Top things to do on the Central Coast of NSW

Things to do on the Central Coast of NSW, within an hour's drive north of Sydney, centre on the water. The Hawkesbury River has pearl and oyster farm tours and jet ski safaris, Lake Macquarie has whale watching and glowing night kayaks, and Wyong Creek has a treetop ropes park that works for kids and adults. Browse Central Coast activities and cruises, or read on to compare.

Pearl and oyster farm tours on the Hawkesbury River

Broken Bay Pearl Farm works from 12 Kowan Road, Mooney Mooney, and most Central Coast visitors pick the length that suits them. The Broken Bay Pearl Farm Oyster Tasting is a 30-minute session on land with a shucking demonstration and a tasting of Sydney Rock, Pacific and Akoya oysters, subject to availability. The Secrets of Pearling tour is a 1-hour guided session indoors that runs in any weather.

On the water, the Broken Bay Pearl Oyster Farm Cruise is a 1-hour trip to a working oyster lease, and the Hawkesbury River Cruise and Oyster Tasting adds the land-based tasting, with sessions Tuesday to Sunday at 11.30am and 12.30pm.

The longer options go behind the scenes. Shell to Showroom is a 2-hour cruise and tour that includes the restricted-access pearl grading room and a look at the Akoya pearl. The Oyster and Pearl Farm Complete Immersion is a 2.5-hour outing that adds a guided oyster tasting and shucking demonstration. The cruise vessel has a canopy with open sides, and the land-based parts are undercover.

Jet ski tours from Brooklyn

Jet Ski Safaris NSW leaves from the Hawkesbury River Marina at 9 Dangar Road, Brooklyn, a one-minute walk from Hawkesbury River Station on the Central Coast and Newcastle line. No licence is needed, and a safety induction and training session comes first, so arrive early.

The length is the choice. The 30-minute Hawkesbury River Jet Ski Tour is the quick run under the sandstone cliffs. The 1-hour tour lets you ride tandem or solo, and the 90-minute tour goes under the bridges and past more cliffs. The 2.5-hour tour is a seasonal run from September to April, passing the HMAS Parramatta and Spencer Island.

TreeTop Adventure Park at Wyong Creek

The TreeTop Adventure Park at 1 Red Hill Road, in Ourimbah State Forest, is a 2.5-hour session on ropes courses and ziplines among the trees. There are four adult courses and more than 10 ziplines, and helmet, harness and safety training are included. It's open seven days a week, so check the calendar for session times.

Younger kids have their own course. The Central Coast Kids Treetop Ropes Adventure has wobbly bridges, stepping logs and mini flying foxes. Wear closed-in shoes either way.

Lake Macquarie whale watching and coastal cruises

CoastXP runs small-group boat trips from Swansea, on the Lake Macquarie side, and from Newcastle. From Chalmers Street Jetty at Swansea, the Lake Macquarie Whale Watching Cruise is a 2-hour humpback trip that runs from May to November. The Lake Macquarie Ocean Explorer Tour is a 75-minute run at 8.30am to sea caves, Moon Island Nature Reserve and Catherine Hill Bay.

For a longer day, the Lake Macquarie Adventure Cruise and Nature Walk is a 4-hour trip from Speers Point at 10am, with a guided 2 km walk through the Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area and a grazing box for lunch.

From Dock C at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club in Wickham, the Whale Watching Cruise in Newcastle leaves daily at 9am from June to November, and the Newcastle Coastal Adventure Tour covers sea caves, cliffs and dolphins from November to May.

Night kayaking on Lake Macquarie

Showtime Kayaking paddles clear, lit-up double kayaks across the lake after dark. The Lake Macquarie Illuminated Night Kayak Tour leaves from the Marks Point Boat Ramp, is a 2-hour paddle that shows you fish and stingrays under the glow and stops on a sand island to stargaze.

The Lake Macquarie Night Kayak with Dinner is a 3-hour version for two, leaving from Naru Beach, with a gourmet seafood picnic dinner on the sand island and live acoustic music.

How to choose

Weather decides a lot. The pearl farm walks and tastings are undercover, the cruises have a canopy with open sides, and the whale watching runs only in the migration months. Jet skis and the longest ride are seasonal. For a family day, the ropes park at Wyong Creek and a pearl farm session at Mooney Mooney both work. For a night out, the kayaks are the pick. Central Coast food and drinks has more tastings.

Start on the Hawkesbury River or out on Lake Macquarie, and the rest of the Central Coast falls into place. All good days are waiting.