Central Coast Beaches

Fast facts

• Endowed with a five-star array of beaches and spectacular recreational opportunities
• 80 km north of  Sydney

Why go there

From cosmopolitan beaches with cafes and booming surf to quiet, sheltered sea coves  where the loudest sound is the rustling of the banksias, the Central Coast has a dazzling choice of more than 30 beaches.

Bracketed by rocky headlands, Avoca is a long, golden beach with a vibrant surf culture and buzzy atmosphere that makes this a popular holiday resort. The patrolled beach and great surf that rolls in from The Point makes Avoca ideal for swimmers, bodysurfers and board riders.

Nearby Terrigal is one of the best known beaches on the Central Coast. With more than four kilometres of sand and a thriving café strip behind its towering Norfolk Island pines, Terrigal brings all the glamour of resort living to a magnificent stretch of coast.

Tucked into the calm shores of Broken Bay, Ettalong Beach offers safe swimming even for small children, while ferries and charter vessels run regular trips around the vast waterway of Brisbane Waters.

Uncrowded beaches in Bouddi and Brisbane Waters national parks are only a short drive from Ettalong while the ferry service from Palm Beach offers a fast and scenic alternative connection with Sydney.

You can easily explore other unspoilt beaches from Pearl Beach and Toowoon Bay, The Entrance to Norah Head and Forresters Beach.

Don’t miss

• Superb coastal views from Terrigal’s Skillion headland or Captain Cook Lookout at Avoca.
• A surf lesson at Avoca or Terrigal.
• Surf skiing, kayaking or pedal boating on Tuggerah Lake.
• Beach fishing at any of the ocean beaches.
• Dine by the ocean at stylish Reef Restaurant in Terrigal, Yum Yum Eatery at Hardys Bay or Pearls on the Beach at Pearl Beach.