Green Patch Beach is an absolutely stunning white sand beach located in Jervis Bay, Australia. Mostly known to the locals although quietly gaining popularity amongst some holiday-makers, Green Patch Beach is an absolute paradise!
The popular but uncrowded beach is known for its clear turquoise waters, pristine white sand, natural bush surrounding, excellent snorkelling and the odd kangaroo! It makes for an ideal place to spend the day when in Jervis Bay!
What To Do At Green Patch Beach
There’s so much to do at Green Patch – even before you reach the beach! Here are the 7 best things to do at Green Patch Beach.
See Kangaroos!
As Green Patch Beach is surrounded by trees and bushland, on the short walk from your car to the beach you’ll most likely spot some kangaroos on the grassy area by the barbecues!
Green Patch is one of many places to spot kangaroos in Jervis Bay. I don’t know about you but kangaroo watching never gets old for me – no matter how many years I’ve been living in Australia!
Remember to not feed the kangaroos human food, and never touch a mama kangaroo with her joey in her pouch – they are very protective!
In addition to the kangaroos look out for the beautiful red parrots and lorikeets in the trees, as well as the odd echidna!
Swim In The Crystal Clear Calm Water
When you reach the beach and see the stunning white sand and crystal clear water you’ll feel like jumping in the water straight away. It is honestly spectacular and definitely one of my favourite beaches in the whole area.
Plus the sea is generally very calm so it’s popular with inexperienced swimmers and young families. Note that there are no lifeguards here at the beach so supervise children at all times.
There is a lovely lagoon behind the beach but it’s not advisable to swim in it – the sea is much better!
Snorkel & Look For Octopus!
If you’ve got your snorkel kit, try looking for gloomy octopus in the rock pools at the south end of the beach. They are famous for being here!
You can also spot lots of fish and even squid here – there is an abundance of marine life under the water at Green Patch Beach!
As the water is so calm, Green Patch Beach makes for an ideal place to practice snorkelling and gain more experience snorkelling if you are still new to it!
Walk To The Secluded Bristol Point Beach
There are a couple of walks you can take from Green Patch Beach, both offering stunning views of the coastline and the bay.
If it’s low tide you can head east from Green Patch Beach and walk across the rock platform to get to the gorgeous tiny secluded beach named Bristol Point.
Here you can really get away from civilisation and you’ll often have this beach all to yourself! Be careful walking across the rock platform as it can be a bit slippery!
You can continue your walk along the bush path in the forest (scramble up some more rocks to get to the start of the path) to reach the Bristol Point picnic area if you want a more secluded picnic than at Green Patch (the campsite is also here too).
Carry along the walk to reach more sites and beaches in Booderee National Park such as Scottish Rocks and Hole In The Wall – there are plenty of lovely spots.
Bring your snorkel kit too on the walk – Scottish Rocks is known for great snorkelling too. You can spot stingrays, sea dragons, starfish, lots of colourful fish and even turtles! Further along, Hole In The Wall is also good for snorkelling.
Hole In The Wall is named so because there is a giant rock structure here that used to have a hole in its wall, but the top part has crumbled off so it’s now a crescent.
It’s still very impressive to see, plus the water here is also nice and calm so it’s great to go for a swim before heading back. It should take around 30 minutes walk to get from Green Patch Beach to Hole In The Wall via Bristol Point Beach.
Stroll Along The Beach To Iluka Beach
Or, walk the other way from Green Patch Beach, strolling up the beach north until it becomes Iluka Beach, which is less busy than Green Patch but equally stunning! This walk is better than the above walk for those who are unsteady on their feet.
There is another car park near Iluka Beach that is a shorter walk to the beach if you’d prefer to just stay up this end. There are also toilets and picnic facilities up here as well.
Have a Picnic Or Barbecue
Green Patch is an ideal and popular spot for picnics and barbecues, with shaded areas and facilities available for visitors. Bring a picnic and sit at one of the many tables here, use the barbecues here and make a day of it!
Camp Overnight!
You can also camp overnight at Green Patch Campsite. The campsite is quite discreet, so day trippers to Green Patch Beach may not even realise it is there!
Camping overnight at Green Patch will give you more opportunities to see the kangaroos at sunrise and sunset, plus you can just run from the campsite straight to the turquoise water – perfect! Spots must be booked in advance – more about that below!
How To Get To Green Patch Beach
Green Patch Beach is situated within Booderee National Park (formerly Jervis Bay National Park), which is a popular tourist destination in Australia, known for its white sand beaches.
It’s roughly 3 hours from both Sydney and Canberra, so makes a popular weekend destination or holiday spot for people from these cities.
Entry to Booderee National Park is $13 per vehicle, valid for 48 hours. Access is by boom gate.
Green Patch is accessible by car and there is a car park nearby – just look for the day use car park sign on your right on Green Patch Road. Parking at Green Patch is free.
It’s a good idea to try and park in the shade so your car won’t be too hot when you get back. And always remove valuables from your car.
It is important to note that Booderee National Park is managed by the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community, so visitors are asked to respect the local Aboriginal customs and culture.
Alternatively, if you don’t have your own vehicle to drive to Green Patch Beach or you just fancy seeing the beach from a different perspective, you can go on the Jervis Bay Passage Cruise boat ride with Jervis Bay Wild.
It’s a fantastic trip, plus you might even get to see dolphins too! The boat will take you past all the white sand beaches in Jervis Bay, and conveniently departs from Huskisson Town Centre.
It is possible to get to Huskisson from Sydney on public transport: take the local bus from Huskisson to Bomaderry train station, then the train from Bomaderry to Sydney, changing trains at Kiama.
What Amenities Are At Green Patch Beach?
There are lots of BBQs and picnic tables under the shade to enjoy, plus toilets and showers.
The walk from the car park to the beach is around 350 metres and should take about 5 minutes.
Camping At Green Patch Beach
Green Patch is without a doubt one of the best places to camp when in Jervis Bay.
Due to its absolutely fabulous location, especially during weekends and school holidays, Green Patch campsite gets booked out quickly. Therefore it’s always best to plan ahead and book early to avoid disappointment.
Camping here is actually cheaper during weekdays and outside of the school holidays, so if you’re more flexible with your trip you might prefer to book mid-week to get it for a lower price.
Currently per night it’s around $36 for weekdays and $51 for weekends for a standard unpowered tent camping spot ($54 and $82 respectively for a larger walk-in and drive-in spot).
You can see the campsite layout, check availability and book a spot at Green Patch Beach on the Parks Australia website.
If Green Patch Campsite is full you can always try Bristol Point Camping Ground which is less than a kilometre away near Bristol Point Beach.
Note that camping in non-designated spots is not allowed throughout the whole of Booderee National Park and a fine may occur, so always book a designated camping spot beforehand!
Who Will Enjoy Green Patch Beach?
Green Patch Beach is a popular destination for families, as the calm waters and gentle waves make it safe for swimming and paddling.
Green Patch Beach is also popular with families due to the barbecues and amenities, and it not being too busy.
It’s also loved by people who enjoy the stunning more secluded white sand beaches of Jervis Bay, as well as the excellent snorkelling opportunities and the possibility of seeing kangaroos whilst having a barbecue in the bush!
In addition to swimming and snorkelling, people who enjoy hiking and short beach and bush walks to nearby places will love Green Patch Beach.
Overall, Green Patch Beach is a must-visit destination for anyone visiting Jervis Bay. Its natural beauty, clear waters and tranquil atmosphere make it a perfect place to relax and unwind.
Other Things To Do In Booderee National Park
Murray’s Beach & Boat Ramp
Possibly the most famous beach in Booderee National Park is Murray’s Beach – right at the end of Jervis Bay Road.
Another stunning white sandy beach similar to Green Patch but more crowded, Murray’s Beach is simply spectacular and definitely worth a visit. The beach is around a 300 metre walk from the car park along a boardwalk.
Murray’s Beach looks out to Bowen Island, where the thousands of resident fairy penguin colony live! The island is a protected nature reserve so it is forbidden to step foot on it.
A couple of times we have been here at Murrays Beach we have also spotted dolphins in the water nearby – so keep an eye out! It’s always magical to see them.
Also walk across to Murray’s Boat Ramp, on the other side of the car park. There is a resident giant stingray here that you’re pretty much guaranteed to see near the end of the day as the fishermen come back in with their catch.
The water is very clear so it’s easy to spot the stingray from the jetty.
Cave Beach
Probably the most famous spot in Booderee National Park to spot kangaroos is by the campsite at Cave Beach before you get to the beach, about 300 metres from the Cave Beach car park.
Every time we have been there have been around 10 kangaroos here chilling. They are quite used to seeing people here so you can get some nice photographs with them.
Make sure to walk down the remaining 100 metres or so to the beach and see the sea caves, it’s a stunning beach and is a great surfing spot.
Cave Beach camp spot also gets booked out quickly in advance, but it’s a fantastic place to camp if you can reserve a spot in time!
Cape St George Lighthouse & Moes Rock
The Cape St George Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse built in 1860 to guide ships through Jervis Bay. However it was actually more dangerous and misleading than useful to the ships and caused many shipwrecks due to its poor location!
The tower was therefore destroyed, and the Point Perpendicular Lighthouse was built on the northern peninsula to replace this one and be a more efficient and safe guide for passing ships than the Cape St George Lighthouse was.
Today, the remains of Cape St George Lighthouse are a popular tourist attraction and offers stunning views of the surrounding coastline. You can also see inside the living quarters of the Lighthouse Keeper’s House.
It’s an easy walk from the car park to the lighthouse.
Moes Rock is a large rock formation located near the Cape St George Lighthouse. It is named after a local Aboriginal woman named Moes, who used to collect shellfish from the rock.
To get to both Cape St George Lighthouse and Moes Rock you’ll need to drive on an unsealed bumpy road for a few kilometres. You’ll be fine in a 2wd if you drive slow (there are several potholes!).
Booderee Botanic Gardens
A visit to Booderee Botanic Gardens makes for a nice change if you enjoy strolling in nature. There are lots of walks in the Botanic Garden you can do – a popular one is to stroll around the lake and soak up the peaceful vibes.
Booderee Botanic Gardens are the only Aboriginal-owned Botanic Gardens in Australia, and entry is free as the cost is covered in your National Park entry fee.
Booderee Botanic Gardens are open 7 days a week from 8 am until 5 pm.