A New Year-Round Soft Adventure Experience for Central Coast, NSW: 5 Lands Coastal Walkway

Over the past seven years the annual winter 5 Lands Walk festival has grown to become one of New South Wales' premier cultural festivals.  Now, with support from Destination NSW, Central Coast Tourism and Gosford City Council, permanent directional signage has been installed to transform the symbolic 9 km walking route from MacMasters Beach to Terrigal into a year-round experience for locals and visitors to enjoy.

The vision for the 5 Lands Coastal Walkway was originally inspired by Italy's Cinque Terres and traverses from MacMasters Beach in the south northwards towards Terrigal via Copacabana, Avoca and North Avoca beaches (lands).

Oliver Philpot, Chief Executive Officer, Central Coast Tourism details that the establishment of this new year-round walking trail directly addresses three of the four Strategic Priorities in the Central Coast Destination Management Plan 2010-2013.

'This new experience would not have been made possible without the combined support of Destination NSW and Gosford City Council' applauded Philpot.

Gosford City Council Coordinator Parks, Playgrounds & Foreshores, Kim Radford said these improvements will allow people to enjoy the 5 Lands trail in their own time, 365 days of the year.

"Enhancements to the 5 Lands Walk route, including the new signage, has built on the success of this unique cultural event and established the walk as a permanent part of our local landscape," said Ms. Radford.

"Community members and visitors to our region will now be able to enjoy the walk as a whole or different aspects of the track all year round at their own pace."

20 newly installed informative directional signage guide walkers through the contours of the coastal and bush landscape.  Walkers can undertake the entire length of the walk in either direction, north or south, or enjoy short sectional bursts as detailed on the main signage located at each of the lands.  The walkway encompasses pathed pathways, bush tracks and a couple of steep inclines/declines providing walking experiences for all levels of fitness.

One of the highlights of the walk can be found between Avoca and Copacabana, Captain Cook Lookout.  Panoramic ocean views north to Terrigal and south to Sydney makes this a nice breather en route, and, during the two whale migration seasons, June/July and October/November, an elevated vantage point for viewing these majestical mammals.

On Saturday, 23 June 2012, the new signage was put to the test guiding an estimated 10,000 participants in the 2012 5 Land Walk festival.

For more information on the walk and map go to

www.visitcentralcoast.com.au/activities/free/5-lands-coastal-walkway