Booderee National Park: Complete Visitor Guide

The Wild Side of Jervis Bay

Booderee National Park occupies the entire southern headland of Jervis Bay, and it’s a fundamentally different experience from the towns and beaches on the northern shore. This is proper bushland, Aboriginal-managed country, and home to some of the most spectacular coastline in NSW.

The name “Booderee” means “bay of plenty” in the Dhurga language, and the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community has co-managed this park with Parks Australia since 1995. That partnership shows — the park is beautifully maintained, the cultural interpretation is genuine, and the land feels looked after in a way that goes beyond mowing grass and emptying bins.

If you only visit Huskisson and Hyams Beach, you’re seeing half of Jervis Bay. Booderee is the other half, and for many visitors, it ends up being the highlight. For beaches outside the park, see our full beach guide.

Entry Fee and Passes

Booderee is a Commonwealth national park, so your NSW National Parks pass doesn’t work here. Entry is $13 per vehicle per day, paid at the gate or online.

If you’re staying in the area for a while or planning return trips, the annual pass ($40 per vehicle) pays for itself after three visits. The pass also covers Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta if you’re on a broader Australian road trip.

Keep your receipt — you can exit and re-enter on the same day without paying again. The gates are staffed during peak hours; outside those times there are self-service payment stations.

Key Attractions

Murrays Beach

The jewel of Booderee. A small horseshoe cove with absurdly clear water, rocky headlands, and no development visible from the sand. The snorkelling off the southern rocks is some of the best on the NSW coast — blue groper, cuttlefish, and enormous schools of bream are regulars. See our snorkelling guide for more on what to expect underwater. The 400-metre walk from the car park through coastal bush is part of the experience.

Arrive before 10am on summer weekends. The car park is small and once it’s full, it’s full.

Cave Beach

Booderee’s ocean beach. Unlike the calm bay beaches, Cave Beach faces the open Tasman Sea, so expect proper surf. The sand is coarser, the waves are real, and sea caves at the southern end reward exploration at low tide.

It’s a beautiful, wild beach — but swim with confidence here. There’s no patrol. The adjacent campground (Cave Beach camping area) means you can have the beach practically to yourself at dawn if you’re staying overnight.

Green Patch

The most popular camping area in Booderee, and for good reason — it’s right on the bay with calm, crystal-clear water perfect for families. Even if you’re not camping, Green Patch beach is worth a stop. The water is shallow, warm, and sheltered. Kangaroos graze on the grass behind the beach in the late afternoon, apparently unbothered by tents and picnic blankets.

Booderee Botanic Gardens

Tucked into a valley of rainforest at the southern end of the park, the botanic gardens are an underrated gem. The focus is on native plants from the region, with walking trails winding through rainforest, heathland, and wetland habitats.

The bush tucker trail is excellent — interpretive signs explain how Aboriginal people have used native plants for food, medicine, and tools for thousands of years. There’s a small lake, picnic facilities, and a quiet beauty that’s entirely different from the beaches.

Entry is free with your park pass. Allow an hour or two.

Hole in the Wall

A natural rock arch carved by coastal erosion, framing the ocean behind it. It’s about 2 kilometres from the car park along a walking trail with cliff-top views. The beach below is pebbly rather than sandy, and the formation itself is best photographed at sunrise or sunset when the light comes through the arch.

St Georges Head and Governor Head

The twin headlands at the southern entrance to Jervis Bay. Walking trails lead to cliff-top lookouts with views back across the bay and out to the open ocean. During whale season (May to November), these are some of the best land-based whale-watching spots on the South Coast — see our whale watching guide for season timing and cruise options.

Walking Tracks

Booderee has a network of trails covering coastal heath, eucalypt forest, and rainforest gullies. Most are well-maintained and clearly signed.

White Sands Walk (4.5km return, 1.5-2 hours, easy-moderate) is the standout — a coastal track through banksia woodland that connects Greenfield Beach to Hyams Beach via several pristine coves. The views along this walk are extraordinary. See our detailed hiking guide for all eight of the best walks around the bay.

Scribbly Gum Track (1.2km loop, 30 minutes, easy) is a gentle nature walk through a forest of — you guessed it — scribbly gums, those eucalypts with distinctive insect-scribed patterns on their bark.

Cave Beach to Bherwerre Beach (2km one way, moderate) takes you along the ocean coastline between two beach environments. Expect wind, views, and solitude.

Botanic Gardens trails (various, 30 minutes to 2 hours, easy) loop through different plant communities. The rainforest walk is the highlight.

Wildlife

Booderee is one of the best places in the Jervis Bay area for wildlife encounters, largely because the national park protects habitat that’s been cleared or developed elsewhere.

During the Day

Eastern grey kangaroos are everywhere, particularly around Green Patch and the open grassy areas near campgrounds. They’re used to people but remain wild — don’t feed them or approach mothers with joeys.

Sulphur-crested cockatoos will make their presence known. They’re loud, cheeky, and will absolutely raid your campsite if food is left unattended. King parrots, rosellas, and kookaburras are also common. Bring binoculars and you’ll spot sea eagles, ospreys, and occasionally a wedge-tailed eagle riding the thermals above the headlands.

Lace monitors (large goanna lizards, up to 1.5 metres) patrol the campgrounds looking for scraps. They’re harmless but startle easily — and they can climb trees faster than you’d believe.

After Dark

The night is when Booderee really comes alive. Common brushtail possums visit campsites after sunset — you’ll hear them thumping around on tent roofs and scavenging. Sugar gliders can sometimes be spotted launching between trees if you bring a torch and some patience.

The campground spotlight effect — where a head torch reveals dozens of glowing eyes in the surrounding bush — is a rite of passage for kids (and most adults).

Camping in Booderee

Booderee has three campgrounds:

• Green Patch — the most popular, right on the bay. Sheltered, family-friendly, with facilities.
• Bristol Point — smaller, quieter, also on the bay.
• Cave Beach — on the ocean side. More exposed, more adventurous.

The Ballot System

Here’s the thing that catches most people out: Booderee camping during peak periods operates on a ballot system. You don’t just book a site — you enter a lottery.

The ballot opens roughly four months before each peak period (school holidays, long weekends). You submit your preferred dates and campground, and successful applicants are drawn at random. Results are emailed, and you then need to confirm and pay.

Outside peak periods, bookings open on a first-come, first-served basis through the Parks Australia website. Shoulder season (March-May, September-November) is much easier to snag, and honestly, the weather is often better than the chaos of January.

Tips for the ballot:

• Set a reminder for when the ballot opens — it’s announced on the Booderee website and social media
• Be flexible with dates. Midweek blocks are easier to get than full-week bookings over Christmas
• If you miss out, check the website for cancellations in the weeks before your preferred dates
• Have a backup plan — holiday parks around Jervis Bay are a solid alternative. See our complete camping guide for holiday park options and tips on winning the ballot

Campground Facilities

All three campgrounds have toilets, cold showers (sometimes lukewarm on a good day), and fire rings. Green Patch and Bristol Point have gas barbecues. There are no powered sites — this is camping, not glamping.

Bring your own drinking water, firewood (if fires are permitted — check current fire restrictions), and all food. The nearest shops are in Vincentia or Huskisson, a 15 to 20 minute drive.

Food storage is critical. Cockatoos and goannas will get into anything left out. Use sealed containers and keep everything in your car or tent when you’re away from the site.

When to Visit

Summer (December-February): Warm, busy, beautiful. The water is perfect for swimming. Expect crowds at beaches and competition for camping spots (ballot required for holidays).

Autumn (March-May): The sweet spot. Warm enough for swimming in March and April, crowds drop off dramatically, and the bush starts putting on autumn colour. Camping is easier to book.

Winter (June-August): Quiet, cool, and often clear. Whale watching from the headlands is excellent. The botanic gardens are lush. Camping is cold at night but peaceful.

Spring (September-November): Wildflower season. The heathland erupts with colour — banksias, waratahs, boronias. Whale migration continues through October. Water warms up from September onwards.

Practical Information

Getting there: Booderee is accessed via Jervis Bay Road, south of Vincentia. The entry gate is about 5 minutes past Vincentia. Roads inside the park are sealed but single-lane in places.

Mobile reception: Patchy to non-existent in most of the park. Download offline maps before you arrive.

Dogs: Not permitted anywhere in the park. This is non-negotiable — Booderee protects sensitive wildlife habitats.

Fires: Subject to seasonal fire bans. Check the NSW Rural Fire Service website and signs at the entry gate. During total fire bans, no fires of any kind, including gas stoves in some cases.

Fuel: None available in the park. Fill up in Vincentia or Huskisson before entering.

Booderee isn’t just a national park bolted onto the side of a tourist town. It’s the ecological heart of Jervis Bay — the reason the water is so clear, the dolphins are so healthy, and the bush still thrums with wildlife. Pay the entry fee, slow down, and give it the time it deserves. Two or three hours barely scratches the surface.