wellness
Where to find the best parkrun near you
Central Coast residents can choose from established 5km events at multiple local parks and beachfront routes each Saturday.
How we reported this
The Central Coast added a third parkrun course this year at the northern end of the Gosford to Terrigal beach path, expanding options for timed 5km runs beyond the two longstanding sites.
These free community events draw steady participation as locals seek regular outdoor activity without fees, especially after recent reports showed Australian house prices remaining nearly double their levels from a decade earlier.
Established courses on the Central Coast
The Gosford waterfront parkrun begins at 7am on Saturdays near the central boat ramp and follows the shared path toward Terrigal for a mostly flat route. The Avoca event starts at the same time adjacent to the Avoca Surf Lifesaving Club and incorporates a mix of street loops and sand sections before finishing near the club house.
Both locations operate under the national parkrun Australia program, which logs results through volunteer timing and barcode scanning at each finish line.
June figures from parkrun Australia showed an average of 218 finishers across the Gosford and Avoca events, with the highest single-week turnout reaching 267 participants on June 13.
How to take part this weekend
New runners must register once on the parkrun website and print or save their personal barcode before arriving. Events run regardless of weather, though participants are advised to check the specific course page for any last-minute alerts.
The next rounds take place on July 11 at both Gosford and Avoca, with no entry cost or membership required.
Local cycling groups sometimes combine the runs with loops around Tuggerah Lake later the same morning for those seeking additional distance.