Day 19 Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia Trip

When you’re pining for the feel of sand between your toes, take the family and head to Wattamolla picnic area in Royal National Park. With loads of options to keep everyone happy, this is a popular place to base yourself while you’re exploring the park.

The kids will love the calm waters of the lagoon for snorkelling, swimming and liloing. Unpack a picnic under the shade of the cabbage tree palms and do some serious unwinding, or head to the beach for a spot of fishing.

After enjoying a breakfast, go for a walk along one of the beach tracks, with a prize for the first to see a sea eagle or oystercatcher.

A scenic lookout on the coast overlooking Wollongong at the southern end of The Royal National Park

The Belmore Falls in Morton National Park is a stunning plunge waterfall with two drops on the Barrengarry Creek.

A short walking track guides you along several lookout points, including the Hindmarsh Lookout from where you can enjoy panoramic views over Kangaroo Valley.

The waterfall drops more than 100m into a deep valley that looks like a thriving rainforest from high above.

Walking Track The best way to enjoy the Hindmarsh Lookout and the panoramic views of Kangaroo Valley and the waterfall, is by following the easy circuit trail starting at the car park. It follows the cliff-line above the massive valleys and gorges below.

Walking Track The best way to enjoy the Hindmarsh Lookout and the panoramic views of Kangaroo Valley and the waterfall, is by following the easy circuit trail starting at the car park. It follows the cliff-line above the massive valleys and gorges below.

The 1km walking track takes you to four lookout points from where you can enjoy the best views of the area.

You can choose to extend the walk by heading north towards the little bridge that runs right above the top of the waterfall. There used to be another lookout point but this is now closed as it’s not deemed safe enough.

The facilities at the car park are great, with BBQ’s, picnic tables, water and toilets.

Fitzroy Falls is a picturesque village in Morton National Park (Southern Highlands), famous for its spectacular waterfall with the same name.

Follow the boardwalk from the Fitzroy Falls Visitor Centre along the creek to a lookout with spectacular views of the waterfall and the enormous Yarrunga Valley below.

The waterfall forms part of Wildes Meadow Creek that drops 80meter and flows into Yarrunga Creek which in turn connects with the Kangaroo River further south. Yarrunga was also the initial name of what is now called the Fitzroy Falls area.

Fitzroy Falls in the early days

Charles Throsby, a surgeon and explorer, was the first European to see the waterfall in the early 19th century. The waterfall was ultimately renamed after Sir Charles Fitzroy, Governor of New South Wales, who visited the area in 1850.

The waterfall slowly turned into a tourist attraction in the 19th century, but the village itself has always remained small.

Visitor Centre and Lookout Point The Fitzroy Falls visitor centre is located right next to the car park on Nowra Rd and is opened daily from 9am to 5pm. The cost of parking is $4 for the whole day.

Visiting the award-winning visitor centre is the perfect way to start your visit to Fitzory Falls. The centre offers lots of information about the history, wildlife and Aboriginal culture of the area.

You’ll also find a gift shop in the centre with a large amount of authentic, Australian-made souvenirs for sale. The little café next door serves very decent coffee and delicious cake.

Fitzroy Falls lookout

To get to the lookout, simply follow the signs from the visitor centre. A convenient boardwalk follows the path of the creek and guides you to a beautiful lookout point from where you can enjoy the breathtaking views of the waterfall and the surrounding valley.

The photo opportunities are plentiful so make sure you bring your camera along

The Twin Falls lookout is 700 M past Fitzroy Falls which is 300 M from the Visitor Centre. It is a pleasant walk in good weather with lots of birds and few people.

Hampden Bridge is not only a remarkable example of Victoria engineering, but is also a unique demonstration to create an architecturally romanticised structure in a beautiful remote rural location. The combination of wooden suspension bridge and English Medieval towers representing a castle portcullis have contributed to giving the community that live in Kangaroo Valley and all those that cross the Kangaroo River at this point a dramatic sense of place unlike another in Australia.

Hampden Bridge (RTA Bridge No.875) is a single span suspension bridge located on MR 261 (Moss Vale Road), over the Kangaroo River at Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales.

Once Kangaroo Valley was opened to free settlement in the mid nineteenth century, the population grew from 200 in 1861 to 1,400 in 1881 as dairy farmers flocked to the valley.

As the local farming activities reached a peak in the 1870s, it was decided to construct a town span timber truss bridge over the Kangaroo River.

The Hampden Suspension bridge was designed by Ernest Macartney de Burgh, assisted by Percy Allan.

Hampden Bridge was built to replace the timber truss bridge of 1875-9, which was in a state of decay by 1893.

The bridge was built at a cost of $16,764 by contractors Loveridge and Hudson of Bowral.

When thinking of an idyllic coastal paradise, you could be forgiven for skimming over the majority of NSW and looking at other sections of the map. Most unspoilt, pure beaches exist in regions of Australia often a fair distance from capital cities and major regional centres. Fortunately there is a hidden oasis very much accessible for NSW RVers. The magical Jervis Bay combines the best of coastal and historical getaways into one of the best RV-friendly destinations in the state.

Jervis Bay sits just under 200km south of Sydney in the marvellous Shoalhaven region of the south coast. Being close to 102km2 in size, the bay is the feature of several, with Huskisson and Vincentia being the main towns of the area. To the north is Currarong and Callala Bay, and the southern section is the ACT-managed Booderee National Park. The diverse nature of the region makes it a brilliant spot for intrepid travellers.

There’s so much to do and see here, it’s hard to know where to start. A good option is heading straight to the Booderee National Park to have a look. Being sectioned off as a military training base and natural reserve, it’ll cost you $11 per vehicle to get into the region. It’s worth every penny. There are countless signs and roads to attractions leading away from the main drag, with many showcasing the true natural beauty of the area. This region is home to the whitest sand in the world, with Guinness World Records confirming Hyams Beach as the title-owner last year. Who knew such a spectacular coastal oasis sits just three hours from Sydney? It’s not until your feet sink into the sand do you realise how lucky you are to see places like this. Best of all it’s almost deserted on weekdays.

Hyams Beach – the whitest sand in the world Hyams Beach is just one of many pristine beaches in the area, with Green Patch providing a protected snorkelling and swimming hotspot. You could spend all day here just soaking up the serenity. The car park here is suitable for fairly large caravans, and there are a few nice picnic and BBQ areas available to use. This is certainly the first stop for those with kids or grandkids in tow!

After a long-linger at Green Patch, you have a range of options for your next destination. You can head further east and walk to the marvellous Scottish Rocks and Hole in the Wall – two spectacular rock formations sitting right on the water. You can also make tracks south on Wreck Bay Rd and take the Stony Creek Rd turnoff to a range of other park delights. Stony Creek Rd is unsealed but well-maintained, so you shouldn’t have an issue with van in tow. As you climb Wreck Bay Rd, breathtaking views of the bay become increasingly visible. If you’ve got your camera, which is a must to this spot, this is the perfect time to get them out!

Possibly the most exciting attraction in the section is the Cape St George Lighthouse Ruins. The lighthouse was constructed in 1860 after a multitude of shipwrecks occurred while attempting to enter Jervis Bay. Unfortunately an error in planning meant the lighthouse was virtually useless and didn’t halt the shipwreck toll. It was destroyed in the early 20th century as to not be confused with the newly constructed lighthouse at Point Perpendicular. The ruins are now heritage listed and a top place to explore and marvel at the spectacular coastal views. This is also a brilliant vantage spot for whale watching, with a number of whales coming close to shore during migration.

You could easily spend two or three days exploring the park, with some spectacular walks heading out to St Georges Head and more coastal getaways at Cave and Bherwerre Beaches in the west.

A fisherman’s paradise If you’re a keen angler, St Georges Basin on the southern end of Jervis Bay is the spot for you. There aren’t many habitats in Australia where you can catch your PB flathead, bream and snapper within 100m of each other! The drive around the basin is just as stunning as the fishing on offer.

Some travellers choose to stay within the Booderee National Park boundaries, with sites at Green Patch and Cave Beach available. The main deterrent here is the price, but you pay for the convenience of having the most stunning coastline in NSW at your van door.

As you head back north, stop in at Vincentia to grab any supplies and check out the abundance of quaint and niche` shops. Once again there’s more pristine Jervis Bay coastline to be explored here, with Vincentia Beach one of the nicer family spots.

From Vicentia, head a further 4km north to the small town of Huskisson. Vicentia may be bigger, but Huskisson has one of the more scenic main streets you’ll come across. With the bay visible from almost every point, this place just oozes relaxation and tranquillity.

Huskisson is the hub of the region – and a great place to set a base camp There’s plenty to do here too, with the wharf here being the starting point for dolphin and whale watching tours, and a park and war memorial to be explored. The walk along the headland takes in spectacular waterfront views, and just happens to finish at the Huskisson Hotel! This pub has one of the best outlooks in the state and is a top spot to watch the sunset with a refreshing ale and flathead and chips. Don’t forget to grab a Husky Pie from the local bakery on your way out the next day!

The rock wall at the park in Huskisson is a very popular local fishing hotspot. Bream is the main catch, with a few decent flathead on the cards as well. With water this clear, you can understand why activities like kayaking are so popular!