Central Coast, NSW, Australia
A post-Christmas Coastal weekend getaway
Just after Christmas, seven friends and I rented a holiday house on the Central Coast of NSW – about an hour and a bit north of Sydney, right next to Avoca and close to the well-known surfside township of Terrigal.
We stayed at 112 Del Mar Drive, Copacabana (available to view here on Stayz). Despite a slightly ambiguous start to the trip (the Stayz description mentions it sleeps eight, but in only two bedrooms…), we arrived and found two upstairs and two downstairs bedrooms – four in total – to some relief. A week with four couples in two bedrooms would have been interesting! Although, we were happy to embark on the adventure. We didn’t book until November, so were quite lucky to secure the spot.
112 Del Mar Drive, Copacabana
It was a stunning area and great for a relaxing holiday – we were eight friends keen to chill out after a busy working year, but a family would fit into the area, and house, perfectly as well.
We spent the days at the local beaches, and did a walk through bushy headland down to Maitland Bay – just 15 minutes’ drive from Copacabana. The walk took about 30 minutes each way and was pretty steep coming back up – a great work out.
The beaches are long, with crystal-clear water – but the surf conditions can be dangerous, and as every Aussie who has grown up near the beach is well aware, there are often rips and currents to be wary of. It’s definitely advisable to swim between the flags – people can be swept out to sea in waist-high water if the current is strong enough.
In the evenings, we cooked dinner for eight, played cards and board games, had barbecues on the deck, and just generally chilled out. Bliss.
On one of the days, we took a trip into the Hunter Valley for some wine tasting and to our delight, discovered Tinklers - a family-owned and-operated vineyard, winery and cellar door in Pokolbin. The vineyard was recommended from another vineyard owner in the Hunter Valley; which was ideal as I’d never heard of it before.
The owner actually served us, and the wine was so incredible that we signed up to become members.
The house at 112 Del Mar Drive, Copacabana was well decked-out with an oven, open kitchen, plenty of utensils and pots and pans, a gas barbecue, a dishwasher, bathroom and separate toilet upstairs and a second toilet downstairs, plus a deck upstairs which is home to some gorgeous lorikeets and other pretty native birds. There’s a backyard perfect for a pet – our friend brought along their pup and he had a ball.
The Central Coast is close to Sydney yet far enough away that it feels like a real getaway. It’s not a party town, although there’s pubs dotted around – particularly in Terrigal, about 15 minutes’ drive from Copacabana. Definitely a place I’d love to revisit.
Have you been to the Central Coast? What did you think?
