The Top Things To See And Do In Australia's Central Coast

Native wildlife, unspoilt national parks, adrenaline-pumping activities and some of the best beaches you’ve ever laid eyes on — with so much to see and do on the Central Coast, you’d be crazy not to make the one hour trip north from Sydney to check it out. Read on to learn about the top 10 activities this spectacular coastal region has to offer.

Beaches

From massive tourist magnets like Terrigal and Avoca to secluded beaches like Frazer Park and Little Beach, there’s no doubt that the Central Coast’s biggest drawcard is its miles of golden sand. Wamberal, Shelly and Soldiers beaches offer consistent swells for surfers, Toowoon Bay and Avoca are gentler for swimmers, Bateau Bay and Killcare are fishing havens. And that barely covers a fraction of all the stunning beaches this region has to offer.

Australian Reptile Park

Park, Zoo

Two of the Coast’s most famous residents live at the Australian Reptile Park: Hugo the giant Galapagos tortoise, and Elvis, dubbed the crankiest croc in the state. They live with a collection of native animals — koalas, roos, wombats, Tasmanian devils, dingos and cassowaries — in a zoo established way back in 1948 by Australia’s first naturalist, Eric Worrell. Fun fact: the park saves more than 300 lives a year through the rare snake and spider antidotes supplied by its venom-milking programme.

Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park

Park, Zoo

The Reptile Park isn’t your only chance to rub shoulders with native wildlife on the Central Coast, with the Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park located virtually right next door. The sanctuary contains free-roaming kangaroos, emus, and all the other animals that naturally live in the Australian bush. The park’s guides are trained by Aboriginal cultural advisers, and conduct tours through ancient Indigenous rock art sites. There’s even the chance to spend the night on a Wild Sleep Out to catch a glimpse of nocturnal animals then have breakfast with the wildlife the next morning.

Aqua Splash Central Coast

Smack bang in the middle of Gosford — the biggest town on the Coast — sits an inflatable obstacle course inviting you to unleash your inner child. Open every day over summer, Aqua Splash is the only outdoor water obstacle course in New South Wales, made up of obstacles like giant swings and slides.

Norah Head Lighthouse

Park

This historic lighthouse has hardly changed since it was built in 1903, standing proudly on a headland overlooking the Pacific Ocean for miles. Neighbouring the pristine Soldiers Beach within the Wyrrabalong National Park near the town of Toukley, this iconic Central Coast landmark hosts tours every day around lunchtime and provides accommodation in some of the old lighthouse keepers quarters.

Armstrong Tag Archery

Think paintball, medieval style. The objective is the same — hit all the targets on the opposition team before they hit you — but with more skill required to hit the mark, and less pain when you cop an arrow. Since 2013 families and friends have been living out their Robin Hood/Legolas/Katniss Everdeen fantasies in Tumbi Umbi at Armstrong Tag Archery, which also offers soft-tip arrows and ‘hover ball’ archery designed for younger kids.

Pelican feeding at the Entrance

Memorial, Park, Shop

The Entrance is one of the Coast’s top holiday hotspots and nothing pulls a crowd quite like the pelican feeding at Memorial Park every afternoon at 3.30pm. What all began in the early 1990s with a local fish-and-chip shop just throwing out their scraps has blossomed into an Entrance institution. The event is sponsored by local businesses and the councils have even built a feeding platform dubbed ‘Pelican Plaza’.

Jetpack Adventures

The Jetpack, Fly Board and ‘Jetovator’ look and sound like contraptions that Tony Stark would have dreamed up in Iron Man — but they’re absolutely real on the Central Coast. Head to Mount Penang Gardens in Kariong to fly around in these water-powered devices — choose from the classic James Bond-style backpack unit, the jet-powered board, or an invention that looks like an airborne jet ski.

Gosford Classic Car Museum

Museum

From the moment local property developer Tony Denny bought his first classic car — a 1955 Ford Zephyr — he became addicted to vintage autos. In 2015, he turned that obsession into a museum. Covering more than 11,000 square metres, the Gosford Classic Car Museum is home to 450 cars worth more than $70 million, including 35 Ferraris, 25 Soviet vehicles and the full Holden range between 1948 and ’78.

Bouddi Coastal Walk

Park

Starting at the gorgeous Putty Beach in Killcare and ending at popular holiday town Macmasters Beach, this seaside stroll spans 8 kilometres of stunning Pacific coastline that’s every bit as beautiful as the far more famous Bondi to Coogee walk in Sydney. Stop for a dip at the hidden Little Beach, spot migrating whales from the Gerrin Point lookout and discover the PS Maitland shipwreck at the eastern end of Maitland Bay.

About the author

Tom Smith

Tom is a travel writer with a focus on East Asia and Australia. He has contributed to Culture Trip since 2014 and has plenty of recommendations to share.