Jervis Bay Territory is an internal territory of Australia, separate from the state of New South Wales, located on the country's southeast coast. It is the smallest territory in the country at less than 68km².
It is one of three of Australia's internal territories, alongside the Australia Capital Territory (ACT - home to Canberra, the nation's capital) and the Northern Territory, but it is the only one which is not self-governing. Until 1989, it was under the administration of ACT but still as a separate territory. It is now administered directly by Australia's Federal Government.
We're currently living full-time in our campervan, a 2018 Mercedes Sprinter, and exploring Australia, with a plan of "driving the lap" (completing the entire perimeter of the country). I first visited Australia in 2019, following the classic backpacker route, mostly visiting big cities, staying in hostels and traveling by public transport. This time, with the freedom of our campervan, we're trying to hit the lesser known spots and go slower.
For thousands of years, the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community has lived on this land.
The area was first sighted by Captain Cook from Endeavour in 1770 but did not land due to the strong winds at the time. It was named Jervis Bay by the Europeans in 1791 by Lieutenant Richard Bowen after Admiral Sir John Jervis, whom he served under.
Jervis Bay was used by whalers in the late 1790s with the first land grants issued in 1827. The main industries since then have been cedar timber, wool and dairy farming.
We spent a day exploring Jervis Bay Territory while we were roadtripping the South Coast of New South Wales at the end of 2025. Here is my complete guide:
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Below is some useful information for preparing for your trip to Jervis Bay. In all cases, please be sure to check with the relevant local authorities for the latest and accurate information.
Language: The official language of Australia is English. In Jervis Bay, the traditional language of the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community is the Dhurga language groups.
→ Learn more about the language of the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community.
Currency: The currency used in Australia is the Australian dollar, denoted as AUD $. I use a Wise account when I travel which allows me to have a single, free account with multiple currencies. I only have to pay once to convert my money in the app and then I can pay in AUD $!
→ Check the latest currency conversion between AUD $ and your local currency.
Data: Before you arrive, I recommend purchasing an eSim on your phone so that you can access data the moment you land. eSims are much more convenient as it means you don't have to put a separate physical Sim into your phone. AirAlo offers great deals for eSims of various data sizes and time lengths with Optus.
→ Load an international eSim on your phone with AirAlo.
If you are visiting Australia long term, you might wish to put a physical Sim in your phone as AirAlo is geared more towards short term visitors on holiday. This way you can access a local phone plan. There are three main mobile phone network providers in Australia: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telstra has the best coverage across the country whereas Optus and Vodafone are good within cities. I recommend Telstra as it means you have the best coverage while you travel around the country, especially in rural areas.
Visa: All passport holders except New Zealand require a visa to visit Australia. All arrivals must fill out an Australian arrival card before landing.
→ Check which visa you need for Australia.
Time of year to visit: Australia can be visited all year-round. Jervis Bay can get especially hot and busy in the summer months with school holidays in full swing and cooler in the winter. I recommend visiting in spring (September-November) or autumn (March-May) for pleasant, sunny days.
Length of stay: Jervis Bay Territory is Australia's smallest internal territory at less than 68km². Jervis Bay is colloquially used to refer to the entire region around the Jervis Bay (the protected ocean bay with Currarong to the north and Jervis Bay Territory to the south). We explored the area in just a day but you can easily stretch your stay and spend time relaxing on the beaches, shopping in the cute towns and camping. It's a very popular holiday destination and will be especially busy during school holidays.
Hyams Beach
By flight: The closest major airport is in Sydney, a three-hour drive north. Most visitors to Jervis Bay will arrive in Sydney if coming by air.
→ Check out my complete guide to visiting Sydney!
There is also a smaller regional airport in Wollongong with direct connections to Melbourne and Brisbane. Shellharbour Airport is only about an hour north of Jervis Bay.
By car: If you're driving around the country as we are in our campervan, then the easiest way to get to Jervis Bay is with your own wheels.
→ If you don't have your own car, you can rent one in Sydney.
When visiting the territory, you'll need to cross what feels a bit like a state border and pay an entry fee to be able to explore. At the time of writing, this cost us AUD $20 for the day (or you can get an annual pass for AUD $80), only available online (you can't pay at the border).
You might want to start in Sydney as your base for renting a campervan to explore Australia.
→ Rent a campervan in Sydney with Apollo, Camplify, Indie or Juicy.
By public transport: Getting to Jervis Bay is possible with public transport but can take a while. You can catch the South Coast Line from Sydney to Bomaderry and then a local bus into Huskisson, the main town of the Jervis Bay area. Nowra Coaches services the Jervis Bay area and is a good way to explore.
To access the territory, the best way without a car is probably by bike as there is no public transport once you cross the state border.
By guided tour: If you don't have your own wheels or want to go the guided route, a number of guided tours are available of Jervis Bay primarily from Sydney and Wollongong.
By car: If you have your own wheels, the easiest way to explore the Jervis Bay area and the territory is to drive yourself around.
When visiting the territory, you'll need to cross what feels a bit like a state border and pay an entry fee to be able to explore. At the time of writing, this cost us AUD $20 for the day (or you can get an annual pass for AUD $80), only available online (you can't pay at the border).
If you don't have a vehicle, I recommend basing yourself in Huskisson, the main town of the region, and do day trips from there.
By Uber: Uber is available in Jervis Bay and is a popular and convenient way of getting around.
By public transport: Nowra Coaches services the Jervis Bay area and is a good way to explore. However, there is no public transport once you cross the state border into the territory.
By bike: Getting around by bike is a popular way to explore, especially inside the territory.
→ Check out Jervis Bay's bike trails and options for hiring a bike or e-bike.
By guided tour: If you don't have your own wheels or want to go the guided route, a number of guided tours are available of Jervis Bay.
Hotel: Not traveling by campervan? Driving in a car? Visiting from nearby Sydney? Whatever your reason for needing a place to stay, there are some great accommodation options all around Jervis Bay.
→ Check out all the accommodation options in Jervis Bay.
Camping: We are driving "the lap" around Australia, exploring the country in our campervan. The best way to find camping spots is to use an app. We use Wikicamps Australia, a cheap app that has every single amenity listed (both free and paid) that you might need on the road. This includes things like where to fill up fresh water, where to dump grey water, where to empty toilets, where to stay, gas stations, information points and also has suggestions for things to do as you go.
→ Download the Wikicamps Australia app.
The closest affordable camping spot (self-contained vehicles only) we found was at Mooresfield. We paid AUD $40 (cash only) when we visited and remember to call in advance to book as it's a privately-owned field.
In the different towns around Jervis Bay are loads of different food options. There are no food options inside the territory.
We had lunch (and dessert!) in Huskisson during our day in Jervis Bay. We loved Huskisson, it reminded us so much of summer in little European seaside towns!
I can seriously recommend Pasta Buoy, a proper Italian place doing mouthwateringly good fresh pasta dishes. They also sell authentic Italian gelato in the small room next door, the perfect finishing touch.
We also really enjoyed our açaí bowls from Harley's across the street, a super popular beachy café.
Jervis Bay Territory is an internal territory of Australia, separate from the state of New South Wales, located on the country's southeast coast. It is the smallest territory in the country at less than 68km².
However, the name Jervis Bay is also colloquially used to describe the surrounding area which is based around Jervis Bay (the ocean bay) - confusing, right!?
We spent a day exploring the area's highlights and easily could have had more time here; there is so much to see and do in all the different towns and along so many different beaches! We would have liked to see Murray's Beach but during our visit, the road was closed and we couldn't reach it.
When visiting the territory, you'll need to cross what feels a bit like a state border and pay an entry fee to be able to explore. At the time of writing, this cost us AUD $20 for the day (or you can get an annual pass for AUD $80), only available online (you can't pay at the border).
What we did in Jervis Bay (spot the dotted line indicating the border to the territory)
Check out the caves of Cave Beach
Inside the territory you'll find Cave Beach, one of the most popular beaches. Its name comes from the many caves which line the far right side of the beach, perfect for a little exploring. It's also a great spot for surfing.
Relax at Green Patch Beach
On the northern coast of the territory, Green Patch Beach is a super family-friendly beach with gorgeous blue water and pretty rocks leading into a beautiful lagoon. The waves aren't as big here as Cave Beach so not a great surfing spot, but this makes for a calm, peaceful beach day instead.
There is also a popular campground here, which usually books out far in advance!
Spot the ruins of Cape St George Lighthouse
The Cape St George Lighthouse was built in 1860 to help steamers and whaling ships navigate the headland and rocky bay. Ironically, it was built in the wrong spot and proved instead to be a navigational hazard instead of helping! In 1899, Point Perpendicular Lighthouse was built on the other side of the entrance to Jervis Bay. What to do with the old lighthouse? The navy used it as target practice! Its remains now lay fallen down.
Driving to the lighthouse
The ruins
See the whitest sand in Australia at Hyams Beach
Hyams Beach is famous for having some of the whitest sand in Australia. It's one of the most popular beaches in the country with gorgeous blue water lapping onto the pretty stretch of beach.
It gets super busy here so I recommend coming early to get parking!
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
