Central Coast, New South Wales

The Central Coast is a peri-urban region on the Pacific Ocean in northern New South Wales, Australia, just north of Sydney, ranking as the third largest urban area in New South Wales and the ninth largest in the country. It spans from the Hawkesbury River in the south to the Watagan Mountains in the west, taking in waterways such as Brisbane Water, Tuggerah Lakes and southern Lake Macquarie alongside subtropical national parks, forests, farmland and wineries. Gosford is its main commercial hub, its coastal towns include Woy Woy, Terrigal, The Entrance, Ettalong Beach, Budgewoi and Bateau Bay, and the region recorded a population of 346,596 at the 2021 census.