Here we are: the final day of our 4 Day Self-Drive Road Trip Experience Around Sydney and New South Wales. Huzzah!
What a journey it has been so far. In just 3 days, we covered the breathtaking heights and depths of the world-famous Blue Mountains, and got an eyeful of Hunter Valley from atop a hot air balloon.
Now, we’re circling back to the city of Sydney via the scenic coastal route, which would take us through – you guessed it – Central Coast.
Central Coast is known for its amazing beaches and sea views. Having spent the past few days inland, we couldn’t wait to feel the cool ocean breeze on our skin.
One of the highlights of here is the Pelican Feeding that happens at 330pm sharp every day at The Entrance. With that in mind, we decided to explore the southern parts of Central Coast first, before turning back up later in the day.
Our first destination: Crackneck Lookout.
On the way in, however, we decided to stop by Morriset Hospital for a while – not to get a check-up, but to take a peek at the local wild kangaroos that we heard regularly frequented this area.
And indeed, there were quite a few of them roaming around! We managed to get up close with a cute family of three.
Since then, they seem to have closed off the area due to disturbances to the hospital patients, as well as accidents involving members of the public and kangaroos alike.
Crackneck Lookout
Apart from being a great picnic spot, it is possible to spot whales swimming in the nearby waters between May and August.
Unfortunately, we were a few weeks too early. We settled for watching hang gliders do their thing over a latte and sandwich instead.
Next, we drove down to the town of Terrigal, which is home to Central Coast’s most iconic landmark: the Skillion.
The Skillion
A steep cliff that rises up and drops off abruptly into the ocean, we had only ever seen this spot in photos. If only there was some way we could take a shot of the entire structure from above…
Majestic, isn’t it?
At the lookout point, we spent a good half an hour or so staring at the row of houses built along the same coastline. A passerby informed us that these belonged to several rich, famous people. Figures.
The Entrance
Since we still weren’t very hungry (thanks to a very generous brunch in Hunter Valley, following our hot air balloon adventure), we decided to head to The Entrance early to walk around and check out the crowd.
It just so happened there was a carnival going on, so the area was teeming with people. The Pelican Feeding spot was already packed with both locals and tourists alike. People love pelicans!
And guess what – the pelicans were already there, waiting to be fed. Right on schedule, they started wandering onto the pavement as the clock approached 330pm.
Then the feeding began.
The person in charge of feeding also took some time to talk a bit more about the pelicans – where they came from, what their eating habits are like, and so on. I admired her ability to coolly toss fish into the swarm of pelicans while engaging the crowd.
Watching the pelicans chow made us feel hungry, so we walked a bit down the street to catch a late lunch.
As expected, we indulged in platters of fish and chips at The Waters Edge Seafood Restaurant.
Norah Head Lighthouse
Next up, we headed further up north to Norah Head Lighthouse, an active lighthouse which was built more than a hundred years ago.
Apparently, few changes have been made to the lighthouse over the years, which is a popular spot for wedding receptions and even short stays.
With the sun setting fast, we set off southwards to the town of Tascott, where we spent the night in a beautiful Airbnb house overseeing a huge lake. See for yourself:
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A delightful surprise
And so our Sydney and New South Wales road trip came to an end here!
Frankly, we were pleasantly surprised at how convenient it was to reach a slice of nature (and much more) from the bustling city. We highly recommend taking at least 4 days to drive out, if not more – we did feel slightly rushed, especially when in the mountains.
Still, we’re pretty sure we will be back for more. Perhaps next time, we will go further up north towards Brisbane – and beyond!
