Holiday houses in The Entrance

A compact, picturesque town facing the channel where the Tuggerah Lake estuary opens up to the Pacific Ocean, the Entrance is at the northern tip of the New South Wales Central Coast region. This idyllic stretch of surf coast is bordered by the Hawkesbury River to the south and Lake Macquarie, an immense saltwater lake system, to the north. There’s a patrolled surf beach close to the town centre, near the opening to Tuggerah Lake, as well as ocean baths — three heritage-listed manmade rock pools — for those less confident in the water. As you’d expect, there are plenty of seafood restaurants in town, some enjoying expansive views of the ocean and the ever-present pelicans. With sections of Wyrrabalong National Park to the north and south of the Entrance, and sheltered lagoons and lakes on its doorstep, the town is an ideal destination for a chill coastal break.

The Central Coast is a popular getaway for Sydneysiders, so it can get crowded during the holiday season and on long weekends. Try to avoid driving in at the start of a weekend, or leaving at the end of a weekend, when traffic can bank up. The warmer months from September through to the end of March are ideal for making the most of the coast, whether you want to laze on a beach or get out on a kayak on one of the many lakes and lagoons. Autumn and winter are made for hiking in the coastal national parks, with whales migrating north from May until August. And if you surf, you’ll find good waves all year round, with the sea temperature often around the same as the air temperature in winter.

Long Jetty

Around a 25-minute walk or a 10-minute bike ride from the Entrance, Long Jetty is a hip enclave that’s easy to miss as you pass through on the highway. Grab a coffee at a funky cafe on the lake side of Long Jetty and browse stores selling vintage and pre-loved fashion and homewares. Then trek to the end of the eponymous long timber jetty, which extends 351 metres into Tuggerah Lake.

Spoon Bay Beach

You can have the water all to yourself at Spoon Bay Beach, a 15-minute drive to the south. To get to this secluded strip of sand in Wamberal Lagoon Nature Reserve, park on Spoon Bay Road and walk down the bush path to the unpatrolled beach.

Wyrrabalong National Park

The southern section of this national park starts in Bateau Bay, south of the Entrance. Take the Coast walking track from Bateau Beach through bushland and along cliff tops to Wyrrabalong Lookout on the headland at Forresters Beach — it’s around a 3.5-hour return walk.