Central Coast Makers Trail: A food lover's day trip to the Central Coast

One of the best (and most delicious) ways to get to know a region is via its local producers. Take advantage of their wealth of knowledge and enjoy the unsurpassed quality you get from tasting straight from the source. On the Makers Trail, a self-guided road trip on the Central Coast, you’ll get to know 12 of them, all offering immersive experiences for passionate foodies, just an hour from Sydney. Visit a couple over a day (they are all within a two-hour drive) or make a weekend of it and try them all.  

Learn to shuck oysters on a boat

After only 45 minutes in the car, you can end up a world away from Sydney – meandering up the Hawkesbury River, beer in hand, eating just-shucked oysters. At Sydney Oyster Farm Tours, a family-owned oyster farm that’s been in operation for 17 years in Broken Bay, you’ll be taken on a guided tour of the leases, learn how to shuck and taste the molluscs within their surroundings – the best way to appreciate the terroir. Or, make a day of it and dine in the river itself (waders provided), white tablecloth and all.  

Sydney Oyster Farm Tours, Mooney Mooney

Tour NSW’s only pearl farm  

The fact that Broken Bay Pearl Farm is NSW’s only one gives you a clue as to how rare these lustrous treasures are. Located on the lower Hawkesbury River, the site started out as an oyster farm, but when the owners discovered the native akoya oyster growing there, they knew they’d struck gold. The beautiful, lustrous pearls range from deep blues to golds, creams, whites and pinks. They are farmed directly from the waterways, and are not chemically treated or enhanced, meaning they’ll last a lifetime. Visit the Shellar Door to browse the elegant pearl jewellery and sit with a plate of local oysters overlooking the water. 

Broken Bay Pearl Farm, Mooney Mooney

Step inside a Willy Wonka-style factory   

Ever wondered what exactly goes into making a delicious bar of nougat as you bite into the festive, chewy treat? At The Factory in Gosford everything is done in house, from roasting all the nuts to blending the syrups. Peek through the portholes at the biggest nougat producer in Australia to see how it's done – you'll also see talented artisans making fine chocolate and gourmet marshmallows. Go on a behind-the-scenes tour for an in-depth explanation (or do a workshop) then head straight to the retail store to make the difficult choice of what you’ll take home. There’s everything from earl grey tea-infused grenache encased in milk chocolate to mint-flavoured marshmallows dipped in chocolate, and salted caramel crunchy rocky road.   

Children enjoying a Junior Workshop experience at The Factory, Gosford

Appreciate a coffee the slow way 

Coffee obsessives should make Legend Coffee and Culture a non-negotiable when exploring the Central Coast. Pete Andrews, the owner and roaster, scours the globe for the best coffee beans and roasts them to perfection at his headquarters in West Gosford. A commitment to sustainability lies at the heart of the roastery, via responsible sourcing practices and eco-friendly packaging. Pop in for a by-appointment roastery tour or private cupping experience (like a wine tasting), or just grab an excellent cup to go.   

Legend Coffee and Culture, West Gosford - Credit: Legend Coffee and Culture

Try a beer you’ve never tasted before  

Lacking in personality this brewery is not. Starting as a home brewing project then officially launching in 2012, Six String Brewing Co now has a dedicated following. Hunt down the hidden entrance to their warehouse-style headquarters in Erina for full-flavour classics and experimental specials (think a basil spaghetti-inspired saison). Tours are run every Saturday, which include a tasting, and friendly staff are always up for a chat.   

Six String Brewing Co, Erina - Credit: Six String Brewing Co

Learn about the region’s shipbuilding history over a cold one  

Did you know that Brisbane Water was once one of the busiest shipbuilding hubs in Australia? At Kincumber brewery Block n Tackle, many of the beers are named after important ships or characters from this period in history (and you can find out more on the nearby self-guided Four Villages Shipbuilders’ Heritage Walk). Snack on a grazing platter (with locally produced Little Creek Cheese) or share a pizza, try a few of the 12 beers on tap and tap your foot to live music if you are visiting on a Sunday afternoon. Tours are run every Saturday if you want to go deep.  

Block n Tackle, Kincumber - Credit: Block n Tackle

Pick your own botanicals for a gin-making class at Distillery Botanica  

Walk through the gates of Distillery Botanica and you’ll be met with a dreamy scene – an English-style garden carpeted in flowers, leading towards a glass-domed cafe and distillery. If you look closely, you’ll notice the primary colours of the garden are orange (to represent the copper stills) and blue (the house gin’s bottles are made of blue glass). It’s these little details that make a visit to the Erina distillery special. Opt for one of the experiences that includes a garden tour, so you can smell, touch and taste the botanicals and herbs that go into making the spirits; or choose the gin workshop and you can make your ideal bottle, complete with selecting a name and your own label. Hang around for a G&T and hearty sandwiches in the cafe afterwards.  

Distillery Botanica, Erina

Wander through an enchanted garden and try botanical wine  

It’s impossible to visit Firescreek Botanical Winery and not leave inspired by owner Nadia O’Connell’s vision. A truly unique labour of love, this two-acre permaculture farm and pretty-as-a-fairytale garden in Holgate is the source of her fruit, flower and botanical wines, created and bottled on site. You’ll find original seasonal flavours such as elderberry, cinnamon and orange; passionfruit, guava and orange; and apple and raspberry wine. On the Aboriginal Storytelling and Wine Tasting tour, you’ll learn from an Aboriginal Elder about culture and traditions, examine tools and artefacts, and where possible, taste native plants such as Davidson plum, rye berry and dianella. 

Firescreek Botanical Winery Aboriginal Experiences, Holgate - Credit: Nathan Lowe

Get a hit of childhood nostalgia 

It might have been a few years since you had your last gingerbread man but after one bite, you’ll remember why they were always an exciting treat as a kid. Adri’s Gingerbread in Lisarow is the real deal, using 10 different spices to get that nutty, sweet, spicy flavour – she’s won countless awards and is stocked all over Australia. Pull back the curtain on how the delectable treats are made on a factory tour and tasting, where you’ll get to ice one of your own cookies (minimum four people).  

Adri's Gingerbread, Lisarow

Make your own ricotta and try award-winning haloumi  

Turning a hobby into an award-winning business is no easy feat – something that Russell and Sue Parsons of Little Creek Cheese know all too well. Despite more than 200 industry accolades for their cheese since starting the business officially in 2010, it’s still a family-run operation (with their son Alex) at their little Wyong Milk Factory. You can see for yourself why they have won so many prizes on The Cheese Experience, where you’ll learn to make ricotta and paneer, tour the factory, learn the history of cheesemaking and taste 10 cheeses from the range, which includes haloumi, feta, labna, flavoured cheddars, and sapphire – a semi-hard blue.   

Couple enjoying cheese making at Little Creek Cheese, Wyong

Taste Australian whisky’s next big thing  

Amber Lane Distillery has had somewhat of a stratospheric rise. Established in 2022, it has already won gold medals for almost all releases internationally and in Australia. A passion project by two self-described whisky nerds, this distillery, located in the Yarramalong Valley, focuses on bringing together the natural sweetness of the barley with high-quality aged casks that bring richness and depth to these refined drams. The distillery holds an open day one Saturday a month, for a hands-on feel for the process and a chance to sample product straight from the barrel. Alternatively, contact them to organise a private tasting.  

Amber Lane Distillery, Yarramalong Valley - Credit: Amber Lane Distillery

Meet Australia’s king of the spice world  

It would be rare to find a pantry in Australia without a packet of Herbie’s spices or herbs. Owner Ian ‘Herbie’ Hemphill grew up in a family that pioneered herbs and spices and thus launched the brand in 1997. A walk through the Herbie’s Spices factory 'spicery’ in Charmhaven is like visiting a candy store for passionate home cooks – with every variety and blend imaginable, from all over the world. Herbie holds a monthly ‘introduction to spices’ event which includes a tour of the spicery, a history lesson on the spice trade, and a deep dive into many of the different spices he stocks.  

Herbie’s Spicery, Charmhaven - Credit: Herbie’s Spices