Central Coast Council Is Offering Free Senior Fitness Programs — Here's How to Get Involved

Central Coast Council has expanded its free fitness program for adults aged 55 and over, adding new weekly sessions at venues from Gosford to The Entrance and running the initiative year-round for the first time. The move brings the total number of free group exercise sessions on offer to more than 40 per week across the region — a significant lift from the 28 sessions available this time last year.

The timing matters. Australian Bureau of Statistics data published earlier this year found that fewer than one in three adults over 65 meet the national physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. On the Central Coast, where the share of residents aged 65 and over sits above the NSW state average at around 22 percent of the population, that gap has real consequences for hospital admissions, falls-related injuries and social isolation. Council's Active Ageing team has been quietly building out the program since late 2024, and this winter rollout is its most ambitious push yet.

What's on Offer and Where

The program runs under the council's Active & Healthy Central Coast banner, which coordinates with NSW Health's statewide Get Healthy program. Sessions vary by location and format. Tuggerah Lake foreshore hosts a Tuesday and Thursday morning walk-and-stretch group, meeting at the Wyong Road entry point near Chittaway Bay at 8 a.m. Participants report the flat path around the lake's edge makes it genuinely accessible for people managing knee or hip issues.

At the Gosford Regional Library precinct on Mann Street, a chair-based strength class runs every Wednesday at 10 a.m., led by an accredited exercise physiologist contracted by council. The Terrigal Community Hall on Church Street hosts a Friday morning balance and mobility session specifically designed to reduce falls risk — an initiative delivered in partnership with the Central Coast Local Health District's falls prevention unit. Avoca Beach and Wamberal residents can access a free beach walking group organised through the Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club, which meets at the club's Avoca Parade car park each Monday at 7:30 a.m. from April through September.

Several Meals on Wheels hubs, including the Ettalong Beach community centre on Broken Bay Road, have also been folded into the network, with gentle yoga offered on alternate Thursdays. Council confirmed that all sessions are free, require no prior booking for most locations, and are open without a referral.

Why Free Matters More Than It Sounds

The cost question is not trivial. A standard group fitness class at a private gym on the Central Coast runs between $18 and $25 per session. For someone on the Age Pension — currently $1,116.30 per fortnight for a single person as of March 2026 — that adds up fast. Council's program removes the financial barrier entirely, which exercise physiologists and GPs in the region say is the single biggest reason older adults skip structured activity.

Bouddi National Park and the Gosford-to-Terrigal coastal path remain popular for independent walkers, but structured group programs offer something the bush tracks don't: supervision, social connection, and exercises calibrated to specific health conditions like osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes and post-cardiac rehabilitation. The council program screens participants at first attendance and can refer anyone flagging health concerns to the Central Coast Local Health District. Anyone with existing conditions should still speak with their GP or a local exercise physiologist before starting a new program.

The full schedule is published on the Central Coast Council website under the Active & Healthy tab, updated at the start of each month. Printed copies are available at Gosford, Wyong and Tuggerah libraries. Council's Active Ageing team can also be reached directly on 1300 463 954 for residents who want help finding the closest or most suitable session. New sessions are expected to be added at The Entrance foreshore by September, ahead of the warmer months when attendance typically spikes.