10 Instagram-worthy spots on the Central Coast

You’ll love ticking off each of these top photo spots - just don't forget your camera and remember to tag #LoveCentralCoast to be featured and follow us @LoveCentralCoast to discover even more spots to visit!

As one of the Central Coast’s most popular icons, Norah Head Lighthouse is a go-to spot for a great Instagram shot. Located at the northern end of the region, the historic lighthouse offers an amazing vantage point to catch a sunrise across the coastline, which is available to you on any clear day of the year.

The reserve surrounding the lighthouse also includes some of the region's most beautiful beaches including Soldiers Beach and Cabbage Tree Harbour. If you take your togs, towel and tucker for the day, the lighthouse also makes an incredible backdrop to a photo from the sandy shores below.

Following sunrise, pop into the quaint centre of Norah Head village or Toukley for a hot cup of joe, with options including Norah Head Beach Haus, Rise Mofo, or the Village Café in the nearby town of Noraville

If you’re into snapping that shot of your plate before digging into it at a restaurant, the Coast is filled with a buffet of opportunities for you. From ice cream served in a novelty sink to rooftop cocktails with a few, there is a trail of Instagrammable eateries each with something unique to devour, once you’ve taken the perfect photo of course.

Tucked away along the scenic Hawkesbury River, the Hawkesbury River Oyster Shed is not only serving up immaculate platters of oysters garnished with a variety of toppings, but their outdoor dining terrace overlooks the start of the Hawkesbury River, making it one of the most Instagram worthy spots on the Central Coast. Further up the Central Coast, Kew Dining are serving up high tea experiences fit for your Instagram feed. Their delicate China plates topped with miniature pastries and sweet treats topped with edible flowers and rose petals oozes sophistication and beauty.

For more inspiration, check out this itinerary on The Coast's most Instagrammable food experiences.

You may have seen the stunning Maitland Bay or Tallow Beach pop up on your Insta feed before and been mistaken that it was the Whitsundays in Queensland, but there are actually a few secluded spots within the Bouddi National Park that prove the Central Coast can also feel like paradise. The key with these two beaches is that they are accessible on foot only, cutting out all those who aren't ready to immerse themselves in nature.

The crystal-clear water and natural beauty of the surrounding bushland of the Bouddi Peninsula provides you with a breathtaking landscape to photograph. Whether you take the easy Box Head trail to see the complete panorama across to the Northern Beaches and Broken Bay or take the trail to visit Maitland Bay and its historic shipwreck - there's a wanderlust photo waiting to be created here every minute.

For more inspiration, check out Bouddi National Park.

Visit one of Australia’s oldest arboretums - Strickland State Forest to discover an exceptionally diverse range of forest habitats. This includes wildflowers and dry woodland in its north, tall eucalyptus trees on its slopes, and lush rainforest in its southern reaches. Combined, this is a green playground for the budding nature photographer! And if you have a doggo, it's also one of the most exciting dog-friendly places to explore in the region!

While the entire forest and its walking trails provide a unique hiking experience, it's the lush rainforest sections that are most Instagram worthy, with the sunlight trickling through from the canopy. But you must seek out the famous suspension bridge. Head out along the Arboretum Loop Trail for the views and strike your best angle and pose on that bridge.

For more information, visit the Forestry Corporation website.

The suburb of Long Jetty showcases everything to love about the Central Coast lifestyle – beach and lake, art and fashion, bakeries and bars, cafes and culture. This is probably why it's now got an attractive 'Newtown-by-the-Sea' feel, helped along by a series of colourful street art.

The ‘Welcome to Long Jetty’ mural located on Thompson Street is an essential part of the Long Jetty experience. The vibrant, triple swirl ice-cream toned artwork is extremely Insta-worthy, created by artist Brent Smith, otherwise known as Biffy Brentano. Make sure you grab a mate to take the best photo of you and the mural, capturing the whole scene from the roadside.

Head over to the other side of the road and pose in front of the Komuniti Cafe mural, also painted by local artist Brent Smith.

Explore the top things to do in the Long Jetty neighbourhood. 

Wanting to escape the daily grind and connect back with nature? Head to Soldiers Beach. This picturesque beach located south of Norah Head is a great spot for swimming, kayaking, stand up paddleboarding...and capturing great photos.

Patrolled from October through to April, this beach doesn't disappoint. The sweeping ocean views are immaculate and better yet, it's a great spot for surfing. Once you reach Soldiers Beach, set up a towel, a picnic and sit back and admire the view. 

Explore the other patrolled beaches to visit on the Central Coast. 

It's amazing that just north of Sydney there are several opportunities to meet native wild animals on the Central Coast. Without meaning any offence to koalas, which are also super cute and amazing at selfies, kangaroos are also a great child-friendly option for a meet, greet and pose.

There are two places on the Central Coast to meet local kangaroos and safely snap a cheeky selfie. The Australian Reptile Park at Somersby, just off the M1, offers a picnic area for visitors shared with the residents free-range macropods. The animals here are very relaxed and friendly, with a designated 'human-free zone' to retire to if they've had enough photoshoots for the day.

Alternatively, the Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park at Calga offers 80 acres of bushland filled with free-roaming Kangaroo, Wallaby, Emu and even Turkeys. The best time to visit is morning or late afternoon, when the roos get their daily feeds from a ranger, who is often happy to help you arrange a photo with the wild animals.

The Central Coast has a handful of incredible waterfalls hiding in its lush national parks and forests. One of the best and most convenient to visit for some beautiful landscape photography is Somersby Falls. This rainforest has a short but steep 500m walking track down to the bottom of the falls, where locals will often swim in warmer weather.

If you arrive on the weekend and find the parking lot is already quite busy, you can easily move on to visit nearby Girrakool picnic area and walking track, which also offers a stunning waterfall along a walking loop trail - Piles Creek Loop - with amazing viewpoints and even charming stepping stones across the top of the fall that are super photogenic.

Both Pearl Beach and Patonga feature a joint walking trail that connects the two southern suburbs of the Coast, following the Great North Walk through the beautiful red gums of Brisbane Water National Park. Almost perfectly between these two worlds sits an epic lookout across the Hawkesbury known as Warrah Lookout, near the trig point.

An extra tip for this Instagrammable location is to visit during winter, when the stunning late-winter bloom of the Waratah flower will be on display, and this walk is one of the best places in the national park to see these fiery-red flowers come to life each year.

No visit to Long Jetty is complete without experiencing the breathtaking sunset views of Tuggerah Lakes and The Long Jetty. Head to the foreshore before dusk with your picnic blanket and bask in the late afternoon sun. Walk the entire 351 metres (a 700m round trip!) of The Long Jetty, stretching right out into Tuggerah Lake, and spot wetland wildlife along the way.

The Tuggerah Lakes foreshore picnic tables and BBQ areas are most popular at sunset. Whether you're enjoying an outdoor get together with the family or an Instagram influencer aiming to get the best pic possible, those magical pink, purple and apricot hues of a Central Coast sunset create one of the most beautiful photo opportunities in the entire region.