25 Things To Do In Jervis Bay With Kids

Winter, spring, summer, autumn, there’s always heaps to do with the family down at Jervis Bay, just three hours south of Sydney.

If you’re looking for things to do in Jervis Bay, here’s my collection of great places to visit with kids… and without!

There are now many more than 25 places listed though… and more being added every time to visit.

Jervis Bay Family Accommodation

Where To Stay At Jervis Bay With Kids  tells you all the Vincentia and Huskisson accommodation options we recommend, including the most excellent Jervis Bay caravan parks, which are always a great option for families.

No need to wonder what to do in Jervis Bay, tis article will give you all the info you need for a fun visit, even if it rains. So grab a cuppa, sit yourself down and have a look through these posts for some Jervis Bay things to do family holiday inspiration.

Jervis Bay’s Beautiful Beaches

Numero Uno of all Jervis Bay activities is… beach, beach, beach.  There are literally dozens to choose from. Here are our favourites.

Moona Moona Creek

Where the river meets the sea just between the village of Huskisson and Vincentia is this wide tidal creek. Moona Moona Creek is a fantastic spot for families with young children as the water is shallow and still. This estuary is so beautiful and there’s even a bridge to jump off… a new council sign says not to but we do and so do many others. Moona Moona Creek has lots of exposed flat sand at low tide but is full at high tide.

Read more and see photos and video at: Moona Moona Creek For Kids

Sharknet Beach and Huskisson Beach

Sharknet Beach is the beach just below the White Sands Park in the heart of Huskisson. Huskisson beach is the next one along from there. Both of these are sandy, gently sloping beaches with rocks at each end. The water is usually clear and both can be good for beginner snorkellers.

Murrays Beach

Murray’s Beach is right down at the end of Jervis Bay on the south side, and just offshore is Montague Island. This is one of our favourite beaches for a big day out. There’s a lovely little walk through the bush to the beach and then all sorts of areas to explore. Read more on the post, just click the title above.

Murray’s Beach And The Shark That Got Away 

Honeymoon Bay

This is another fab beach for a big day out. It’s on the opposite side of the bay to Vincentia and Huskisson, the drive takes 40 minutes or so. The horseshoe-shaped bay is small and sweet with the lovely beach to play on, clear waters and rocks to explore. Then drive over to the delightful village of Currarong for fish and chips.

Hyams Beach

The bright white sands of Hyams Beach attract lots of visitors, no wonder! We love the smaller beach between headlands to the east of the long manin beach. This is a great spot for snorkelling. To get there turn left where Hyamsn Road meets Cyrus Street and walk down the small road to the toilets and beach. 

The main area of Hyams Beach is found by turning right at Cyrus Street and turning left into the car park just after the cafe. This fills up quickly and you may need to look for a park on Cyrus Street instead. Hyams Beach is 2km, a terrific walk for families, up and down. The far end is pretty too. 

Jervis Bay Family-Friendly Cafes

Some of our favourite places to go with children are:

The Husky Bakery and Cafe – a playground at the rear makes tis ideal for families with little kids

The Huskisson Hotel aka The Husky Pub – good meals and even better views

Pilgrims Vegetarian Cafe – Mexican veggie food, very hearty

5 Little Pigs Cafe – yummy breakfasts and lunches in the centre of the main thoroughfare in Huskisson

Cooked Goose Cafe at 76 Cyrus Street, Hyams Beach is a good spot for takeaways and for sitting in. It has lovely views and plenty space inside. This used to be the Hyams Beach Cafe and then changed owners and names. 

Main Deck Cafe at 70, Owen Street, Huskisson

Albert n’ Miso – serves snacks, great cofffee plus brekkie and lunches at Vincentia Shopping Centre

The Bayview Bakery Cafe – also at the main shops at Vincentia, this bakery is great for families, you can sit outside for bay glimpses

New cafes and restaurants pop up regularly in both Vincentia and Huskisson, do let us know of others you have tried.

Walks With Kids At Jervis Bay

Here are two shortish and absolutely beautiful walks to do with the whole family:

Telegraph Creek Nature Trail

The Wreck Walk at Abraham’s Bosom, Currarong

Longer walks to do with older kids include:

The White Sands Beach Walk

The Huskisson To Plantation Point, Vincentia Walkway is terrific too and very easy to follow.

Boobooks – A Great Little Book Shop

We love to cycle to Husky, have an ice cream and then pay a visit to Boobooks on Owen at 68 Owen Street. This is a small bookshop but it packs a punch with lots of books for kids, helpful staff, second-hand books for sale and even a free street library outside on the pavement. Nothing better than a local bookshop and then time to read the books you have bought.

Huskisson Pictures: Family Friendly Movies

This is a gorgeous old-fashioned and very reasonably-priced cinema right in the heart of Huskisson:

Address: Cnr Sydney St & Owen St, Huskisson

Phone: 02 4441 6343 for recorded program or 02 4441 5076 for cinema

Website: click here for details on movies being shown now.

Find Huskisson Pictures on Facebook here.

Huskisson Pictures is located in a most gorgeous historic building in the centre of Huskisson. The building dates from 1913 and has been used for many different purposes over the years, including as a school, a church and a dance hall. It’s been used as a cinema since the 1950’s and was completely renovated in 1990 to become a permanent cinema.

Huskisson Pictures opens every day (except Good Friday and Christmas Day) showing the latest releases and has a modest price structure.

Ticket prices are so much more reasonable than in the city, so are the prices for popcorn, drinks and choc tops. Fantastic!

If you’re further south at or near Sussex Inlet, or you might go for a drive down there, check out the sister movie house: The Inlet Cinema.

Two Terrific Swimming Pools at Jervis Bay

A visit to each of these is a regular part of our Jervis Bay holidays.

Nowra Aquatic Park

A visit to Nowra Aquatic Park is one of the best kids activities Nowra has to offer.  There is a 9-lane 50m pool, a terrific Splash Play Park and two exciting waterslides, the Vortex and the Rampage, which do cost extra. Do check the website and/or call to find out when the waterslides are in operation. There is plenty of space around the pool too, to play games or to have a picnic. It can get very busy on a hot, sunny day but you can always go early to beat the crowds.

Address: 20 Scenic Drive, Nowra NSW 2541

Phone: 02 4429 5641

Nowra Aquatic Park website is here.

The Bay and Basin Pool, Vincentia

Address: The Wool Road, Vincentia

Phone: 02 4406 2022

Bay and Basin website is here

The Bay and Basin is an indoors pool complex and is great for a rainy day or a boiling hot one.

Opening hours: check website for current details.

Slide opening hours: call pool to check when slide will be operating.

There are four pools at the Bay and Basin Leisure Centre: a 25m lap pool, a leisure pool with beach entry and lots of bubbles and sprays, a small toddler splash pool and an adults-only bubbly spa pool. There is also a 40m slide – brilliant.  40m slide too! 

The centre also has a good gym, a cafe and a sports shop.

Playgrounds With Beautiful Views of Jervis Bay

No need to wonder what to do in Huskisson, there are so many fun activities there and lots are free, like the playgrounds at White Sands Park.  For our mob, this playgrounds has always been a huge attraction and they are keen to stop in every time we visit Husky.

Our kids are old enough to cycle along by themselves to both of these two playgrounds. We meet them there with a takeaway coffee. Joy! White Sands Park has fabulous views over Jervis Bay, find it on Hawke Street.

There is also a wee playground by the jetty in Huskisson, where the whale and dolphin watching cruises depart from. It is on the grassy area in front of the RSL, there are toilets further along near the sea pool and the HMAS Voyager memorial. 

Indigenous Culture South Coast Tours

Boodereee National Park is managed by the local indigenous community of Wreck Bay and Parks Australia, it is Aboriginal Land. Visit the Information Centre before exploring the park, it is fascinating.

Deirdre Martin offers guided cultural and bush tucker tours in Jervis Bay National park. Read more on Deirdre Martin’s website here.

Jervis Bay Stand Up Paddle Board runs an Indigenous Perspectives Cultural Tour with a local indigenous guide. 

Djiriba Waagura: Visitors can enjoy cultural bush walks, with a Welcome to Country by a traditional land owner, bush tucker and ancient stories. There are also on-country camps.

Djiriba Waagura website

Here’s a Youtube video from Djiriba Waagura:

Gadu Aboriginal Boat Charters

Based in Sussex Inlet, Gadu offers culture tours, game fishing, sightseeing, photography, whale watching, scuba and snorkels trips. 

Gadu Aboriginal Charters website

Keep up with all the indigenous experiences in the Shoalhaven on the Shoalhaven Council website here.

Jervis Bay Maritime Museum

You’ll spend hours looking around at the ships and marine artifacts at this large and well laid out museum. Lots to read about the maritime history of the local area plus other exhibitions. This is one of the best Jervis Bay attractions for rainy days, and also for very very hot days too.

Address: 11 Dent Street Huskisson

Open daily: 10am – 4pm

Website here.

Dolphin and Whale Watching at Jervis Bay

Jervis Bay is famous for its whale and dolphin cruises, there are in fact many sorts of cruises to enjoy and these are some of the top rated Jervis Bay activities for visitors.

A boat trip is de rigeur when you’re looking for things to do around Jervis Bay, you’ll get to see the vast size of the bay itself and lots of interesting wildlife.

Check prices and book dolphin cruises at Jervis Bay here.

From May to October there are wonderful opportunities to spot whales.

Check out prices and availability for whale cruises here.

Here’s a Youtube video showing a right whale and calf at play, not filmed by me sadly.

Snorkel Trip By Boat on Jervis Bay

The dive shop in Huskisson offers snorkel trips and our family has a magnificent day out with them once. We enjoyed two terrific snorkelling sessions on the north side of the bay, and swam through a cave!! You can read about that here:

Snorkel Trip by Boat at Jervis Bay.

Shoalhaven Zoo

Shoalhaven Zoo is in Nowra, on the north side of the Shoalhaven River. The website has directions and a map. The natural bushy setting on the banks of the river make a lovely backdrop to the South Coast’s largest collection of native and exotic animals.

Meet marmoset monkeys, learn all about meerkats and get friendly with the lions. We have not been for a few years but I do remember my kids loving the camels and goats there, and being scared but excited when they met the snakes. I loved the kangaroos and koalas best. There are also walks to so and a kids play area, plus cafe on site.

Make a day of it and visit Treetops Adventure too which is in the same location – see below.

Shoalhaven Zoo

Address: 23 Rock Hill Road, Nowra

Phone: 02 4421 3949

Shoalhaven Zoo website is here

Treetops Adventure Nowra

Kids from aged three and over can try out the many courses on this high ropes and cliff ropes climbing centre. There are simple g=beginnger courses where adults must accompany the kids up to black courses which are very challenging.

The location of Treetops Shoalhaven is terrific being within the grounds of Shoalhaven Zoo, right alongside the wide and langorous Shoalhaven River. My family really enjoyed a visit here, the older kids did the black course but I was too chicken!

Remember that you always do need to book ahead.

Treetops Adventure Nowra

Phone: 02 4421 4830

Address: 23 Rock Hill Road, North Nowra NSW 2541

We have also visited Treetops Adventure Park Western Sydney and also Treetops Adventure Park – The Hills,both great fun too, but less scenic than this Nowra location.

Jervis Bay What To Do In Winter

Summertime is peak season at Jervis Bay and no wonder, the beaches are beautiful and the water is clear. But our family has also visited many times in winter. Here are the sorts of things we do:

• Lots of playing sport on the beautiful beaches of Jervis Bay
• Lots of watching sport on TV (World Cup, State of Origin)
• Whale watching trip from Huskisson
• Lunches and dinners out, loved trying new places
• Visiting Booderee National Park, the visitors centre and Cape St George Lighthouse
• The kids and hubby play heaps golf at Vincentia Golf Club and at Sussex Inlet Golf Club
• Running (slowly) along the walkway by the beach then jumping into the sea for a VERY REFRESHING swim afterwards.

Huskisson Carnival January

All the fun of the Fair, dodgems, the lot!  In the school holidays, this is always the top of the Huskisson activities list for my kids… and I’ve been known to have a few turns on the rides myself too.

Run by Joylands, the Carnival is at the Showground for the whole of January, open 6pm – 10pm.

The Husky Triathlon Festival

This is a terrific weekend event each February, my husband has done a run or two and I have done a swim. There’s another Tri Huski held each November. If not taking part in the events, then you might prefer another time as the accommodation does get very busy. But we used to love being there to see all the events taking place. The photo above is an old one showing my kids asking runners if they wanted doused in water – many said yes!

Find out more about triathlon festivals in Huskisson on the Elite Energy website here.

Things To Do At Jervis Bay When It’s Raining

Here’s our advice on what works well in wet weather, click here.

South Coast Kids – Jervis Bay What’s On

Check out the local website South Coast Kids for all the latest info on shows, concerts and other activities.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this Jervis Bay What To Do guide.

Do you love Jervis Bay too?

What’s your favourite places down there?

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