Hiking in Jervis Bay: 8 Best Walks
Walking the Jervis Bay Coastline
Jervis Bay isn’t just a drive-in, park-at-the-beach destination. Some of the best experiences here involve lacing up your shoes and following a trail through coastal bush, along clifftops, or between hidden coves that you’d never find from the road.
The terrain is varied — flat foreshore paths, undulating heathland tracks, and a few properly steep headland climbs. Most trails are well-maintained and clearly signed, particularly inside Booderee National Park. See our Booderee National Park visitor guide for entry fees, facilities, and other things to do in the park.
Here are eight walks around Jervis Bay, ranked roughly from easiest to most challenging.
1. Callala Bay Foreshore Walk
Distance: 2.5km one way | Time: 45 minutes-1 hour | Difficulty: Easy
This is the walk you do with a coffee in hand. A flat, paved shared path follows the Callala Bay foreshore along the northern shore of Jervis Bay. Views across the water to the southern headlands, calm lapping water beside you, and morning light that makes the sand glow.
Start at the Callala Bay boat ramp and walk east towards Callala Beach. The path is flat enough for prams and wheelchairs along most of its length. There’s a playground at the Callala Beach end and a small park with picnic tables — good turnaround point.
Highlights: Sunrise views across the bay. Dolphins occasionally spotted from the path. Completely flat and accessible.
Tips: Morning is best — the light hits the bay beautifully and the path is quiet before the afternoon dog walkers arrive.
2. Murrays Beach Boardwalk and Loop
Distance: 1.5km loop | Time: 30-45 minutes | Difficulty: Easy
Inside Booderee National Park ($13 vehicle entry), the Murrays Beach trail starts at the car park and winds through paperbark and banksia forest to one of the most beautiful beaches in NSW.
A boardwalk section crosses wetland habitat, then the trail opens to views of the horseshoe cove. The water colour here — turquoise grading to deep blue — is genuinely absurd. Do the loop trail that takes you to both ends of the beach for different perspectives.
Highlights: Arriving at Murrays Beach through the bush — the reveal is cinematic. Rock platforms at low tide. Excellent snorkelling in Jervis Bay if you’ve brought gear.
Tips: Combine this with a swim. Bring everything you need — there’s no kiosk. The car park fills by 10am on summer weekends.
3. Scribbly Gum Track
Distance: 1.2km loop | Time: 20-30 minutes | Difficulty: Easy
A short nature walk inside Booderee National Park that loops through a forest of scribbly gums — those eucalypts with distinctive squiggly patterns on their pale bark, created by moth larvae tunnelling beneath the surface.
Interpretive signs explain the ecology of the forest, including the fire-adapted plants that dominate the understorey. It’s flat, shaded, and a pleasant leg-stretcher if you’re driving between beaches.
Highlights: The patterns on the scribbly gum bark are genuinely fascinating once you start paying attention. Good birding — listen for whipbirds and look for fairy-wrens in the understorey.
Tips: Best combined with a visit to the Booderee Botanic Gardens, which are nearby. Quick enough to fit into a drive between beaches.
4. Hyams Beach Coastal Walk
Distance: 3km return | Time: 1-1.5 hours | Difficulty: Easy-moderate
Starting at the southern end of Hyams Beach, this track heads south along the coast through banksia woodland, with glimpses of turquoise water through the trees. You’ll pass a couple of small beaches that are often deserted — a world away from the crowds at the main beach.
The trail undulates gently with a few short climbs but nothing strenuous. It connects through to the broader Booderee track network, so you can extend the walk if you want more distance.
Highlights: Finding empty beaches a short walk from one of the busiest spots in Jervis Bay. Banksias in flower attract honeyeaters and lorikeets. Views back towards Hyams Beach are postcard-perfect.
Tips: Start this walk from Hyams Beach rather than driving to a trailhead — it gets you past the crowds immediately. Morning light is best for photography along this section of coast.
5. White Sands Walk
Distance: 4.5km one way (or 7km loop) | Time: 2-3 hours | Difficulty: Moderate
The signature walk of the Jervis Bay area. The White Sands Walk connects Greenfield Beach to Hyams Beach along a coastal trail that passes through banksia woodland, crosses paperbark creeks, and delivers views over several of the bay’s most pristine beaches.
The full one-way walk from Greenfield to Hyams is 4.5 kilometres, but most people arrange a car shuttle or walk as far as suits them and turn back. There’s an inland loop option that brings the total to about 7 kilometres.
The trail is mostly flat with some short climbs and descents to beach level. Sections can be sandy, which slows you down a bit. Signage is clear throughout.
Highlights: This walk captures the essence of Jervis Bay — white sand, impossibly clear water, coastal bush, and the sound of bellbirds in the canopy. The secluded beaches along the way (Blenheim Beach, Seamans Beach) are often deserted, even when Hyams is packed. See our beach guide for more on each beach along the route.
Tips: Walk south to north (Greenfield to Hyams) so you finish at the cafes and parking in Hyams Beach village. Bring water — there’s no source along the track. The loop option through the inland section adds variety with a different forest type. Allow the full 3 hours to enjoy it properly rather than rushing between beaches.
6. Cave Beach to Bherwerre Beach
Distance: 4km return | Time: 1.5-2 hours | Difficulty: Moderate
An ocean-side walk inside Booderee National Park that links Cave Beach (the park’s surf beach) to the more remote Bherwerre Beach. The trail follows the coastline through low coastal scrub with views of the Tasman Sea.
This coast feels properly wild. Waves crash against rocky platforms, the wind picks up away from the sheltered bay, and on a big swell day the ocean energy is palpable. The contrast with the calm bay beaches just a few kilometres away is striking.
Bherwerre Beach itself is a long, often-deserted stretch of sand backed by dense bush. Good for beachcombing — shells, driftwood, and the occasional cuttlefish bone.
Highlights: The sea caves at the southern end of Cave Beach (accessible at low tide). The wild ocean coastline. Bherwerre Beach’s emptiness. Wedge-tailed eagles sometimes ride the thermals above the headland.
Tips: Check the tide before exploring the sea caves — they’re only accessible at low to mid tide. The trail is exposed with no shade, so hat, sunscreen, and water are essential. This walk can be windy — bring a layer.
7. St Georges Head Walk
Distance: 5km return | Time: 2-2.5 hours | Difficulty: Moderate-hard
This is one of the more demanding walks in Booderee, but the payoff is enormous. The trail leads to the ruins of the Cape St George lighthouse on the southern headland, with cliff-top views that stretch from the bay entrance out to the open ocean.
The track crosses heathland and passes through pockets of wind-sculpted banksia before reaching the headland. The final section involves some steeper terrain and the exposed clifftop can be very windy.
The lighthouse ruins themselves are atmospheric — built in 1860, the tower collapsed into the sea in 1916 after coastal erosion undermined the cliff. What remains is a circle of sandstone foundations perched on the edge, a stark reminder of the power of the ocean.
Highlights: The cliff-top views are some of the most dramatic on the South Coast. During whale season (May-November), this is a premier land-based whale-watching spot — see our whale watching guide for timing and tips. Humpbacks pass surprisingly close to the headland. The lighthouse ruins have a haunting beauty.
Tips: Not suitable for young children — the clifftops are unfenced and the drops are severe. Bring binoculars during whale season. The trail can be muddy after rain. Carry water — no facilities at the headland.
8. Governor Head and Stony Creek Loop
Distance: 7km loop | Time: 3-3.5 hours | Difficulty: Hard
The longest and most challenging walk in the Booderee track network, this loop combines cliff-top coastal scenery with rainforest gullies and creek crossings. It’s a proper half-day hike that shows off the full range of Booderee’s landscapes.
The trail starts near the botanic gardens and heads east to Governor Head, where vertigo-inducing cliff-top views look out over the entrance to Jervis Bay. On a clear day, you can see the white cliffs of Point Perpendicular on the far side of the bay entrance.
From Governor Head, the track drops down into the Stony Creek valley, passing through rainforest with cabbage tree palms, ferns, and tall blackbutts. It’s a completely different world from the exposed headland — cool, damp, green, and quiet.
The loop returns through dry eucalypt forest, completing a circuit through three or four distinct vegetation communities. The terrain is varied — steep sections, creek crossings (usually dry in summer but check conditions), and some rough, rocky trail.
Highlights: The view from Governor Head is arguably the best panorama in the entire Jervis Bay area. The transition from exposed headland to sheltered rainforest in the space of a kilometre is remarkable. This walk earns its reward.
Tips: Wear proper hiking shoes — the terrain is uneven and rocky in places, and the creek crossings can be slippery. Start early, especially in summer — there’s limited shade on the headland sections. Carry at least 1.5 litres of water and snacks. This walk is not well-suited to young children. Tell someone your plans if you’re walking alone.
General Tips for Walking in Jervis Bay
Sun protection is non-negotiable. Many trails are exposed, the coastal light is intense, and the white sand reflects UV brutally. Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses — every time.
Water. There are no water sources on any of these trails. Carry more than you think you need, especially in summer.
Snakes. Eastern brown snakes and red-bellied black snakes live in the bush around Jervis Bay. They’re shy and will avoid you if given the chance. Walk heavily, stay on the trail, and watch where you step in warm weather. If you see one, stop and let it move away.
Ticks. Paralysis ticks are present in the bush, particularly in wet areas. Check yourself thoroughly after walks, especially behind ears, hairline, and skin folds. Wear insect repellent with DEET and tuck trousers into socks in tick-prone areas.
Booderee entry fee. Walks 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 are inside Booderee National Park. Entry is $13 per vehicle per day. Keep your receipt for same-day re-entry.
Dogs. Not permitted on any trail inside Booderee National Park. On trails outside the park, check local council rules — most beaches prohibit dogs during summer months.
The best walks in Jervis Bay aren’t just exercise routes — they’re the way you discover the quieter, wilder side of a place that most visitors only see from the car park. Pick one that suits your fitness, bring water and sunscreen, and let the trail show you something the road never will.
If coastal and mountain hiking is your thing, the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland offer a completely different but equally rewarding walking experience — granite peaks, ancient stone walls threading across ridgelines, and views that stretch to four countries on a clear day.