Discover The Jewels Of The Central Coast

The Central Coast of New South Wales is a fantastic holiday destination, covering some of the most splendid beaches and unique scenic panoramas in Australia. Offering a wide range of attractions and activities that span from the coast to the hinterland, this stunning region is packed full of fun, excitement and undeniable beauty. Its position of just an hour away from Sydney makes it the perfect getaway destination for those wishing to escape the hectic city. The relaxed lifestyle and atmosphere of the Central Coast is essentially what draws the visitors in, it's no wonder they never want to leave. A campervan gives you the freedom to take your time wandering through the region at your own pace.

Main Regions

Gosford

Gosford is the major commercial and administrative centre of the Central Coast and is an ideal place to start your exploration of this amazing area. Within close proximity to its surrounding holiday destinations, Gosford offers a thriving small city lifestyle, with enough of a laid back atmosphere to make you feel right at home. There are several great attractions in and around the city. The Henry Kendall Cottage & Historical Museum celebrates the life of one of Australia's most-talented poets. The Regional Art Gallery is set in the Edogawa Japanese Gardens, so you get to visit inspiring art and tranquil gardens in one go. Just outside of Gosford is the famous Australian Reptile Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is the only zoo in Australia with a venom-milking program in place, used for all snake and funnel-web spider anti-venom in Australia. The Brisbane Waters National park is situated right next to Gosford and indigenous art haunts this sandstone landscape. If you want to see even more mysterious art, check out the Gosford Glyphs. The glyphs site features almost 300 engravings on two sandstone walls and has created widespread interest and controversy over the years.

The Entrance

The Entrance gained it name from the channel that runs along much of its northern border and is the entrance to the Tuggerah Lakes. When it comes to tourism on the Central Coast, no destination does it better than The Entrance. The Entrance boasts pristine beaches and a relaxed atmosphere. The town offers fine outdoor dining, a vast array of markets and shops and accommodation to suit all needs and budgets. The Entrance waterfront is known as 'The Pelican Capital of Australia', with feeding of the pelicans at 3.30 pm daily. To celebrate the start of the summer tourist season, on the first full weekend in December, The Entrance holds its annual Mardi Gras festival (not to be confused with Sydney's Mardi Gras). For the children, the place to be is Vera's Water Garden.

Bateau Bay

This coastal suburb is located just 6 km from The Entrance and is largely dominated by the Wyrrabalong National Park. This area is characterised by the unique coastal cliffs that act as extensive rock platforms. These rock platforms are popular for fishing and low-tide exploration. Wyrrabalong National Park is a haven for marine, bird and native wildlife. A 1.6 km walk through Wyrrabalong National Park links Crackneck Point Lookout and Forresters Beach. Crackneck Point has panoramic views of Shelley Beach and is a popular spot for whale watching.

Discover Glenworth Valley

The stunning region of Glenworth Valley is simply full to the brim with exciting and adventurous things to see and do. Adrenaline seekers will love activities like quad biking, abseiling and mountain biking, while those looking for something a little more laid back can enjoy a pleasant afternoon of kayaking or horse riding. Glenworth Valley is primarily occupied by a large rural property which is the home of the largest horse riding and outdoor adventure centre in Australia, known as Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures. It is also the home of the popular annual Peats Ridge Sustainable Arts and Music Festival, held over a three day period, which showcases music, arts and culture across 9 stages, and helps ring in the New Year.

Visit the Beaches

As its name suggests, the Central Coast is largely comprised of stunning coastal settings. Must-see beaches include Avoca Beach, Shelley Beach, Terrigal Beach and The Entrance. Avoca Beach stretches between two rocky headlands, embracing and protecting the beach and providing lookouts over the ocean. To the north of the beach is The Skillion, the most prominent landmark of the region, a tall rocky outcrop jutting out into the ocean and creating a convenient lookout. All of the region's beaches, however, are well worth a visit, offering undeniable beauty and the perfect destination for families and couples alike.

The Region's Main Nature Parks and Reserves

• The Watagan Mountains are located between the Hunter River Catchment and Tuggerah Lakes. Heaton State Forest is located at the northern end of the beautiful Watagan Mountains; and the Great North Walk, a 250km walking track from Sydney to Newcastle, passes through Heaton State Forest.
• Brisbane Water National Park is set in over 12,000 ha of rugged sandstone country; by bordering the Hawkesbury River, the park provides magnificent views of the river.
• Most of the Wyrrabalong National Park lies in the Tuggerah Important Bird Area, identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance to a variety of water and woodland birds.
• Bouddi National Park and Bouddi National Park Marine Extension were one of the earliest Marine Protected Areas in Australia, protecting a diversity of marine habitats and species.

A jewel of New South Wales, the Central Coast continues to please time after time. The ease of accessibility, wide variety of regions and abundance of fun and adventurous activities, keep people coming back for more. In a campervan, it is much easier to explore the area without being tied down too much to just one place.