Jervis Bays’ Best 5 Family Beaches

If you’re headed to Jervis Bay for your family holiday with your kids, find out how to avoid wasting precious time by finding out the best Jervis Bay family beaches before you go.

Veronica Marie Meyer

Are you one of the happy people who are headed to the postcard-perfect beaches of Jervis Bay for your next family beach holiday? If you’ve chosen the stunning seaside location of Jervis Bay for your family vacation then you’re about to discover that it’s got everything you’ll need to make this a totally kids and family friendly holiday that you’ll remember for a lifetime. And that includes the 5 best family beaches in Jervis Bay.

Are you, like most summer visitors, planning on spending as much time as possible enjoying yourselves on the beach?

Once you’ve arrived, you’ll be free to choose from all of the easy, fun and enjoyable options which guarantee that, when join in the beachside lifestyle, there are always plenty of choices on offer to keep your kids and yourself happy.

If that’s your plan, then you’ve certainly chosen the ideal vacation destination because, for many families, Jervis Bay means sunny days splashing, swimming and having fun in the crystal clear turquoise waters that are the hallmark of the endless beaches in this premium holiday hideaway.

There are so many beautiful beaches in Jervis Bay, but which are the ideal family beaches for your next holiday with kids?

However, there is one drawback – which is that, when you’re on holidays with limited time up you’re sleeve, because you’re not a local, it’s often hard to know the best places to go.

Unfortunately, that’s just how it is when you’re away from your home-base. And really, a big part of being able to relax and get away from it all is being somewhere completely different. It’s just that it’s fairly inevitable that, without a little bit of local knowledge to help you out, the best beach choice isn’t always obvious – especially when you’ve got the kids to think about.

How to find the best family friendly beaches in Jervis Bay ?

For anyone with a family to consider, the task of selecting a suitable spot at the beach can sometimes seem to require the equivalent level of research as a university thesis before you can feel confident that you’ve covered all of the common contingencies. Of course, you could forget about the risks and take pot luck. However, a parent’s sixth sense tells you that if the surf’s too rough (where’s the Bondi Rescue team when you need them?), access is awkward (only possible via a trail that was apparently modelled on the Kokoda Track), there’s not a single scrap of shade (the sun tent is back in the boot of the car since you were so loaded up with all the other beach gear you couldn’t carry it), toilets are nowhere to be found (‘Didn’t I tell you to go before we left!’) or there’s not a milkbar in sight (subjecting you to unceasing chants of ‘I’m hungry’, ‘How long is it till lunch’ and ‘Why can’t I have something to eat now’ at a steadily increasing volume) then your day out in beach paradise is likely to quickly degenerate into barely manageable mayhem.

Everyone knows that, as a parent, you’ve already got a more than enough things to think about – so would you like to make your job of finding the ideal beach spot for the family a whole lot easier by finding out what the locals know so that you can eliminate the guesswork and avoid any unwanted disappointments?

Insider tips from a local.

When I was a little girl (back in the 1960s), my parents would take me, my brothers and sister to Jervis Bay for our annual two weeks during the summer school holidays back in the 1960s. We’d always come back brown as berries from long summer days spent on the sand and in the surf. My passion for this piece of paradise has never faded. In fact, it’s been the opposite, growing stronger as the years have passed. We even reached the point where my husband and I decided to buy our own place here for retirement, so that our grandchildren could grow up discovering and enjoying those same wonderful experiences for themselves.

One thing’s for sure, as a dedicated beach-lover myself, after more than 50 years enjoying the unspoiled beaches of Jervis Bay, by now I definitely know the best spots!

And, as any mum or dad knows all too well, if you’ve got kids in tow, then not just any beach will do. That’s why, if you’re planning on spending your days with your family beachside, it’s important to know in advance which locations are going to suit you best.

If you’d like to save yourself a lot of time and trouble trying to work it all out for yourself, I’ve put together a list of my 5 Favourite Family Beach Spots so that you can utilise a little local knowledge to make the most of your Jervis Bay holiday. I’ve selected these as my top five favourite swimming spots because as well as letting you avoid having to waste your precious holiday time finding your way around, not only are these locations perfect for kids, they’re ideal for the whole family to enjoy. As an added bonus, each of the selected locations is very different, providing you with a fantastic variety of swimming options for some guaranteed family fun in the sun.

1 Blenheim Beach

Blenheim Beach is one of my favourite family beach spots, because it always reminds me so much of a tropical paradise. It’s a not a big long stretch of sand like most of the other beaches around in Jervis Bay. Instead, it’s more of a small, protected cove (white sands, turquoise water), which means that it’s easy to keep an eye on the kids as well as giving you the opportunity to relax without having to worry about rough waves or little ones wandering away too far.

It’s also quite unique because of the beautiful park area which directly adjoins it. But don’t think grass, lawns or carefully–tended flowerbeds – this is definitely an area of natural bushland in all its beauty. There are wonderful walking trails as well, since it’s on the route of the White Sands Walk (which totally lives up to its name).

If you’ve got a long day out in mind then, with BBQ facilities, toilets, and a decent sized parking area right there, this is an ideal family destination – just head to Vincentia and follow the road for about 5 minutes around past the shops towards Plantation Point and keep going a little further.

2 Sailors Beach

Sailors Beach, which is right next to the bridge and creek at the southern entry to Huskisson is, for good reasons, an immensely popular spot for families. Ample parking and super easy beach access are just a couple of the features that make this the perfect place for family beachside fun.

Plus it has the extra bonus of the wave-free waters of Moona Moona Creek, which provide ideal swimming conditions for small children. Even though it’s called a creek, in reality, it’s more like a lagoon, with the ocean waters flowing in keeping it clear, fresh and inviting (you drive over the bridge that crosses it when you enter Huskisson from the southern side).

The parkland adjoining provides plenty of shade and BBQ facilities which is great if you want to get out of the sand to have a snack or eat your lunch. Modern facilities include showers and toilets and a brand new kids play ground so that you’ll be all set for a hassle-free day out.

At low tide, you can even walk along the beach all the way down to Vincentia (if you’re feeling energetic!). And if you’ve got the bikes with you, then there’s a fantastic bike path that runs the full length of the beach (and beyond) – don’t worry if you didn’t BYOB – with bike hire available at Jervis Bay Bike Hire in Vincentia it’s not too late if you feel like having some cycling fun!

Feeling a little adventurous?

If you’re feeling a little adventurous, in the other direction (back towards Huskisson) the amazing expanse of rock platforms are crying out to be explored! So that you don’t miss out on a wonderful chance for wandering around the rock pools, it’s a great idea to bring along some shoes that won’t slip on the rocks so that you and the kids can be free to wander around without having to worry about too much connection between tender feet and the rocky surface! It’s all quite flat and, with appropriate supervision, it’s suitable for even very small children.

It’s such a lovely way to spend time with kids, enjoying the search for crabs that scuttle under a rock as you approach, or seeing the anemone’s wriggling their way around in the clear water, or even little fish darting around in the bigger pools, this is an activity that never fails to satisfy the curious minds of kids and adults alike. Especially when it’s set against the beautiful backdrop of the stunning waters of Jervis Bay, it’s hard to imagine how you could spend a more pleasant day at the beach.

3 Huskisson pools

What is it about kids and pools? The attraction never seems to fade!

If you fancy a bit of a change of pace, there are wonderful clean pools around near the boat jetty smack-bang in the middle of Huskisson. They’re located so close to the water’s edge of the Bay that you could almost dip your toes in.

Set within the gorgeous grounds of the coastal park, there are two pools including a children’s pool, complete with shade cover. There are plenty of trees and seats so that you can relax if you don’t feel like jumping in with the kids – and since you’re only a stone’s throw from the main street, there’s no reason why you can’t relax with a well-deserved coffee.

With toilet facilities, lovely mown grass lawns and a view of the Bay that can’t be beaten, this is a perfect place where the kids can enjoy a swim while you get to sit back and have a bit of a break.

There’s a car parking area immediately adjacent (near the boat ramp) and you can also easily access from the other end as well (the carpark next to the Huskisson Hotel at the roundabout just as you turn into the main street). Even if you park in the big carpark at the northern end of the shops, it’s no big deal – you can almost see the pool as soon as you cross the street from the carpark then just head straight down the street next to Club Jervis Bay (don’t get confused, this was previously the RSL).

4 Plantation Point

This is one of the beaches that I go to most often mainly because, not only is it totally gorgeous, but once you’re there, you’ve got so many options to choose from that it makes it easy to make the right pick to suit you on the day.

Here’s why.

There’s a bit of a clue in the name – it’s located on a point, so depending on which way the wind may be blowing, the ages of children in your family and the prevailing mood of the day, on the Vincentia side (Barfleur Beach) you have the relatively protected waters of the Bay – especially on southerly winds, and on the other you’ll find Nelson’s Beach (just a few beaches along from famous Hyams Beach). Although it is still Jervis Bay, this is where you’ll get some serious wave action! And at low tide, it’s possible to walk around the sand from one side to the other.

There’s a park on the point, which you can access from either side. There’s play equipment, BBQ facilities, outside shower and toilets. With plenty of trees to provide loads of shade if you need it, lots families like to set themselves up in the parkland and head down for a swim when they feel like it with numerous access points available to both sides of the beach.

Like the main beach at Vincentia (Collingwood Beach), the bike track goes all the way along here and there are fabulous lookouts where you can see for miles over the beautiful blue waters out past Point Perpendicular.

There’s plenty of parking, you can often find a spot next to the Vincentia Sailing Club, or continue around the bend and you’ll see the main entrance to the park which provides parking spaces as well.

This idyllic location is only about 5 minutes around past the Vincentia shops and make a left turn into Plantation Point Parade and follow your nose!

5 Palm Beach

If you’ve got little children to consider, or you just feel like a change from the ocean style beaches of the Bay and a day with grass and trees rather than sand and seagulls, then you might want to think about heading down to Palm Beach.

Unlike Sailors Beach, Blenheim and Plantation Point, this little gem is tucked away on the banks of the picturesque St Georges Basin. The little beaches which line the Basin provide terrific swimming spots in calm, protected waters which means that, unless it’s blowing a gale, the water will be wave-free. It’s also usually quite shallow for a long way out, making it the ideal water-play location for young children.

It’s so relaxing and pleasant here, since it’s pretty well protected from the wind and you can choose whether you want to be in the sun or the shade.

Palm Beach is one of the best spots because there’s a brand new kid-safe play equipment and provides the essential toilet facilities that make this the perfect place for a swim, game and a picnic lunch. Have a BBQ using the facilities provided or call in at the Sanctuary Point Shops on your way or take advantage of Oscars Corner Store.

There’s a terrific nature walk that ensures a great adventure through the bush, with a well-maintained, level, cleared path that takes you right along the water’s edge. I don’t think I’ve ever walked along there and not seen fish jumping out of the water!

As you follow the main road in to Sanctuary Point, turn left into Sanctuary Point Road– this is simple to identify because it’s a big, wide T-intersection with the ISONS HARDWARE in the middle of it. If you come to the main shopping centre, it means you’ve gone past the turn-off. To find Palm Beach, don’t get confused with the boat ramp which has a separate entry – just go a little further along the road. The vehicle entry takes you down to the parking which means it’s easy to unload, get the kids organized and set yourself up without any problems at all.

Conclusion

These 5 Favourite Family Beach Spots provide you with five very different options so that you’ll have no trouble at all in being able to suit all ages, conditions and swimming preferences.

By the way, anywhere in the Bay beaches (which include Blenheim, Huskisson and Plantation Point) don’t be surprised when you have unexpected visitors joining you for a swim – the dolphins frequently frolic around in these clear waters and you’ll be extra-delighted if it’s one of the days when they come in very close to shore!

So why not try all five of these best Jervis Bay family favourite beach spots – they’re all fabulous. The beaches are stunning and you’ll be guaranteed to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Looking forward to seeing you here soon!