Tucked away in Boodery National Park, Green Patch in Jervis Bay is a bit of a hidden gem. And not only it is a beautiful sheltered white-sand beach, but it is also one of the best places on the south coast to spot a few species of adorable Aussie wildlife. In fact, if you enjoy wildlife as much as we do, you may never make it past the parking lot here. There are so many gorgeous distractions!
Green Patch is a popular camping spot. But you can just as easily visit it for a day or a few hours. It is only 16 km from Huskisson and 8.6 km from Hymes Beach.
There is a good size carpark at Green Patch shared by walk-in and drive-in campers and day visitors. The campsite, right next to the car park is where wildlife spotting adventures begin. You should be able to see Eastern grey kangaroo and Swamp wallabies. If you can’t see them browsing on the lawns, they must be snoozing in the shade nearby.
Kangaroos tend to be quite nonchalant and don’t mind the easily excitable humans. But the wallabies are a little shier, so you’ll need to be quiet and patient to see them up close.
Next to the carpark is a beautiful open area with tall trees and a few picnic tables and benches. Designated as ‘Day Visitor Area’, this spot is a parrot paradise. Dozens of brightly-coloured King parrots, Crimson rosellas, Rainbow lorikeets and their colourful young congregate into mixed flocks here.
I’ve never actually seen a juvenile Crimson rosella before, and at first, I thought I was looking at some exotic mix of Crimson and Eastern rosellas until I realized there weren’t any Eastern rosellas around.
The beautiful thing about the parrots at Green Patch is how tame they are. They are obviously used to being fed by the picnickers so they come right up to people. One lorikeet even landed on my friend’s head. Although most of the colourful multi-species flock preferred to sit on the grass and in the nearby trees, as well as on the picnic tables and benches.
Apart from the parrots, there are usually a few Currawongs and Kookaburras around. If you are visiting in the late afternoon when most day visitors have gone, you’ll see kangaroos and wallabies on the grassy patches as well. And if you are lucky, you may even spot a Short-beaked echidna.
Green Patch Beach
The gently curving Green Patch Beach is the southern end of the 2.1 kilometre-long Captains Beach. It is backed by a sand dune with Telegraph Creek running along the beach to empty into the ocean. The creek is quite narrow, but you’ll need to take off your shoes to wade across it to get to the beach. Or you can cross over a small wooden bridge.
Green Patch Beach is made up of the same pure white quartz sand that the nearby Hymes Beach is famous for. It is a gorgeous spot and a perfect alternative to the crowded Hymes Beach.
If you do manage to make it past the kangaroos and the tame birds all the way to the beach, you’ll have more wildlife watching opportunities waiting for you around the rock pools at the southern end of the beach. It is a known hotspot for gloomy octopuses that tend to congregate here at high densities.
If you are really keen on marine wildlife, Green Patch Beach is an excellent safe snorkelling spot. And if you are more of a terrestrial explorer, there is the scenic 2 km Telegraph Creek and Green Patch Nature Track that meanders through woodland and heath habitats with multiple creek crossings over wooden bridges.
Another scenic trail running from Green Patch Beach is the 2-km Green Patch to Bristol Point Loop Walk. It meanders along the rocky shore, sandy beaches and forested patches.
To start this walk, head to the beach and walk to your right, towards the rocky area, the same spot where the octopuses are. After the rock shelf, you’ll come to a gorgeous secluded beach, followed by a short scramble back onto the rocks and a trail through the forest to the Bristol Point picnic area.
How to get to Green Patch
Green Patch is located within Jervis Bay Territory, in Booderee National Park, 16 km (20 min) from Huskisson. To reach it, follow Naval College road which after border crossing becomes Jervis Bay Road. Then turn left onto Green Patch Road and you’ll arrive at a spacious carpark, right next to the campsite with all its kangaroos, wallabies and parrots.
More Nature & Wildlife Road Trips from Sydney
- 30 Amazing Things to Do in Port Stephens
- Unmissable Things to do in Narooma & the surrounding countryside
- 40 Fun Things to do in Kangaroo Valley
- Tomaree Head Summit walk – How to see the best views in NSW
- Wildlife Wonders of Green Patch in Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay
- Sydney to Narooma Road Trip: What to see and Where to stop
- Things to do in Anna Bay – a laidback town in Port Stephens
- The Remarkable Sawn Rocks in Mount Kaputar National Park
- Exploring Pilliga Forest: Sandstone Caves and Sculptures in the Scrub
- Warrumbungles: Breadknife And Grand High Tops Walk & A Secret Lookout
