Booderee National Park. Take a selfie near the sandstone rock wall with a hole in it at the northeastern end of the beach and then stay sprawled and daydreaming for the rest of the day.

Blenheim Beach

a couple walking along Blenheim Beach, Jervis Bay
Stroll along the scenic Blenheim Beach. (Image: Destination NSW)

Bookend your White Sands Walk in Jervis Bay with a swim in the blue-green waters off Blenheim Beach. It’s one of the best things to do in Jervis Bay. The beach is a short and secluded section of the walk, but it offers a bonafide bush-to-beach experience and some of the best snorkelling in the bay. You’ll want to hang around for a bit and have a snorkel; the crystal-clear waters off the beach are teeming with marine life.

Chinamans Beach

Don your polarised sunnies when you visit Chinamans Beach, as the white sands of this Jervis Bay beach can be blinding in the dazzling sunshine. Chinamans Beach is one of the most popular beaches in NSW as a backdrop for weddings. Make sure your beard is extravagantly groomed before photo bombing the wedding party. Check out the beach on Google Street Trekker. If unexpected weather is forecast, we recommend picking up a kilo of glossy black Jervis Bay mussels and going back to your crash pad.

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Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti has written across print and digital for Australian Traveller and International Traveller for more than a decade and has spent more than two decades finding excuses to eat well and travel far. A prestigious News Corp cadetship launched her career at The Cairns Post, before a stint at The Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald gave way to extended wanders through Canada, the US, Mexico, Central America, Asia and Europe. Carla was chief sub editor at delicious and has contributed to Good Food, Travel & Luxury, Explore Travel, Escape. While living in London, Carla was on staff at Condé Nast Traveller and The Sunday Times Travel desk and was part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK.
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Art, wine & fireplaces: 8 reasons Bowral is the ultimate winter getaway

(Credit: Destination NSW)

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    The Southern Highlands earns its title as Australia’s top country town in the cooler months, and it’s worth every minute of the 90-minute drive from Sydney.

    Many Sydneysiders head to the Southern Highlands in spring for the tulips. It’s one of the most stunning spring carnivals in Australia. But the ones in the know come to Bowral in winter.

    The first thing you notice at this time of year is the quality of the light. It catches the tangled limbs of the gums and tints the fields, farms and forests a pretty shade of Granny Smith green. And then, a world-class art museum, an impressive network of walking trails, great shops, cosy restaurants and bars and luxury accommodation take centre stage, making Bowral a place you want to linger as the mercury drops.

    Just 90 minutes south of Sydney, a Bowral winter getaway is the coolcation city folk desperately need. Here are eight reasons to pack a good coat and head for the Southern Highlands.

    1. Check in

    aerial of Ardour Milton Park Bowral in winter
    Check in to the gorgeous Ardour Milton Park Bowral. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ardour Milton Park Bowral rises like a hologram in the hazy green light as you turn onto Horderns Road. A $10 million refurbishment of the grand 1910 estate was completed in early 2026, and the beautifully restored hotel now includes 44 guest rooms washed in sage green, cobalt blue and dusty blush. The dining room at Horderns Restaurant continues with a botanical theme – earthy banquettes, floral touches throughout – and a menu that moves with the seasons.

    After enjoying slow-braised Cowra lamb and a second glass of red, move to the Polo Bar, which has a fireplace and views across the estate gardens. Build a grazing board from the dedicated Charcuterie Room and take it outside while the light lasts. If the sky clouds over, use this as your cue to enjoy a next-level spa experience at Èliva.

    2. Hunt for treasure

    couple exploring Dirty Janes bowral
    Find vintage treasures in Dirty Janes. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Winter is the perfect season to lose an afternoon inside Dirty Janes Bowral. Over 1600 square metres of covered space houses 90 individual sellers of everything from mid-century furniture to industrial lighting, antique silverware, vintage clothing and objects whose previous lives you can only imagine. Enjoy a bit of off-the-cuff banter with your fellow fossickers in between searching for that must-have military jacket or vintage silk scarf.

    Around the corner, find the Instagram-famous front door of FoundAntiques, though the real finds are deeper inside. Bring cash, wear comfortable shoes and leave some room in the boot.

    3. Slow down in a beautiful gallery

    kids posing with donald bradman statue in bowral's The Bradman Museum
    Learn about an Aussie legend at The Bradman Museum. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ngununggula – meaning ’belonging’ in the language of the Gundungurra First Nations people – is the region’s first dedicated regional gallery, housed inside the sustainably transformed old dairy building at historic Retford Park. The onsite White Cottage Gallery and restored grounds of the former Fairfax estate reward a slow wander. Find a spot to sit in the courtyard filled with rivulets of winter light and enjoy the plaintive call of a currawong carrying across the heritage-listed grounds. It’s one of the best things to do in Bowral.

    Add Bowral Honey Farm for a hands-on harvest experience, then continue into town to the Milk Factory Gallery to admire eclectic works by local artists in a converted industrial space. The Bradman Museum also knocks it out of the park. Australia’s largest dedicated cricket museum sits beside the heritage-listed Bradman Oval, where a young Sir Donald Bradman first picked up a bat.

    4. A taste of France

    table spread at Lucette bowral
    Enjoy a taste of France at Lucette.

    For a taste of France without the airfare, husband-and-wife team Julien and Romy Besnard – of long-loved Franquette Crêperie – have opened Lucette, a French cafe-bistro with Paris-born chef Guillaume Dubois at the helm. Dubois brings serious pedigree from Michelin-starred kitchens in France and Sydney’s former two-hatted Monopole, and it shows. Start your day with pastries for breakfast and bookend it with boeuf bourguignon for dinner. The chocolate mousse, freckled with Guerande Salt, is the kind of dish that will make you feel smug about the decision to drive south. Join the Sydneysiders dressed in charcoal coats, boots and black tights who’ve already worked this out; the whole scene is worthy of splicing it into an Instagram reel.

    Francophiles should also be across Julien’s Bowral Brasserie – led by Frenchman Julien Viel, who also found his way to the Southern Highlands and stayed.

    5. Indulge in a tipple

    Centennial Vineyards bowral in winter
    Spend time amongst the local vines. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    The drive to Centennial Vineyards passes through a beautiful woodland idyll, the countryside a fuzz of green all around. Inside the Barrel Room, a tasting flight of cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay and reserve shiraz viognier flaunts how well the Southern Highlands does winter.

    This is a region that takes its cool-climate wines seriously, and the pinot noir is one of the stars – a gentle, easy-drinking style with red cherry aromas. Follow your tutored cellar door tasting with another glass of wine in the Terrace Bar, which overlooks the vineyard and manicured grounds.

    6. Blend your own gin

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar
    Pop into Millsheds Distillery & Bar. (Credit: Mattia Panunzio)

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar is somewhat of a local secret. The award-winning small-batch operation produces gin, vodka and liqueurs using Australian botanicals and has picked up silver medals at both the London Spirits Competition and International Wine & Spirit Competition. Beyond the tasting paddle, the hands-on blending masterclass – where you design and leave with two bottles of your own custom gin – is the experience to book, while the terrace bar that wraps around the courtyard is a fine place to settle in afterwards.

    7. Go for a walk at dawn

    Switch your phone off sleep mode and set your alarm to early. Mt Gibraltar rises to 864 metres just east of Bowral’s main street and offers the best views in town. You will pass a raggle-taggle bunch of hikers on the way up to the summit, all making the same quiet pilgrimage into the crisp high-altitude air. On a clear morning, the bony ridges of the ranges come into sharp relief against the light. The return loop takes roughly 90 minutes. A flat white in Bowral tastes considerably better after completing one of the scenic walking trails.

    8. Cosy up by the fireplace

    Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel
    Get cosy in the Berida Hotel’s whiskey bar.

    A cosy bar is the perfect complement to winter in Bowral, and there are a few worth committing to. Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel is built for long, languorous evenings. Take a seat beside the fireplace laden with gnarled logs and work your way through a few whiskies and bar bites like Rangers Valley beef tartare, or salt cod and potato croquettes.

    At Hickory’s within Peppers Craigieburn, well-dressed waiters in denim and leather move quietly between tables, and the cosy fireplace in the adjoining guest lounge attracts an Escape to the Country crowd.

    Start planning your Bowral escape at visitsouthernhighlands.com.au.