Avoca Beach is a quiet residential suburb in the Central Coast region of New South Wales. Like so many coastal regions of Australia, that receive plenty of sun, Avoca Beach too, is a popular tourist destination.
Spread over a small area of one and a half square miles, this pleasant coastal village, has all necessary amenities within reach of its residents- a pharmacy, a mini-mart, newsagent, post-office as well as several eat- out joints.
A famous cinema- hall, a hotel, bowling club, motel and a caravan park are buildings inside the suburbia that attract a high visitor- footfall.
Avoca Beach Attractions
The beach itself has shimmering golden sand, and two rocky headlands mark its end points. Ideal for long walks on the soft sands, the quiet beach attracts a lot of families, as well as surfers and recreational swimmers.
The surf here is mostly consistent throughout the year, and draws many surfers. A former Australian warship, the Ex- HMAS Adelaide, has been purposely sunk here, and now acts as an artificial reef for divers to explore.
The Avoca Beach Lake lies a little way away from the beach occupying a large area of the suburb. Paddling and kayaking are popular here, as is hiking. Hiking is commonly referred to as ‘bushwalking’ here.
Avoca Beachside Market
The beach-side market, held on the fourth Sunday of every month, is more like a beachfront carnival. Indigenous sellers sell wares like jewelry, skincare products, home goods. The food ranges from local to international. Musicians liven up the place with their peppy numbers, to which, a good many people tap their feet. It is not uncommon to find gangs of old men, too, crooning soulfully.
Life outside the sea and surf
The Avoca Beach Bowling and Recreation Club- is a popular hang- out of the locals here. A kids’ zone, a Malaysian restaurant, year- round raffles and promotions- the Bowling Club is the place to be if you want to catch the friendly local vibe- away from the surf and sand. The club remains open from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
The Avoca Beach Picture Theatre
Run by four generations of a family, the Theatre, which had a humble beginning in the front garden of the Hunter family in 1948, is today unanimously recognized in Australia, as the best independent owned theater for regional movies. In fact, it has won the Best Independent Regional Cinema in all of Australia- four times till date. The theater draws a lot of outside visitors and has been applauded by the department of tourism as well.
The theater is much more than a run-of-the-mill theater showcasing commercial movies. The owners make attempts to screen quality movies in an intimate setting, thus, playing a central role in the cultural life of the region. Film appreciation committees, year- round film festivals, live music shows and drama acts, private parties, fundraisers, red carpet events and even weddings- the picture theater provides the space for all that and much more.
Where is Avoca Beach?
Midway between Newcastle and Sydney, the beach is located on the Tasman Sea. The north and north east are bordered respectively by the Bulbararing Lagoon and the Bulbararing Bay. To its west is Saltwater Creek. The south and south-west are land- bound.
Since it is approximately 59 miles away both from Newcastle and Sydney, Avoca Beach can easily be reached by road from both destinations.
Location map of Avoca Beach, Australia
How to reach Avoca Beach
Reach by Air
The closest international airport is Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) . From there a cab will take an hour and a half, to reach Avoca Beach via Pacific Motorway. A traveler landing at the Newcastle Airport, will take equal time to reach Avoca Beach.
Reach by Train
The nearest railway station is Gosford Railway Station. It is only 21 kilometers from Avoca Beach. A cab will take 20 minutes to reach Avoca.
Best time to visit
Best time to visit the Avoca is during the summer months of November to February.
Accommodation near Avoca Beach
A few resorts at Avoca Beach have caravan parks, where a visitor may rent a powered caravan. ‘The Palms at Avoca’ offers to its guest- stay-options at powered caravans and motor homes, in addition to traditional villas. Besides caravan parks, though, more than 40 hotels in and around the area, rent out rooms to visitors.
Attractions in and around Avoca
Terringal Beach, Eltalong Beach, the Mousehole (shop selling local pottery and crafts), Avoca Beach Picture Theatre, Aquafun Avoca Lake, Ex- Hmas Adelaide Dive Site, Avoca Point Cafe (casual and fine dining against a picturesque backdrop).
Facts about Avoca Beach
- ‘Avoca’ is an Irish name, meaning ‘great estuary’.
- The original inhabitants of Avoca were the Awabakal Aboriginal people.
- Avoca Beach started to develop as a residential area only since the 20th century. However, it did not take long to become a tourist hotspot.
- Coordinates of Avoca Beach are 33.465º S, 151.43º E.
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Image credits : Saberwyn