Fast facts
- Major holiday and surfing area
- Situated among a residential coastline of wooded hills, beaches and lakes
- 95 km north of Sydney, population 4,100
Why go there
Just over a one-hour drive north of Sydney, Avoca Beach features rocky headlands at each end of a long, golden beach. Popular as a holiday destination, especially for families, it has a vibrant surf culture and a relaxed and friendly ambience. Here you can go fishing, beach walking, explore the nearby parks and headlands, or simply relax in a secret spot.
The long stretch of beach is perfect for both novice and experienced surfers, and is also ideal for recreational swimming. Next to the beach you’ll find apartments, cosmopolitan restaurants and boutiques, while behind the beach lies tranquil Avoca Lake. With recreational facilities and bushwalking, it's popular with families.
History
Awabakal Aboriginal people inhabited the area before Europeans settled the area in the 1830s, when land grants were first made to an Irish settler. He built a homestead and named it Avoca, a Celtic name for "great estuary", or "where the river meets the sea". Crops were planted in the area, but its proximity to major population centres as well as the superb beaches made its popularity as a holiday destination inevitable.
Things to do
- Admire the view that Captain Cook saw in 1770 from the lookout named after him at First Point headland.
- Visit one of the many arts and craft galleries in Avoca and surrounds.
- Explore Bouddi National Park which has a series of beautiful beaches bordered by forests and cliffs.
- Go for a drive through the green hinterland to nearby Hardys Bay overlooking Brisbane Water.
- Enjoy a beach picnic or BBQ.
Events
- Avoca Masters Surf Life Saver carnivals take place throughout the summer season.
- Pines Charity Surf Classic just prior to Christmas brings the excitement and thrilling action of surf sports to the Avoca beachfront.
Don’t miss
- Avoca Lake - great for surf skiing, kayaking or pedal boating.
- The historic Avoca Beach cinema.
- Hardys Bay for a romantic sail on a private yacht charter.
- Maitland Bay, a protected marine area in Bouddi National Park.
