Whale Watching at Crackneck, Central Coast
One of our most loved and top whale watching spots here on the Central Coast, Crackneck Lookout, in Bateau Bay reopened today following a significant upgrade. The all time crowd pleaser amongst locals, visitors and whale-watching enthusiasts underwent a facelift of recent weeks and now means if you’re visiting to spot a whale or two you are in for a treat.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Central Coast Area Manager Steve Atkins said the upgrades have revitalised the stunning Central Coast location, creating a more accessible and user-friendly visitor precinct.
“Crackneck Lookout in Wyrrabalong National Park is very popular with the local community and is one of the best locations to observe whales on the Central Coast,” said Mr Atkins.
“Visitors to Central Coast national parks contribute more than $1 billion to our local economy each year and help generate over 2,520 jobs for the region.
“It’s fantastic to see this national park project completed so that locals and visitors to the Central Coast can enjoy the site’s unique vantage point as the annual humpback whale migration continues,” said Mr Atkins.
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Crackneck Lookout Central Coast Upgrade
The precinct is now far more accessible for all visitors including wheelchair-friendly pathways as well as an expanded visitor area that features a landscaped picnic area with timber and sandstone seating, as if Crackneck wasn’t already the perfect spot for a weekend picnic – it just got a whole lot better. There are also new viewing areas to be found at the upgraded Crackneck Lookout.
The upgrade was carefully planned by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) team and involved public consultation to ensure that both conservation and improving visitor infrastructure as well as reducing any environmental impact was taken into account. Works were completed by local Aboriginal-owned company Goanna Services.
“The new arrangement will improve visitor safety, provide universal access to the spectacular ocean views, including for those in parked vehicles, and better manage the flow of traffic during peak periods,” said Mr Atkins.
“For those whale watching enthusiasts, new information signage about humpback whales and their annual migration has been installed,” said Mr Atkins.
Here at Coasties we are already massive fans of Crackneck as one of our top picks for whale watching on the Central Coast. This upgrade certainly does have us excited.
Be sure to check it out on your travels soon.
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Congratulation!