Adventures on the Central Coast

Endless golden beaches, a maze of waterways and magnificent national parks make the beautiful NSW Central Coast an adventurer’s playground. Adrenaline-seekers will get a buzz from scuba diving a scuttled warship, zip-lining through tree canopies and skydiving over the spectacular coastline. Other thrills include mountain bike tracks, horse riding, abseiling and survival courses.

Hiking & cycling

The Central Coast is blanketed in magnificent national parks and stately forests full of coastal rainforest, unspoilt bushland, wildlife and scenic lookouts perfect for whale watching. Bushwalking and mountain biking are two of the best ways to explore these natural treasures. The Coast walking track in Wyrrabalong National Park is one of the prettiest bushwalks in the area.

Cycling adventures on the Central Coast include:

• Bouddi Ridge Explorer, a 10km track in Bouddi National Park
• Warrah Trig cycling loop in Brisbane Water National Park
• The 20km Tommos loop and Rocky Ponds cycling loop in Brisbane Water National Park
• 248 Trail and Mount Olive Trail in Popran National Park
• Jilliby State Conservation Area’s mountain biking tracks
• The 12km Tuggerah Lakes Cycleway
• Red Gum trail in Wyrrabalong National Park

Water adventures

A visit to the Central Coast isn’t complete without enjoying the sun, sand and sea. You can hire a range of aquatic equipment, from stand up paddle boards to kayaks and boats for waterskiing and fishing. Book a surf lesson or join a fishing tour with Central Coast Reef and Game Fishing and Terrigal Bluewater Fishing Charters to try and hook a marlin.

For underwater adventure, embark on a diving tour to the Ex-HMAS Adelaide, a scuttled warship teeming with sea life. The artificial reef is 32m below the surface and about 1.8km off Avoca Beach. You can also join diving tours to the colourful reef off the coast of Terrigal, where you’ll find swirling schools of fish.

Adrenaline rush

If you’re looking for something a little more extreme, why not propel yourself out of the water with Jetpack Adventures in Mt Penang Gardens. You can also get the heart pumping in Glenworth Valley with horse riding, quadbiking, kayaking, abseiling, axe-throwing, laser skirmish and survival courses. Or experience an unforgettable flying adventure on a microlight.

There’s also plenty of adventure for kids to enjoy. Visit TreeTop Adventure Park, and you’ll find adrenaline junkies of all ages embracing their spirit of adventure on flying foxes, tightropes and trapezes, as well as the 1km Crazy Rider, one of the longest rollercoaster zip-lines in the world. If mazes and farm animals are more your kids’ style, they’ll love the Amazement Farm & Fun Park.