Park use fees
Visitors travelling in cars, buses, or on motorbikes are required to pay a park use fee. Walkers, pushbike riders and children on school excursions may enter free of charge. Annual passes are also available. Passes issued are valid only for the Booderee National Park and Booderee Botanic Gardens in Jervis Bay Territory. Please note that a New South Wales Parks Pass is not valid for entry to Booderee National Park.
- Table of Park Use fees
- Vehicle fees
- Commercial Operator fees
- Camping fees
- Boating fees
- Where to buy tickets
- Who does not have to pay?
- What do Park Use fees pay for?
- Contributing to the local and regional economy
Vehicle Fees
Park use tickets for Booderee National Park are issued for each vehicle, not for each person. From 1 July 2006 vehicle passes are valid for 48 hours, 12 months or 24 months. Any number of passengers can enter and leave the park as many times as they like in the ticketed vehicle for the period that the ticket is valid.
Regular visitors may choose to purchase annual tickets, similar to vehicle registration stickers, which affix to the windscreen.
There is no additional charge for trailers or vans. Tickets are not transferable from one vehicle to another.
Commercial Operators Fees
Commercial tour vehicles / buses / boats are required to obtain a Permit to operate in the park and to have a valid park use ticket. Additionally a fee of $3.00 per passenger applies. Children 6 years and under on a commercial tour to Booderee are exempt from the fee.
Camping Fees
Camping fees are not included in the park use fee. However as park users all campers must also be in possession of a park use ticket.
Full details of camping areas, how to book, checking-in and fees, are available on the camping page.
Boating Fees
Recreational and commercial boat operators passing through the waters of the park, without using park facilities and services on the way will not be required to pay the park Use Fee.
Visitors from boats moored or anchored in the park who use Park facilities are required to pay the fee. Visitors launching boats from Park boat ramps are using Park facilities and need to pay the fee on entering the park.
Where to buy tickets
Visitors are welcome to enter the park and to purchase day tickets at the coin operated fee station at the Visitor Information Centre. Annual tickets will also be available from the park Visitor Information Centre, open from 9.00am to 4.00pm seven days.
Who does not have to pay?
the park Use Fee does not apply to:
- permanent residents of Jervis Bay Territory (JBT).
- visitors to permanent residents of JBT including the Jervis Bay Village, HMAS Creswell, Wreck Bay Village, the Australian Railways Union (PTU) camp, Bay of Plenty Lodges, Kullindi and the Christians Minde settlement.
- visitors to the Territory for sporting events such as golf at Creswell and sports at the school oval and Wreck Bay Village.
- Staff, goods deliveries, trades people and other related visitors.
(However if venturing into the park or using park facilities, the visitors and guests listed above will be subject to the fee, as will any other vehicle based Park visitor).
- Volunteer fire fighters (Shoalhaven District only)
- Members of Booderee National Park volunteer groups.
- All Shoalhaven area school children eighteen years and under participating in Shoalhaven school excursions.
- Teachers, parents and friends assisting with Shoalhaven school excursions.
- Commercial and recreational boats passing through the waters of the park, without using park facilities and services.
- Walkers and cyclists
Where vehicles in the park do not display the park ticket, a reminder will be issued advising that the fee is to be paid. Failure to pay the fee within the prescribed period may incur a fine.
What do park use fees pay for?
An estimated 500,000 visitors are drawn to Booderee National Park each year. There is a cost of protecting the natural and cultural values of the park and maintaining facilities from wear and tear from Park visitation.
For this year alone, over one million dollars will be needed for maintenance and improvement of park facilities, infrastructure and assets. Additionally, if the park is to make a greater contribution than it already does to the economy of the Shoalhaven through tourism, then Park services and facilities need to be improved and maintained to a standard that meets visitor expectations in a highly competitive industry.
Contributing to the local and regional economy
All contract work for Park facilities and services is offered locally. The millions of dollars it costs to run Booderee National Park eventually goes to the Shoalhaven, as the park buys locally. Additionally, visitors drawn to the region by the park also spend locally.