3 Central Coast towns in the running for NSW Top Tourism Town Awards 2022

FINALIST #1 - WYONG

Wyong is a heritage town in the north of the Central Coast, framed by Tuggerah Lakes, Wyong River banks, and the Watagan Mountains. With its own performing arts theatre, modern cafés and restaurants, racecourse, golf course and artfully restored buildings from yesteryear, Wyong is embracing its role as the region's low-key creative town centre.

Spend four days in Wyong:

Today Wyong’s link to the luscious hinterland stands strong, inspiring local farmers markets, restauranteurs and festivals who champion paddock to plate and support the wider rural community.

This is a small town where you can do big things, such as play golf at a championship course, celebrate love at Wyong’s annual laneway festival, kayak down a river while spotting endangered platypus, or taste some of the most creative cocktails and award-winning cheeses available this side of Sydney.

Everywhere you look in Wyong there is a coupling of heritage and innovation. Whether you’re a coffee connoisseur, sports fan, fancy foodie, creative soul, or adventurous explorer, Wyong will offer you something exciting – you just have to go all in. 

See the whole itinerary here.

FINALIST#2 - WOY WOY

Welcoming you to the southern waterways of the Central Coast, Woy Woy is a perfectly balanced mix of commuter hustle and mindful relaxation. Set between the expansive Brisbane Water National Park on one side, with Pelican Island nature reserve and Brisbane Waters on the other, its location is ideal for wellness experiences, fishing, marine sports, wildlife watching, seafood dining and waterfront living.

Spend four days in Woy Woy:

Just one hour from Sydney and Newcastle in either direction by train, Woy Woy is an easy pit stop for visitors to connect with other areas of the Coast, whether seeing friends, family, or enjoying a weekend seaside escape to the Coast. One of the best ways to approach this town is by driving down the scenic Woy Woy Road and taking a worthy stop at Staples Lookout to see the Central Coast open up before you.

The name ‘woy woy’ is said to originate from the Guringgai language, meaning 'much water' or 'big lagoon', believed to be a clear nod to surrounding Brisbane Water. Take a moment to stop on your drive down Woy Woy Road to visit the Bulgandry Aboriginal Engraving Site, sharing several thousand-year-old etchings of men, women, marine life, kangaroos and canoes.

Woy Woy offers a wave of old-world charm, from its classically styled pub, to the wharf and fishing boats bobbing in the water. In recent years, the town centre has started attracting modern dining and café options launched by young entrepreneurs. Offering quality menus inspired by local produce and international cuisine, served in bright, inviting spaces, Woy Woy holds exciting potential for creative business minds. 

See the whole itinerary here.

FINALIST#3 - LONG JETTY

The town centre, a stretch along The Entrance Road, is a showreel of unique art, design, and fashion curated by local makers and creators. An entrepreneurial hub backed by a community of business owners that transpire creativity.

Long Jetty is a collection of boutique shops, contemporary gallery spaces, modern cafes and gig spaces, one old school pub, one WWII cinema, vintage op shops, and other quirky businesses. It also has the longest Jetty that inspired its namesake.

Spend four days exploring Long Jetty:

Long Jetty is a mix of lakeside residential streets branching off to the foreshore, alongside its main street featuring a collection of boutique shops, contemporary gallery spaces, modern cafes and gig spaces, one old school pub, one WWII cinema, vintage op shops and quirky businesses found nowhere else in the region. It also has three jetties that inspired its namesake - Parry’s Jetty, Watkin’s Jetty and The Long Jetty.

See the whole itinerary here.

We are incredibly proud to call these three finalists towns of the Central Coast.

VOTE NOW for your Top Tourism Town!