The Museum enjoys a waterfront location on Currambene Creek. Positioned in a beautiful bush setting in Jervis Bay, the complex includes a large recreation area with native gardens, a mangrove boardwalk, fish feeding pond, boathouse, historic buildings and picnic areas with BBQ facilities.

The Pond is a Fish Reserve, managed by the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum Jervis Bay and the New South Wales Department of Fisheries. It is a tidal enclosure within an estuary which provides a sustainable habitat for species from several habitat zones in Jervis Bay.

Fish feeding is allowed at the Pond, food is available at the Pond wharf.

THE MANGROVE BOARDWALK IS CLOSED FOR REPLACEMENT. SHOALHAVEN COUNCIL WILL BE MANAGING THE PROJECT WHICH WE HOPE WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF OCTOBER 2023.

The Mangrove Boardwalk is a 1.4km relaxing stroll through the area between the Museum and Currumbene Creek. From the Boardwalk visitor can see Grey Mangroves, River Mangroves, bird species, crabs and other flora and fauna.

The Wirreecoo Wildflower Garden was established by members of the Australian Plant Society, Nowra Group, in 1985. The disastrous bushfires of Christmas 2001 saw the garden almost destroyed. A positive outcome of the fire was the chance to rethink and revamp. A mounded garden was formed to display plants at their best and catch much needed water.

A garden theme was adapted “Linking Local Flora to Fauna“ to highlight local wildlife’s dependence on local plants.

A decision was made to give the Garden its own name and in 2003 it was renamed “Wirreecoo Wildflower Garden”. The Nowra Group continues to maintain the garden with regular working bees.

Keith Naylor, a landscape designer and former Mt Tomah Botanical Gardens staff member, provided the technical expertise to create the habitat garden. Over eight weeks, the garden was developed through hard work, heavy machinery and volunteer working bees.

The aim of the design was to develop a unique Australian native garden that displayed the local natural environment. The garden was to be accessible to the public, especially the disabled. It was important to retain and have minimal disturbance to the existing frog habitat amongst the established native reeds and bulrushes, but, at the same time, to create other types of habitats around the edges of the designated area.

Local native plant species are being used to form the themed vegetation types - Grassland, Dune Woodland/Heath, Heathland, Shrubland and Sedgeland. The plants selected where possible, are botanically significant for the local area, horticulturally suited to the site and aesthetically pleasing.