Bye -bye To Urban Blues
Sun Herald
Sunday May 23, 1999
THE central coast, a beautiful and diverse region, is only an hour's drive north of the Harbour Bridge.
Crossing Brisbane Water, visitors slip the shackles of city living and say bye-bye to urban blues.
The region, stretching from the Hawkesbury River to just south of Lake Macquarie, is blessed with attractions.
From Bouddi National Park to Catherine Hill Bay, a spectacular coastline unfolds into a string of more than 30 beaches plus a network of waterways, tranquil lakes and lagoons.
In warm months, water sports are the main attraction, with surfing, swimming, parasailing, scuba diving and deep-sea fishing heading the list.
In the cooler months, active off-beach pursuits include horse riding, climbing, abseiling and bushwalking, either in subtropical rainforest or through the national parks and nature reserves.
Year-round you can discover kayaking or boating at The Entrance, Gosford and Toukley.
There are wilderness trails to ride and off-road explorations on 4WD eco-tours.
Notable tourist attractions include Old Sydney Town and the Australian Reptile Park And Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Forest Of Tranquillity at Ourimbah is a patch of tall, dark trees and lush ferns, cliffs and forest canopy views - a natural sanctuary for birds.
Bouddi National Park seems a thousand kilometres from the city when you walk through bushland to reach one of its secluded beaches. There are also stupendous cliff-top views.
In Brisbane Water National Park, high cliffs tower above the Hawkesbury River and Aboriginal art is carved into the sandstone.
Central coast accommodation ranges from exclusive to simple. For sheer indulgence there is Kims Beachside Retreat, with its private bungalows tucked amid coastal forest and legendary gourmet buffet. A grand hotel experience is offered by the Holiday Inn Resort Terrigal (formally Crowne Plaza Terrigal) and for rural bliss and riding head for Dooralong Valley Resort.
A range of B&Bs are tucked into the hills, and there are family resorts of varying size and cost, apartments, motels and tourist parks with cabins and caravans.
Browsing in the many galleries and craft shops reveals a wealth of local talent. Watercolours, oils, ceramics, pottery and hand-crafted glass or timber catch the eye.
Gallery 460 at Green Point has contemporary Australian art and a sculpture park.
The Ken Duncan Gallery, in Matcham Valley, sells limited edition prints by the renowned landscape photographer and Bumble Hill Studio, at Kulnura, is a fine craft gallery.
Avoca Gallery at Kincumber has the added attraction of fine cuisine - the Cafe de la Gallerie, where the skills of French chef Andre Chouvin win rave reviews.
The cosmopolitan flair of Terrigal is fuelled by good food: Letterbox, in the old post office, has a value wine list; Galley Beach House is a surf-side favourite; The Cowrie Restaurant is noted for seafood and Jardines has fine food and a magnificent wine list.
For Chinese try the Lantern Palace at Wamberal and there is a BYO gem, the Basil Pot, at Erina Heights.
Or you can simply feed the family superb fish and chips from Monte's Ashore at Gosford.
© 1999 Sun Herald