Community
From the Entrance pelicans to Brisbane Water National Park and the Gosford Regional Gallery, here is the Central Coast's complete family activity guide.
The Central Coast's family activity landscape is built on the region's extraordinary natural geography: the ocean beaches, the Tuggerah Lakes and Brisbane Water systems, the national park bush, and the coast's wildlife (pelicans, dolphins, whales in season) providing natural activity that complements the more formal attractions. For families who prioritise outdoor and nature-based activity, the Central Coast is genuinely outstanding.
The Entrance pelican feeding — the daily pelican feeding at The Entrance waterfront (3:30pm every day, free) is one of Australia's most beloved community wildlife traditions, with dozens of pelicans arriving from the Tuggerah Lake system for the daily feed. Children reliably find the spectacle of 30-40 enormous pelicans competing for fish genuinely exciting, and the adjacent Tuggerah Lake foreshore provides excellent walking, duck feeding, and picnic facilities.
Brisbane Water National Park — the Brisbane Water National Park (surrounding Gosford and Woy Woy on the southern Central Coast) has excellent walking tracks for families, the Bulgandry Aboriginal Engravings site (one of the most accessible Aboriginal rock art sites in NSW, with a short easy walk to the engraving platform), and the Patonga beach community accessible via the Woy Woy ferry.
Gosford Regional Gallery — the Gosford Regional Gallery (free entry) has dedicated children's art programmes and interactive exhibitions that make it a worthwhile rainy day destination for Central Coast families. The adjacent Kibble Park playground and the Gosford foreshore are good complementary outdoor activities.
Ocean beaches with rock pools — Avoca Beach, Terrigal, and MacMasters Beach have accessible rock pools at low tide that provide one of Australia's best natural children's activities: searching for sea creatures, hermit crabs, and anemones in the exposed rock platform. Free and endlessly engaging for children aged 3-12.
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Published by The Daily Central Coast