Sustainability at heart

mt ettalong lookout with couple of hikers

Love this slice of paradise

Many of us are lucky to call the Central Coast home. We are proud to be one of the first few Australian ECO Destinations, certified by Ecotourism Australia, and welcome you to immerse yourself in our community connected by culture, place, and a love of nature.

But we also ask respectfully for all those who tread from headland to hinterland, to explore responsibly by observing some simple ‘house’ rules.

 

On the Central Coast I pledge to:

  1. Plan ahead and prepare for a safe journey

  2. Tread gently on Country

  3. Take 3 pieces of plastic off the beach or street #Take3fortheSea

  4. Refuse single use plastics and dispose of my waste correctly

  5. Respect the local neighbourhood

  6. Camp smartly and responsibly

  7. Give local wildlife space

  8. Leave what I find behind if it’s not mine

  9. Take local stories and produce home to share

  10. Leave only footprints

 
Inspired by 'The 7 Principles' of Leave No Trace, and the NSW Bushwalkers Code.
man leaving just footprints on beach

Leave only footprints

The Central Coast offers superb natural beauty alongside a great sense of freedom, space and connection to the land.

From the beaches, waterways, ridges, estuaries, lakes and valley floors, to our parks, forests, reserves and natural bushland – locals and guests are all shaped by our unique natural environment.

Through responsible stewardship of our natural areas we're committed to leaving a positive legacy for future generations. We encourage the Central Coast community to contribute by minimising resource use (energy, water and waste), and treating natural spaces respectfully.

Creating a vibrant, liveable and sustainable future for the Central Coast is our key priority. Implementing sustainable practices requires a holistic, place-based approach to land use planning. Reducing impacts (pollution, loss of biodiversity) will ensure our built environment is sustainable and responsive to the health of residents.

The Central Coast supports the United Nations 2030 agenda for sustainable development - we've aligned our corporate and community values with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. We recognise the need to take action on the climate crisis and will continue to build sustainability measures into future planning processes as standard.

Working in partnership with Ecotourism Australia & WWF-Australia since 2020, we announced for World Environment Day 2022 that the Central Coast is one of Australia's 7 certified ECO Destinations. We were also selected in the international Green Destinations Top 100 List in 2021 and 2022 for our Sustainability Story.

Becoming an ECO Destination is our continuous commitment to sustainable destination management against internationally recognised Green Standards. It's a key milestone to grow sustainable tourism across the Central Coast as a whole, which ultimately benefits everyone who sets foot in our slice of paradise.

 

Sources:
Community Strategic Plan 2018-2028; One - Central Coast
State of the Environment Report 2020

Our partnership with Take 3 for the Sea

Established by three ocean lovers from the Central Coast, Take 3 for the Sea is an award-winning environmental not-for-profit organisation based in Long Jetty, inspiring a global movement of millions around the world to keep our oceans healthy – and so too all life on earth.

Take 3 for the Sea helps people to see and understand the problem of plastic pollution and guides them to simple ‘human-sized actions’ that help solve this ‘planet-sized problem’. By unleashing the power of three – Take 3 pieces of rubbish when you leave the beach, waterway or anywhere, Take 3 actions to reduce your single-use plastic, and Take 3 people on the journey – we can make a positive difference together!

Destination Central Coast believes by partnering with Take 3 for the Sea, we can collectively inspire and engage local Coasties and visitors to the Central Coast to protect our slice of paradise and leave only footprints, and continue to be a leading ECO Destination in Australia.

destination central coast new south wales official logo
eco certified destination logo
take 3 for the sea logo with turtle featured
Where to next?
Explore things to do in nature across the NSW Central Coast, gather top tips from locals, and feel what life is like in this stunning part of east coast Australia.