Terrigal sits beside the Pacific Ocean, a laid-back beach town packed with surfers, sunbathers and holidaymakers soaking up the sunshine. The area takes its name from Terrigal Beach, where both the town and the bay are dominated by The Skillion, a dramatic vertical rock cliff that offers fantastic views.

Things to do

It’s the beach which draws most tourists to Terrigal. The sand is white, the esplanade is lined with shady Norfolk pines, and the waves roll right in, so it’s ideal for surfing and bodyboarding. You can laze all day in the sunshine, then wander into town to find quality restaurants and bars.

Terrigal is a local hub for surfing, and you don’t need to be expert to catch the waves. The Central Coast Surf School offers lessons, and if you do get into difficulty for any reason, there’s a life-saving club on site.

The Central Coast and Terrigal are well known for scuba diving. The boat ramp is on a protected stretch of land called The Haven, and you can sail out to dive on HMAS Adelaide, which was deliberately scuppered in 2013. The wreck lies just over 20 metres below sea level, so you need to have the right certification and permit, but it’s thriving as an attraction and has been credited with single-handedly boosting the local diving industry.

On dry land, be sure to climb up to the top of The Skillion. A perfect place to sit and watch the sun rise or set, here you can see a panoramic view stretching many kilometres out across the ocean.

Getting around

Terrigal is 11 kilometres east of Gosford on the Central Coast, New South Wales. You can drive along the M1 from Sydney or Newcastle, or catch the bus from Gosford. Self-driving is the most convenient way to get around Terrigal, served by Terrigal Drive, Scenic Highway and Ocean View Drive.