A hidden playground of heart-thumping adventure lies just inshore from the Central Coast’s scene-stealing beaches.
World-class surf and idyllic rockpools have kept the Central Coast atop holiday hit lists for decades. But as nature-based regional travel continues to boom, I’ve joined the masses in search of more than beaches. Hopping west off the M1, I found a hinterland rippling with family-friendly hijinks including easy-access rainforest trails, a 500-metre zipline-rollercoaster hybrid, seasonal fruit picking, after-dark wildlife encounters and more. Fuelling a week of unexpected Central Coast exploration, the ultimate seven-day coast-to-hinterland itinerary will utterly delight.
Day 1: Chase waves before waterfalls
Tap Umina Beach into Maps to lap up one of the Central Coast’s 41 pristine surf stretches. Located at the southern end of the region, it’s famed for sheltered waters begging to be paddled by aspiring surfers (and grommets). Central Coast Surf School invites visitors of all ages to jump on a board, offering wetsuits and a one-hour session from $80 per person.
Once you’ve mastered the art of standing, lunch at Margarita Daze has your clan’s name written all over it. Positioned on Umina Beach’s Trafalgar Avenue, the restaurant nails kids’ meals and overloaded share plates, all while coastline views dazzle. Then, you’re headed for the hills.
Sunrise over Avoca Beach, one of many beaches to choose from. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Jump on a board with Cental Coast Surf Academy. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Refuel at Margarita Daze. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Drive about 24 kilometres inland to Brisbane Water National Park, where the 800-metre Somersby Falls walking track involves whimsical wandering before a spectacular tiered waterfall takes centre stage. The trail is filled with stairs but there is an accessible viewing platform to help every family angle a holiday selfie.
A significant Indigenous site also beckons from within the national park. The Bulgandry Art Site Aboriginal Place houses remarkably vivid rock art. Experts say some engravings, which span wallabies and native marine life, date back as far as 2,000 years.
Wrap up the day at the Central Coast’s newest hotel, voco Gosford, located less than 10 kilometres from Somersby Falls. It’s set within Gosford’s very chic Archibald Precinct which is dotted with dining options for every taste bud.
Take advantage of the dining at the new Archibald Precinct in Gosford. (Credit: Jason Lucas)
Views of Brisbane Water from the balcony of voco Gosford's hotel room. (Credit: Supplied)
Interior design details. (Credit: Supplied)
Day 2: Spencer and Popran National Park
Swap hotel slippers for slip-free boots in search of The Little Chooks Farm, situated about 45 kilometres from your overnight stay. A picturesque farm in Spencer, west of Gosford, the attraction lures littlies for its resident alpacas and ponies, and bigger kids for its ADV biking adventures. If they’re in season, there’s also passionfruit, orange, chilli and tomato harvesting.
Hard yakka is best rewarded with a dip in the heavenly Emerald Pool along the Hominy Creek walking track in Popran National Park, located about 40 kilometres away. Yes, you’ll need to tackle the five-kilometre return trail to get there, but it’s a fairytale setting for picnic-lunching in your cozzies. Prefer mountain biking to meandering? Popran National Park also has the 248 trail, a mountain bike magnet that stretches across 2.5 kilometres of rugged terrain.
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Day 3: Glenworth Valley and Calga
Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary in Calga gets visitors up-close to free-ranging Australian wildlife. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Load up at voco Gosford’s buffet breakfast because you’ll be out past sundown today. First up, Glenworth Valley Wilderness Adventures, roughly 20 kilometres away, is an epic spot for horse riding, including toddler-friendly pony rides and adult-adored cattle herding. This Glenworth Valley hot spot also facilitates quad biking, abseiling, kayaking, laser skirmish, and axe throwing to ensure all-day smiles on dials.
Wide-eyed exploration continues less than six kilometres down the road, where Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary in Calga can’t be missed. My highlight is the ‘Wild Night Out’ evening tour program which sees groups explore nocturnal enclosures with flashlights. Each tour runs for two hours and prices start from $160 per person.
Day 4: Erina and Terrigal
Devour a cheese board in the gardens. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Stroll the manicured grounds of Distillery Botanica at Erina. (Credit: Destination NSW)
The kids have had plenty to squeal about, so kick off the second half of your week with an artisanal-led adventure for deserving parents. Around eight kilometres east of Gosford, Distillery Botanica is one of Erina’s hottest tickets. What I especially love is the spacious manicured grounds it’s set within, making for an equally enjoyable visit for the kids, too.
Head to The Haven to dine at the beachside Terrigal Pavilion. (Credit: Supplied/ Kitti Gould)
If you’re visiting between May and November, it’s also worth booking a Terrigal Ocean Tour this close to the shore. The whale watching cruises depart from Terrigal Haven Boat Ramp, which is about six kilometres from the distillery, and know their way around the Humpback Highway like nobody’s business. Once you’re back on land, catch the sun setting from Terrigal Pavilion, which is always a vibe and dishes up a dedicated kids’ menu.
Day 5: Ourimbah State Forest and Wyong
Ourimbah State Forest’s Treetops Adventure is a thrill for all ages. (Credit: Destination NSW)
The kids come first again at Ourimbah State Forest’s Treetops Adventure. Featuring the 500-metre Zipcoaster – the longest of its kind in the state – they’ll fly along its Big Dipper-style twists and turns (well, not upside down but definitely topsy turvy) to set everyone’s hearts racing. It’s priced from $45 per person. Tree rope courses and a ‘Networld’ filled with giant inflatable balls are also on site.
There’s also plenty to see at The Art House in Wyong, located about five kilometres from Treetops. One of the Central Coast’s premier performance spaces, the venue stages live music, theatre, dance and child-friendly productions. Check out the website ahead of your trip to see what’s on.
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Day 6: Strickland State Forest and Holgate
The scenic grounds of Firescreek Winery in Holgate. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Stop by for a tasting. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Try the Chocolate & Wine Pairing. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Ready for leg day? Strickland State Forest is a beautiful ecotourism destination showcasing the region’s diverse flora and fauna. I highly recommend packing a picnic lunch and losing track of time amid its six designated walking trails, including the 2.3-kilometre Arboretum Track which crosses a thrilling suspension bridge.
Given it’s your final full day, I also recommend chasing vigorous exercise with serious indulgence. Firescreek Botanical Winery, located about 16 kilometres from Strickland State Forest in Holgate, puts on a ‘Chocolate & Wine Pairing’ filled with the good stuff. Last sessions start at 3.30pm from Wednesday to Sunday, so it’s the best prelude to a night of takeout back at your hotel.
Day 7: Mooney Mooney
Finish the week with oysters at Mooney Mooney. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Say sayonara to the Central Coast by savouring a local delicacy: oysters. The Hawkesbury River Oyster Shed, found south of Gosford in Mooney Mooney, is open from 10am to 4pm, Thursday to Sunday, so a seafood brunch is standard practice. Whether you take a seat at its Oyster Shucking School or kick up your feet with a crustacean platter, it’s the perfect sign-off to an unforgettable off-the-beaten-track odyssey.
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Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
From country landscapes to the coast, Vintage Rail Journeys blends the grandeur of the golden age of rail travel with immersive local experiences.
Travelling aboard the historic Southern Aurora train is the ultimate scenic journey through regional NSW. Operated by Vintage Rail Journeys, the former Southern Aurora is a step back in time, from the lovingly restored carriages to the Off Train Experiences that spotlight local history, artisanal crafts and regional producers.
Once the overnight express that ferried passengers between Sydney and Melbourne throughout the 1960s, this train has been revived to its former mid-century glory, from the cabin layouts to the original lettering. Today, the train takes passengers on scenic and historic five-day journeys – starting and ending in Sydney – through three distinct regions of NSW: The Riverina, Golden West and North Coast.
Be transported into the golden age of travel. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
One of the most magical parts of travelling with Vintage Rail Journeys is waking up on the train. Each night, the train stables at a station so guests can enjoy a restful night’s sleep in stillness, before departing again at dawn. Passengers awake to the gentle motion of the carriage, flicking open the blinds to watch the landscape unfold at sunrise. There is no better way to start the day.
The onboard experience come evening time is just as picturesque. Guests enjoy the all-inclusive food and beverages, nursing cocktails in the Art Deco-inspired lounge carriage or lingering over a three-course dinner in the dining carriage. Outside the window, Eastern grey kangaroos bound across open plains and flocks of cockatoos scatter from the gumtrees. It’s an old-world way of travelling, a slower pace that’s increasingly rare amid the frenzy of modern life. From coastal sojourns to adventures through agrarian landscapes, these are the multi-day Vintage Rail Journeys itineraries transporting guests back in time.
The Riverina
Travel through the agricultural heartland of NSW. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
The Riverina is the agricultural heartland of NSW. Over five days, Vintage Rail Journeys takes passengers through the region to experience its celebrated produce, wines and local history. Travelling in a loop through the Central West, guests can sample sweets at the Junee Liquorice & Chocolate Factory, housed inside a former flour mill, tour an olive grove alongside a second-generation olive farmer, and enjoy tastings at family-owned wineries where the grapes are harvested mere metres away.
The Riverina is also a region shaped by passionate local historians. The Fairground Follies museum in Bowral houses one of the world’s largest collections of mechanical music and carnival memorabilia – a riot of colour and nostalgia tucked away where you’d least expect it. Meanwhile, Temora Rural Museum offers a glimpse into the history of everyday life in rural NSW. It’s home to the NSW & ACT Ambulance Museum (yes, a museum within a museum), packed with ambulances that span the past 120 years (including horse-drawn!). And seeing it all aboard a vintage train makes it feel not just like you’re visiting history, but living inside of it.
North Coast
Take in the views from Forest Sky Pier. (Credit: Destination NSW)
This five-day journey is all about ocean views and slowing down in tune with the rhythm of coastal life. As you make your way north from Sydney, the water is never too far from sight, whether Vintage Rail Journeys is tracing the Gloucester River or travelling alongside sweeping stretches of coastline. You’ll want to sit by a window as the train passes through the Coffs Harbour region – it’s one of the most scenic stretches of the whole journey.
Guests can also disembark at Coffs Harbour to take in the beauty of the Great Dividing Range at the Forest Sky Pier – a surreal lookout point that looks like a runway disappearing into the sky. The train continues onward to Byron Bay, where guests can disembark to explore the iconic beach town at their own pace. And on the return journey to Sydney, keep your eyes peeled for dolphins – they’re known to frequent the Kooragang Wetlands near Newcastle, which guests visit on a lunch cruise on the final day.
Golden West
Jump off the train for a winery experience. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
Travelling through the Golden West by rail is like stepping into a Frederick McCubbin painting – a nod to the golden era of rail travel. This five-day journey evokes the era of Australian Impressionism, passing through some of the country’s most painterly landscapes while tracing a path through history.
Starting in Sydney, the train makes its way to the Hawkesbury River, where the train crosses a historic rail bridge over the bronze, glassy waters below. Guests disembark here to cruise the brackish inlet aboard a historic postal boat before returning to the train to continue into Gold Rush country. Ahead lie grand heritage towns and historic estates, including the 1870s Abercrombie House in Bathurst.
Special event journeys
Enjoy all-inclusive dining and beverages on the way to special events. (Credit: Krista Eppelstun)
Regional NSW is home to some truly one-of-a-kind events, and Vintage Rail Journeys offers a memorable way to get there. Planning a trip to the Bathurst Repco 1000? Vintage Rail Journeys’ special itinerary combines accommodation, dining and transport into one seamless experience. Guests take the scenic route to Bathurst, where the train becomes a unique home base for the event, complete with transfers, all-inclusive dining and beverages, and three days of reserved grandstand seating before returning to Sydney Central Station.
For something a little more playful, guests can also join fellow Elvis enthusiasts on a special overnight journey to Parkes for the town’s iconic annual Elvis Festival. It’s a vintage rail journey – with a little added rock ‘n’ roll.
