STOP 1: Edogawa Commemorative Japanese Gardens
Time from Sydney: 1hr 5min to 1hr 50min depending on traffic.
Address: 36 Webb Street, East Gosford NSW 2250
Start off the day right with a relaxing stroll around the beautiful Edogawa Japanese Gardens located in Gosford. It’s a peaceful setting with plenty of photo opportunities. Make sure to check out the cuties (Koi) swimming around in the pond – you can purchase fish food from the gallery shop.
Top Tip – use this to get the Koi all around you for some photos.
Entry to the Gardens is FREE
The current Opening Hours as at the date of this post are as follows:
Monday 9:30am – 4:00pm
Tuesday 9:30am – 4:00pm
Wednesday 9:30am – 4:00pm
Thursday 9:30am – 4:00pm
Friday 9:30am – 4:00pm
Saturday 9:30am – 4:00pm
Sunday 9:30am – 4:00pm
Reservations: As at the time of this blog post, due to COVID 19 you may have to book tickets online prior to visiting – please check website below for most up to date details.
For more information on the gardens, follow link to website below:
https://www.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/recreation/venues-and-facilities/galleries/edogawa-commemorative-garden
STOP 2: Bar Botanica
Time from Edogawa Commemorative Japanese Gardens: 10min
Address: 25 Portsmouth Road, Erina NSW 2250
This itinerary allows for a relaxing brunch/lunch (2hours) as I spent this time with friends chilling at Bar Botanica for around this long before we set off to our next destination.
Bar Botanica is located in the most whimsical garden. Hidden away from the main roads, you find a true gem where you can relax and spend quality time with friends and family. There’s only one spot for a small group of people to sit inside, but there is plenty of seating outside in the courtyard, some of which is undercover. Enjoy a freshly roasted coffee, something yummy to kickstart the day and I cannot recommend the Mr Goaty Gelato enough! Definitely grab some for dessert!
TOP TIP AND BIG YAY FROM ME: Dogs welcome
EXTRA TOP TIP: TRY THE GELATO
Reservations: For Groups of 10+ people only.
For more information about Bar Botanica, follow link to website below:
https://barbotanica.com.au
The current Opening Hours as at the date of this post are as follows:
Monday closed
Tuesday closed
Wednesday 10:00am – 2:00pm
Thursday 10:00am – 2:00pm
Friday 10:00am – 2:00pm
Saturday 10:00am – 3:00pm
Sunday 10:00am – 3:00pm
STOP 3: Norah Head Lighthouse
Time from Bar Botanica: 35min to 50min depending on traffic
Address: 40 Bush Street, Norah Head NSW 2263
It’s time to head up further north along the coast! It’s a beautiful drive and if you have time (which we didn’t, as it was mid-winter and sunset was at around 5PM and were trying to make the most of the daylight) you can stop along the way up as there are plenty of beautiful towns and picture perfect spots.
When you arrive at Norah Head, follow your maps towards the lighthouse. There is a carpark available, however, it isn’t too big so may have to find parking along the road. There’s plenty of space there and we didn’t have to park too far away.
Here you will find a beautiful lighthouse and coastline! If you are there during the right season you may even see whales migrating. We were lucky enough to get to experience this – despite being miles away and only being spots of fluff breaking the water in the horizon it was a truly magical moment.
Make sure to head down past the lighthouse and down the stairs onto the rocky shoreline! The some more picture opportunities to be found down there.
Fun Facts: Norah Head Lighthouse is an active lighthouse. Construction commenced in 1901 after many requests to build a lighthouse due to many shipwrecks occurring in the area. The build was finalised in 1903 meaning the lighthouse celebrated it’s centenary (yes, that’s right 100 years) on 15 November 2003 – cannot believe how well kept and immaculate it looks!
Tours of the Norah Head Lighthouse are available – however, as at the time of this blog post, due to COVID 19 – the tours are suspended – please check website below for most up to date details:
https://norahheadlighthouse.com.au
STOP 4: Long Jetty
Time from Norah Head Lighthouse: 20min to 24min depending on traffic
Address: 103A Tuggerah Parade, Long Jetty NSW 2261
How better to end the day than find that picture prefect sunset location! Well, I can assure you this is the place YOU WANT TO BE.
As you probably guessed, this cute suburb is named after the jetty that was built, located at the end of Archbold Road – and I can vouch for it – it is definitely one LONG jetty! There’s something so magical about it as it extends out and over the water, which on the day we visited was still as ice and had this gleam to it, which made it look like the most magical mirror! I could not help to keep leaning over to look into the water as if waiting for some magical creature to come out – which for all you Greek Mythology lovers, like me, reminded me of Narcissus and his obsession with staring into the water, given that in his case it was because of his reflection. I was totally mesmerised and in awe of the beauty. The only thing I cannot believe is that I have had this spot on my bucket list for YEARS, literally (which is quite embarrassing), and despite not being too far of a drive from Sydney, had not made my way up there before this trip.
Fun Facts: The original Long Jetty was built from paper bark trees in 1915, however, during severe storms in 1927 was washed away. It was promptly rebuilt by council to be identical lengthwise (I cannot speak to the materials used to build it) to the original jetty stretching out 351m into Tuggerah Lake. Not unlike Norah Head Lighthouse – Long Jetty celebrated it’s centenary in 2015.
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