Given that it's encircled by NSW land and followed in either direction by kilometres of NSW coastline, you'd be forgiven for assuming that the white sand shoreline of Jervis Bay is part of New South Wales. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, et cetera. But this particular duck is part of the ACT.
This means that, as border restrictions across the country change by the day, access to the glistening shoreline and popular holiday spot is currently blocked to Sydneysiders.
Jervis Bay Territory is administered by the commonwealth government and is subject to similar public health declarations as are in place in the ACT, which has currently designated the Greater Sydney, Central Coast and Wollongong areas as hotspots. Under the Public Health Emergency Direction of December 21, "affected persons" to Jervis Bay from any hotspot must quarantine for 14 days after having been in a hotspot.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on January 11 that some NSW travellers were being turned away from the only entry point to the territory, through Booderee National Park.
If you were planning a little coastal getaway to those sandy white shores in the near future, you might want to look elsewhere for now.
Check the ACT's latest health directions here.