Coasties Magazine Turns Five

Happy Birthday Coasties Mag

This week marks a milestone birthday worth celebrating at Coasties Mag: they turn five! And, what a five years it’s been.  As many local businesses struggled through the height of the pandemic and unprecedented times, mum of two Amy Nelmes Bisset founded the mag in September 2020. Coasties Magazine was born with a clear mission in mind: to fuel the local economy and champion small businesses of the Central Coast. Shortly after, the Coasties Card launched, and together with the magazine, they began the #supportlocal movement. A movement that continues to be the sole purpose of, and driving force behind Coasties to this day. With generosity, humility, and kindness being at the core of everything they do, Coasties has won the hearts of the Central Coast community and become something far bigger than the team ever could have imagined. Coasties is a true ‘force-to-be-reckoned-with’ of a publication, trusted by locals as their go-to for what’s happening in the region.

By late 2021, Coasties’ website, coastiesmag.com.au, had exploded in popularity, quickly becoming the go-to hub for all the hottest happenings on the Coast. And a truly trusted source for Coasties wanting to know where to go, what to do, and what’s new across the region. It became an authentic locals-for-locals voice, championing homegrown talent, storytelling, breaking news, supporting local events and showcasing all the things that make the Central Coast region so epic.  

In April 2022, Amy handed over the reins to local mums Tash Robertson and Nikki Tiedeman, who bought the mag, with plans to elevate Coasties to new heights. Just a few months later, as spring of ’22 rolled in, they brought back the print mag to rave reviews and an overwhelming outpouring of love from the local community. The first cover back in print featured artwork by local artist Grant Molony. Since then, Coasties has gone from strength to strength, publishing 21 issues to date, each one providing a platform to highlight the talent of local artists and photographers. Today, the mag continues to be distributed across more than 400 businesses Coastwide, ensuring local stories and creativity are seen and celebrated, and their all-important advertisers and supporters get the reach they deserve.

Coasties Magazine Turns Five

Coasties Mag has also become a major player in the Coast’s events scene, supporting, sponsoring and partnering with favourites like Coastal Twist Festival, Love Lanes Festival, Glenworth Grazing Festival, Harvest Fest, Long Jetty Festival, Tubular Festival, Fade Into You, Avoca Beach Twilight Markets, Coast Shelter’s Reconciliation Event and that’s just to name a few. Looking ahead, Coasties is proud to support both the upcoming Oktoberfest and Chrome Fest this October, as well as with Light Up, the community charity event calling for a safer Coast for all #standwithaudrey. This comes as no surprise, as giving and charity have always been close to the mag’s heart, with nearly $9,000 raised and donated to local causes to date. Coasties has proudly partnered with and supported We Care Connect, Central Coast Kids in Need, Take 3 for the Sea, Because We Care Boutique, The Salvos, Movember, Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre, and more. Tash and Nikki have also personally taken part in Coast Shelter’s annual Charity Sleepout at Gosford Stadium twice, raising thousands of dollars for this worthy cause and raising awareness of homelessness and domestic violence in the region.

Midway through 2024, Coasties Mag formed a powerhouse partnership with Star 104.5 FM, going live on-air every Friday morning during prime time on the Gina and Matty brekky show with their Central Coast Weekender segment. Combined with their ever-growing and engaged social following of close to 23,000 (more than doubling in just three years), monthly website traffic averaging over 50,000 visitors per month, Coasties has now cemented itself as the Coast’s leading voice for what’s on and things to do.

KEEP READING: All things Star 104.5 and why they’re the perfect match with Coasties Mag

Their impact hasn’t gone unnoticed. For three years running, Tash and Nikki have been invited to judge the prestigious Business NSW Awards, and more recently, the new Central Coast Visitor Economy Awards. Coasties Mag has also become a trusted media partner for Business NSW and joined the ranks of the Regional Leaders Program, sitting alongside some of the Coast’s most outstanding businesses.

And in 2025, going from strength to strength, a new chapter began, with Coasties Mag joining forces with COAST Publishing. Together, they’ve created a formidable team leading the way and exemplifying how collaboration over competition in the region can be done. They share office space based in a prime waterfront office in Gosford (complete with ‘big girl signage’ as they like to refer to it), a hub where they continue to grow and provide an even stronger support system for the local economy, businesses and the wider Central Coast community.

RELATED: LIGHT UP: One night. One cause. One community.

Coasties Mag Birthday

Remaining down to earth, real and relatable, behind the scenes (well, behind the upstairs windows of the fancy new office), you’ll still find Tash and Nikki (with the addition of Nikki’s new three month old) winging it!

In their words, “We’re just two mums who bought the mag on a whim and thought we’d figure it all out as we went. Up until now, we have been running it as a side hustle with the help of so many amazing local writers, PR teams, content creators and virtual assistants. With our long-standing and incredible VA, Amy, recently coming on as a full-time admin assistant. We truly wouldn’t be here without her. We still pinch ourselves every day that we get to call this work. And, we are always humbled and our hearts warmed by the love and support we receive from the community, and just want to continue to do what we do best and #supportlocal”.

Keeping it real, keeping it local – that’s Coasties Mag for you! Happy fifth birthday, here’s to the next five and some. 

FOLLOW @coastiesmag for all things Central Coast and of course to keep up to date with the next chapters in the inspirational Coasties Mag story.

SUBSCRIBE to Coasties Mag here to get the hottest happenings across the Coast direct to your inbox. Plus, did we mention when you sign up you go in the draw to win a $200 local restaurant voucher!