Frequently Asked Questions

What date is the 5 Lands Walk 2024?

Saturday 22 June, just after the Winter Solstice when the whales, a significant totem of the Darkinjung people, are migrating north along 10 km of spectacular coastline.

What time does the 5 Lands Walk start?

Whilst there is no official start or finish time - we have walkers from 7am onwards. Many people take the whole day to explore each Land fully. There are activities happening throughout the day at each Land. Refer to the Walkers Notes to help you plan your day.

Where does the 5 Lands Walk start and finish?

The walk starts at MacMasters Beach Surf Club and meanders along the coast and over the headlands through Copacabana, Avoca and North Avoca to Terrigal. You can take your time to explore each Land along the walk to the finish at Terrigal Surf Club.

What is the 5 Lands Walk all about?

Celebrating Stories, Walking Together! The 5 Lands Walk is a physical, spiritual, and cultural journey connecting people to people and people to place; a place where no one is excluded. In doing so we take a step toward creating a more harmonious and inclusive society on the Central Coast and beyond.

Registration

How much does it cost to register for the 5 Lands Walk?

The 5 Lands Walk registration is FREE. There are also many complimentary activities along the way. You might like to bring money for your food and refreshments for the beach shops and cafes.

How do I register?

Be sure to complete the free Registration online prior to the day, so you can hit the beach straight away. If you don’t register you can do so on the day at each land. Registration is for event safety. It means we know how to contact you if you need us or in the event of having to broadcast an emergency message. It is unlikely that this will happen, but being prepared for an emergency, just in case, keeps everyone safer.

Do kids need to register?

Yes we need everyone to register please! This also helps us with the planning of future activities for the walk. The registration process is quick and can be completed online here.

Transport

How do I get to MacMasters Beach to start the walk?

We recommend that you park at Terrigal and get the free shuttle bus from Crowne Plaza to MacMasters Beach as parking is extremely limited. There is also a drop off zone at MacMasters Beach, should you choose to get a lift.

What are the free Busways shuttle buses about?

Thanks to our partners at Busways, we have free shuttle buses going from land to land, so if the 10km walk gets too much, you can jump on and off the buses at each land as they arrive. The first bus leaves Crowne Plaza at 7am and the buses will operate until around 4.30pm.

Coming up from Sydney for the 5 Lands Walk, rather than drive what options do I have?

Option 1: Drive to beautiful Palm Beach and park at the Ferry wharf, then catch the Palm Beach Ferry to Ettalong. We'll have a free shuttle bus to meet each morning ferry arrival to take you to the start at MacMasters Beach. Then to get home, there'll be free shuttle buses from Terrigal back to Ettalong to meet the departing ferries to Palm Beach. The last departure from Terrigal will be 4.30 pm.

Option 2: If you don't want to drive to Palm Beach, there's an excellent train service to Woy Woy. Enjoy the beautiful train trip to the Central Coast, as it snakes through Kuringai Chase and Marra Marra National Parks, across the mighty Hawkesbury, up Mullet Creek in Brisbane Waters National Park then through a 1.79km tunnel to emerge at Woy Woy, then board the Busways bus no. 53 or 64 to Ettalong Ferry Wharf to catch our free shuttle bus to the start at MacMasters Beach.

5 Lands Walk Winter Festival

I’ve heard something about the 5 Lands Week – what is this?
Complementing the 5 Lands Walk on Saturday, the 5LW Festival will run over the whole week, with an Opening Celebration on Friday night, 14th of June, the Awakening in the morning on the 15th of June and art, cultural & music exhibitions, including a varied activity programme for all the family.

When and where is the Opening Ceremony?

The Opening Ceremony is held at Kincumba Mountain a week before the walk. In 2024, it's on Friday 14 June at 4 pm. It is in the picnic area at the top of Island View Dr on Kincumba Mountain Reserve. It is where the possums are on the 5 Lands Walk Map. Just drive up Island View Dr and when you can go no further and are in the carpark, you will know you are there. For more information, check out our Come Along page on our website.

Other Questions

Are dogs allowed on the 5 Lands Walk?

While we're quite happy for you to bring your dog, bear in mind large sections of all the beaches as well as bushland reserves along the route are no-dog zones. Council officers may be in attendance and it's their call on whether to apply their regulations. If you bring a dog, please respect the no-dog restrictions.

Click here for Council's off leash and the beach no-dogs zones information.

Where dogs are permitted, please keep your dog on a lead and clean up your dogs mess as required under State and Council regulations. Limited sections of MacMasters Beach/Copacabana, Avoca Beach/North Avoca are approved dogs-off-leash areas so your dog is free to run in those areas; but please don't let them harass other beach users or adjoining properties!

Dogs are not permitted by law on the shuttle buses - sorry!

Guide dogs may be exempt from these restrictions, please check with the relevant authority.

Is there a map to follow?

Yes there is a map. We will have Walkers notes available on the day. You can pick up your copy from the information registration desk at the beginning at MacMasters Beach. Also, there are volunteers to guide you along the way so that you won’t get lost.

In case we don’t finish the whole walk on the day can we go back and walk it at another time?

The walk can be done at any time of the year, so you are very welcome to complete it at a later date. All of the cultural activities only occur on the day of the 5 Lands Walk though, so come check it out.

Would it be possible to do the 5 Lands Walk in a wheelchair?

There are activities at all 5 Lands which are fully accessible, including sections of beach promenades, art exhibitions and live music. A large proportion of the route of the walk is on sand, however, so that may make it difficult for people using wheelchairs, although some of our Surf Clubs have sand-accessible wheelchairs available. As well as sand, the route travels on roads as well as bush tracks over the headlands of Copa and North Avoca and they are quite steep in places and there are stairs in other places.

We do have a free shuttle bus (run by our supporters at Busways, so normal public buses). You can hop on and off the buses as they come past each land to enjoy the activities happening throughout the day. The walk ends at Terrigal near the Surf Club, and there will be plenty of activities happening there.