Wyong

Wyong's best feature is its position. East, the Tuggerah Lakes spread flat and shining, ringed by cycleways and boardwalks where black swans outnumber people. West, the Watagan Mountains rise in folds of eucalypt and rainforest, with forest drives climbing to lookouts over the whole coast. In between, the old town on the Wyong River makes a steady base: catch a show at the heritage Art House, follow the river path, then pick a direction. Water or woods, you're twenty minutes from either.