Central Coast beach town between Tuggerah Lake and the Pacific, known for easy sands north of Sydney.
The Entrance sits on a narrow strip of land between Tuggerah Lake and the Pacific Ocean on the New South Wales Central Coast, about an hour and a half north of Sydney. It is a low-key beach town that makes a good alternative to the crowded city beaches -- the sand is just as good and you will have far more of it to yourself.
The main beach at The Entrance is patrolled in summer, but the real finds are further along the coast. Blue Bay, North Shelly, and Crackneck Point are popular surf breaks, while Bateau Bay and South Shelly offer calmer water for swimming. The pelican feeding at The Entrance waterfront, held daily at 3:30pm, has become a local institution.
The town itself is unpretentious — fish and chip shops, a few cafes, and a pleasant lakeside promenade. Tuggerah Lake behind the town is good for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. You will need a car to get the most out of the area, as public transport on the Central Coast is limited.
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Getting There
The Entrance is about 90 kilometres north of Sydney, or an hour and a half by car via the M1 Pacific Motorway and the Central Coast Highway. It sits on a peninsula between the lake and the ocean, so you approach from the west via Tuggerah or The Entrance Road.
By public transport, catch a train from Sydney to Tuggerah on the Central Coast Line and then take a local bus to The Entrance. The journey takes around two hours in total. Bus connections are infrequent, so check schedules before travelling — a car makes life considerably easier in this part of the Central Coast.
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When to Go
The Entrance has a temperate coastal climate. Summer (December to February) is warm, with water temperatures comfortable for swimming, and this is when the beach crowds are largest. The main beach is patrolled by surf lifesavers from October to April.
Autumn and spring are pleasant and less crowded, with mild temperatures good for cycling and kayaking on the lake. Winter is cool but rarely cold — daytime temperatures stay in the mid-teens — and the beaches are almost deserted, which suits some visitors just fine.
The pelican feeding runs every day of the year at 3:30pm, rain or shine.