Calling all Rocky Trail Families!
The Central Coast is a vibrant mix of urban hubs, beach towns and hinterland villages. There really is something for everyone, and it’s so easy to tap into a plethora of playtime opportunities, both indoors and out, including BBQ boats, parkside cafes, safe swim spots and social hubs for parents.
Come and have a family adventure on the Central Coast with Rocky Trail!!
Martin and I have been living on the Central Coast for seven years and especially since having Cosmo 5.5 years ago, we’ve had so much fun exploring what this beautiful region has to offer.
Beaches, playgrounds, cafes, kid-friendly restaurants and especially cycle paths – see us explore our home together with Cosmo in this Video Trailer:
Come and create memories – let us tempt you to bring the family and the kids!
While you race, they will have plenty of things to see and do and they can also get a piece of the racing action by spectating or some kids activities we offer.
Our events are proudly supported by the Central Coast Council and together with the major sponsors Shimano Cycling Australia, RIDE Fox Australia and sealant partner, Stan’s NoTubes with Jetblack Products Australia, all your rider photos from Rocky Trail events are included in the entry fee!
From headland to hinterland, you’ll love the Central Coast
Fun family trips on the Central Coast & Juliane’s favourite spots
Great look-outs for little legs
The Central Coast has several fantastic headlands and vantage points for spectacular views. Our favourite spots are:
- Crackneck Lookout, (Wyrrabalong National Park).
You can drive right to the top. Limited parking is available, and it can be very busy on sunny weekends. Several picnic tables and benches are available. Pack a picnic and enjoy the sunshine. - The Skillion, Terrigal.
As you drive into Terrigal, the Skillion is a prominent landmark. Parking is available easily, however, it is a steep walk to the top. There is a concrete stairway and path added, so no problems taking prams up there. The view is certainly a reward for a bit of effort! - Norah Head Lighthouse – our all-time favourite: Bush & Beach fun!
Norah Head Lighthouse is beautiful to visit in any season. There is designated parking with a pathway to the Lighthouse and The Ark Cafe is amazing! - Bateau Bay Beach Viewing Area.
While it is not the highest vantage point, a beautifully landscaped sandstone platform provides a clear viewing point out over Bateau Bay. Plenty of parking is available, and picnic tables and amenities are close by. Check out our notes on our favourite bushwalks below! – Park the car here and take the bushwalk to the top of Crackneck. It is not a difficult bushwalk however the surface is uneven, and it is undulating terrain. - Copacabana Beach – Captain Cook Lookout.
At the Southern end of the coast this purpose built platform has views all the way south to Palm Beach.
Norah Head – Bushwalk, rock pool and The General Store Cafe
This is one of our favourite breakfast and brunch spots on the coast! You can park your car near the cafe and do the easy 3.5km walk through the bush to the Norah Head light house, climb down the steps to the beach and walk along the beach and around the headland to the Rock Pool. From there steps lead back up to the cafe.
- Link to walk on Wild Walks website
- The General Store (open every day 8am-4pm)
TreeTops Adventure Park
Just 300m from the Rocky Trail event centre at Ourimbah State Forest you can experience the iconic Australian bush like never before. Get up-close and personal with native Australian wildlife and magnificent Gum trees, as you climb, weave and fly through the tree tops on self-guided rope courses. Flex your adventurous spirit and test yourself mentally and physically with over 100 elevated obstacles with rope ladders, wobbly bridges, tunnels, cargo-nets and zip lines. – Perfect for the accompanying families and friends while you race or as a pre- or post-race activity together!
Australian Reptile Park
One of our most favourite excursions is to the Australian Reptile Park just off the Gosford exit – you would have noticed the huge dinosaur on your way up to Wyong! This is a hands-on zoo located in a natural bush setting, home to exotic reptiles from around the world and a wide variety of Australian native animals. Enjoy live entertaining shows, themed exhibits and behind the scenes tours. Learn about conservation work undertaken by keepers including the Tasmanian devil breeding program at Devil Ark, and our lifesaving snake and spider venom collection work.
Gosford – Kincumber Pub
This a great pub, but don’t let the name fool you – great food, delicious cocktails, nice setting and heaps of stuff for the kids to do!
Gosford – Japanese Garden
This is a nice one if you’re in the Gosford area; the cafe serves yummy food and for a buck you can buy some fish food and go out into the gardens and – feed the fish! Cosmo loves it and, wait for it, there is a big playground right outside near the car park also (you’ll drive past it to get into the car park).
Umina – Beach, playground and lunch/dinner
This charming little village is a gem on the Central Coast and one of our favourites! We recently headed there after Cosmo got up from his nap and explored the massive ‘Peninsula Recreation Precinct Playground’. It is a paradise for kids of all ages and their parents – a toddler area with pirate ship and a sandpit, massive swings for the older rascals, a huge climbing net and the beach right across the road. Oh, and we must mention the cafe and restaurant right next to it! But that’s not enough, you must check out the new ‘Sounds on West’ restaurant just a bit over a kilometre from the playground. It’s the latest offspring from the Six String Brewery – a rustic restaurant with a charming backyard and garden where the kids can roam free and even eat the strawberries! There’s a blackboard to draw on and Lego to play with… heaven! Not to mention the food – ribs, corn bread, sausages, Schnitzel and beer. Yasss!
Wyong Milk Factory
Wyong Milk Factory is a 2 minute drive from the event centre – cafe, restaurant, hairdresser, beauty treatments, gift & furniture store, pub, fitness centre, cheese factory, chocolate factory – need we say more???
Wyong Town Centre
Take a stroll through the Wyong Town Centre on Allison Road – barber, cupcake store, restaurants, a pizzeria cafes with Glee Roasters and Duck Duck Moose and one of our event partners, Panonia.
Coastal and Bush Walks that we love
Bateau Bay – Wyrrabalong National Park – a beautiful walk that spans from Shelly Beach all the way south to Forresters Beach and Juliane’s regular walking and running track, often also with Cosmo. Enjoy scenic views and wildflowers along The Coast walking track near Bateau Bay. This is a great winter walk, and there are excellent spots for whale watching along this easy walk in Wyrrabalong National Park.
Kincumber Reserve – A relaxing, peaceful open space perched above Kincumber and Green Point on the beautiful Central Coast of NSW.
Somersby Falls – A beautiful, short walk, just around the corner from the Australian Wildlife Park at the Gosford exit of the M1.
Forest of Tranquility at Ourimbah – over 100 acres of bush with a surviving Australian Rainforest and pristine streams, diverse wildlife and flora. With walking trails, sculpture trail by local Artists at our unique venue it is the ideal place to relax and spend a day or a few hours.
Strickland State Forest near Ourimbah – we often venture out here, because Strickland has extensive walking tracks through varying forest types – past waterfalls, under cabbage tree palms and along creeks.
Playing in Puddles Website
One of our favourite websites to browse through of an afternoon or on the weekend is “Playing in Puddles” – there is an amazing collection of local playgrounds, activities, kids events and maps with heaps of useful and vital information for mums and dads!
Here are our (and Cosmo’s) favourite playgrounds and why:
Saltwater Creek Playground, Long Jetty
An amazing playground with a sandpit and also toddler-friendly slides and swings. Great BMX track out the front and huge meadows and BBQ facilities to hang out in between. We often ride to this one from our home near Wyong.
Canton Beach Playground, Toukley
Bill Sohier Park, Ourimbah
This one is located near Ourimbah Uni and not far from the event venue. It’s not huge, but really nice and secluded and quiet most of the time.
Ettalong Beach Waterfront Playground
Bushlands Reserve Playground, Springfield
This one has the longest slippery dip on the Central Coast, that alone is worth a visit – and there is a little kids bike track too!
Terrigal Rotary Park Playground
We haven’t been yet, but have heard so much about this already! As soon as Cosmo’s sniffles stop we’ll check it out and update our “review’ here 🙂
Website links for insider tips on the Central Coast
We collected some links to websites and blogs of locals for ideas to explore the Central Coast for the weekend!
- The Central Coast’s 10 Best-Kept Secrets
- Taste the Good Life with Madeline
- Seaside Style with April & Heath
- Gosford Farmer’s Market – Weekly every Sunday from 8am to 1pm
- The Great Outdoors with Laurie
- LIKE’ the “Love Central Coast” Facebook page for regular tips on what to discover on the coast!
INS(TA)PIRATION:
There are so many experiences that await,
here are just a few to get you started:
Share your stories, tag
#LoveCentralCoast
Official Rocky Trail hashtags:
#rockytrailracer #rockytrailentertainment
What else is happening on the Central Coast on the Rocky Trail event weekends?
Photos: Rocky Trail Entertainment / OuterImage.com.au
Do you have any questions?
Talk to us via our online chat – click on the orange circle symbol on your bottom right screen corner and we’ll be right with you! (We always love talking bikes, racing and riding!)
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