Jerrawangala National Park
Overview
Located on the Great Eastern Escarpment of NSW near Nowra, Jerrawangala National Park offers scenic views and opportunities for taking a 4WD tour, cycling and hiking.
Read more about Jerrawangala National Park
With steep cliffs stretching all along its eastern edge, Jerrawangala National Park, just southwest of Nowra on the Great Eastern Escarpment, offers some astonishing scenic views. Particularly breathtaking are the expansive vistas of the coastline and hinterland that can be seen from Jerrawangala lookout.
Follow management trails through the park’s lovely patchwork of low forest, woodlands and moist heath on the plateau, contrasting with tall spotted gum at the northern end of the park and rainforest in sheltered gullies along the eastern edge. Birdwatchers will enjoy spotting unique and threatened species in the park, such as the noisy gang-gang cockatoos or sooty owls.
The park is best-suited to independent, self-reliant bushwalkers, due to its abundance of unmarked but easily traversable trails. It’s also popular with cycling, motorcycling and 4WD enthusiasts, who frequently travel through the park to the adjacent Yerriyong State Forest. The park also borders a popular reserve, Morton National Park.
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/jerrawangala-national-park/local-alerts
Contact
- in the South Coast region
Jerrawangala National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
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Nowra office
02 4428 6300
Contact hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm. - 104 Flatrock Road, Mundamia NSW 2540
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Email: npws.shoalhaven@environment.nsw.gov.au
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Nowra office
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Jerrawangala National Park.
Map
Map legend
Getting there and parking
Get driving directions
From Nowra:
- Take Albatross Road until you can see HMAS Albatross
- Turn right onto Braidwood Road
- Once you meet Turpentine Road, the park adjoins Braidwood Road, mainly along the road’s eastern side.
Parking
- Jerrawangala lookout See on map
By bike
Check out the Bicycle information for NSW website for more information.
By public transport
Jerrawangala National Park is not accessible by public transport.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Jerrawangala National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Autumn
Make the most of the cooler weather to walk along one of the park's more challenging trails, such as Butterbush trail, to the escarpment edge.
Spring
Take a drive along Yarran Road through the striking forests and soak in the wonderful wildflower displays in the surrounding open fields.
Summer
Get up early to enjoy sunrise from Jerrawangala lookout, where you'll enjoy clear, crystal views all out along the coast and hinterland.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
18°C and 24°C
Highest recorded
40.6°C
Winter temperature
Average
9°C and 17°C
Lowest recorded
-3.2°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
May
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
316.7mm
Facilities
Picnic tables
Maps and downloads
Prohibited
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Nearby towns
Nowra (38 km)
Nowra is a historic city and the commercial heart of the Shoalhaven. It's on the Shoalhaven River close to beaches and national parks.
Braidwood (84 km)
Braidwood was the first town to be listed on the NSW State Heritage register. Today, you can tour the town on a self-guided heritage walk and see dozens of impressive historic buildings dating from the gold-rush days.
Ulladulla (93 km)
Ulladulla is close to several wonderful national parks. Morton National Park, to the west, is home to Pigeon House Mountain, a local landmark which is a popular climb. Murramarang National Park, between Ulladulla and Batemans Bay, has beautiful coastal walks, beaches and camping sites.
Learn more
Jerrawangala National Park is a special place. Here are just some of the reasons why:
Walk with the animals and discover vibrant vegetation
Animal-lovers will find plenty to observe at Jerrawangala, while wildlife photographers can have a literal field day here. The park's wildlife statistics are pretty impressive: 19 mammal species, 57 bird species, 23 types of reptiles, and 14 different amphibians. Among the threatened species you may spot here are eastern pygmy possums, grey-headed flying foxes, gang-gang cockatoos, sooty owls, and giant burrowing and heath frogs. Within Jerrawangala National Park, there are also different types of unique and distinctive vegetation, including several significant and threatened species such as the ettrema mallee, the albatross mallee and Bauer's midge orchid. Several regionally rare orchid species also thrive in the park, including a new species of leek orchid.
- Jerrawangala lookout Hike to Jerrawangala lookout in Jerrawangala National Park for scenic views out to Gerroa, Ulladulla, Jervis Bay, St Georges Basin and Swan Lake.
The Dharawal connection
The Dharawal People have a longstanding association with this land, including important trade and cultural links to other groups in neighbouring areas. Today, the landscape, plants, animals and physical features within the landscape all form an integral part of the cultural heritage of the local Aboriginal people. Several Aboriginal sites have been recorded in the park, including campsites, a scarred tree with an ancient axe grinding groove, and a rock shelter.
Diverse geology and landscapes
Jerrawangala National Park is a pristine long, narrow parcel of land located along the Turpentine Range, which is part of the Great Eastern Escarpment. The park protects a range of vital landscapes, including flat plateau country, sandstone cliffs, scree slopes and gently sloping coastal hinterland.
- Jerrawangala lookout Hike to Jerrawangala lookout in Jerrawangala National Park for scenic views out to Gerroa, Ulladulla, Jervis Bay, St Georges Basin and Swan Lake.
Education resources (1)
What we're doing
Jerrawangala National Park has management strategies in place to protect and conserve the values of this park. Visit the OEH website for detailed park and fire management documents.