Central Coast Activities

Worth getting out of bed for

Viewpoint

The best place from which to admire the tiny harbour beaches and towns is actually on Brisbane Waters. The MV Lady Kendall II (+61 (0)2 4323 1655; www.starshipcruises.com.au) is 32m traditional timber cruiser that runs two daily pleasure tours of 2.5 hours from Saturday to Wednesday and every day during school holidays.

Arts and culture

The Bulgandry Aboriginal Engraving Site, just off the Pacific Highway in the Brisbane Waters National Park, is a special place, showing the work of the Guringal people. Among the figures is a man (Bulgandry) with a headdress holding what is thought to be a shield. The engravings can be viewed from a wooden walkway.

Something for nothing

From June, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au) hosts a whale-watching program at Crackneck Lookout, on Hilltop Street, in Bateau Bay. Rangers provide information on whales and other marine animals and how to spot them.

Shopping

Meet some of the area’s producers at The Entrance Farmers Market, held on the third Saturday of every month, at Memorial Park. A new organic farmers market is also being held at Ettalong every Sunday. On offer will be fruit, vegetables, bread, eggs, coffee, smoked trout and more, as well as arts and crafts and entertainment.

Daytripper

Drive to the Lower Hunter Valley to enjoy some excellent regional food and wine. There are about 140 wineries in the area, but try Bimbadgen Estate (+64 (0)2 4998 7585; www.bimbadgen.com.au) and beautiful Constable Estate (+61 (0)2 4998 7887; www.constablevineyards.com.au) in Pokolbin, and Margan Wines (+61 (0)2 6579 1372; www.margan.com.au) in Broke. Rock (+61 (0)2 4998 6968; www.rockrestaurant.com.au), at Pokolbin’s Pooles Rock Wines, is an amazing contemporary eatery that warrants a visit. If you fancy something more active, the area's a scenic place to take a balloon flight, go horse riding or hire a bicycle.

Best beach

Not too many of the beaches around Bouddi Peninsula are easily accessible, but you can drive your car right up to Killcare Beach. That doesn’t mean the seclusion or beauty of this surfing spot is spoiled. There are rock pools for kids to explore and a decent break for learner surfers.

Perfect picnic

Towoon Bay has won awards for being the country’s cleanest beach, and it is protected by an offshore reef so that swimming is safe. There’s a grassy reserve behind the beach that’s made for sand-free munching once you’ve paddled to your heart’s content.

Walks

From the southern end of Pearl Beach you can follow a fire trail through the Brisbane Waters National Park to Patonga. It takes about two hours and you get to observe, at close quarters, two of the most exclusive enclaves on the Central Coast.

Children

Regardless of how old the kids are, they’ll be excited by the array of animals on show at the Australian Reptile Park (+61 (0)2 4340 1022; www.reptilepark.com.au), off the Pacific Highway (take the Gosford exit). Just about every creepy critter that ever lived in a nightmare is on display, as well as cuties like koalas and wombats. There’s a full quota of shows too, so you can watch the Galapagos tortoises being fed, learn about Tasmanian devils or have your picture taken with a python.

Activities

Combine cruising and eating on the popular Crab’n’Oyster Cruise (+61 (0)2 9985 8237; www.crab-n-oystercruises.com.au) along the Hawkesbury River. Find out how these popular seafood delicacies are grown and harvested. Shuck an oyster, haul in a crab pot, then indulge in a tasty seafood lunch right on the water.

And...

Fans of the late comedian Spike Milligan may not know he had close ties to Woy Woy, where his parents and younger brother lived and he often visited. There’s a Spike Milligan Room in the local library and the Spike Milligan Bridge was unveiled by his brother Desmond in 2008. Milligan was never particularly kind to the city, however, calling it 'the world’s only above-ground cemetery'.