5 Lands Walk 2024

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Sat 22 Jun 2024

Every June, the Central Coast is home to the 5 Lands Walk , which is a uniquely Australian event and is the result of a collaboration between the Aboriginal people and the communities on Darkinjung Country, also known as the Central Coast.

This free, day-long celebration is a physical, cultural, and spiritual journey that takes you across ten kilometres of beautiful coastline that snakes its way around the Central Coast and Darkinjung Country. This walk is a celebration where people from diverse walks of life and cultural backgrounds can come together to connect as they walk and experience Aboriginal culture, live music, art exhibitions, installations of sculptures and much more.

The route, starting at MacMasters Beach Surf Club heads north towards surf clubs at Copacabana, Avoca Beach, and North Avoca, and follows the beaches, headlands, bush tracks, and backroads to take you to the surf club at Terrigal Beach. The best news? You can join and leave the walk at any point, just register here .

The organisers say that any able-bodied person including kids should be able to complete the walk, though as most of the route is on beaches and bushland, it is not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs. Disabled people can, however, access the events at each Land so they can still be part of the day.

If you decide to tackle the whole route, it should take most people around four to six hours but allow yourself plenty of time to do the walk and experience everything else on offer- the exhibitions, the Aboriginal ceremonies, cultural displays, and keep an eye out for whales. This isn’t a race, so pace yourself and enjoy your day. You’ll experience steps, long climbs, boggy patches, and boardwalks – and if you get tired or the weather turns nasty, the free Busways shuttles can get you back to Terrigal.

So, what does the event hope to achieve? Well, the 5 Lands Walk wants to connect people and connect people with place to ensure nobody is excluded and create a place of connection where family, friends, and visitors are encouraged to celebrate life and creativity as they connect to the deep Aboriginal history of the region. The committee wants people to celebrate what connects people in the multicultural community of Darkinjung Country so we can walk together towards a harmonious and inclusive future on the Central Coast and beyond.

The 5 Lands Walk is held on the Saturday that is closest to the winter solstice, during the time when the whales are migrating north. Whales are a significant totem of the Darkinjung people, and the event will begin with an opening ceremony the night before. Allow yourself to be immersed in nature and culture, be moved by ceremonies and music, and if you don’t want to complete the whole walk, sample the things that take your interest. There’s no right way to do this – it’s about you and how you connect to these lands.

The beauty of this event is that you can walk at your own pace so you can enjoy the cultural offerings and landscape. And whilst the route is ten kilometres long, there is no pressure to complete the entire walk. You could sample the programs, and drive between the lands, or take the free shuttle between Terrigal and MacMasters – it is all up to you. Make it your journey and experience of discovery and connection.

Find more information such as bus timetables and a route map here, and don’t forget to register on the website, and you’ll find all the information for all the events on the day at the website too.

The events start at MacMasters Beach at XX time, and you’ll find the final events at Terrigal Beach. There will be a range of activities scheduled at each land, but you can explore it all in your own time.



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