What to know about Central Coast
- At the 2021 Census, the Central Coast Significant Urban Area counted 343,180 people, with a median age of 43.Source: ABS 2021 Census QuickStats
- Central Coast Council requires personal trainers, fitness groups and bootcamp operators to hold a temporary licence, for 6 or 12 months, to run a business on council-managed land.Source: Central Coast Council
- Central Coast Council took expressions of interest for 2026-27 licences from 16 March to 10 May 2026, with only one EOI allowed per location, and an annual licence runs from 1 July to 30 June.Source: Central Coast Council
- Central Coast Council's guidelines ask instructors to hold at least a Certificate IV in the appropriate field or against the industry standard, a senior first aid certificate and CPR, and operators to hold public liability insurance for the licence term.Source: Central Coast Council
- Under the council's guidelines an application must state the maximum number of participants in any one session, and a multiple-location licence covers up to three locations.Source: Central Coast Council
Who lives on the Coast
The ABS counted 343,180 people in the Central Coast urban area in 2021, and the median age was 43. By our count of the Census age groups, about 22.3% of residents were 65 or older, so if you are coming back to exercise later in life you are in good company here.
The council's licence for beaches and reserves
Personal training, fitness groups and bootcamps on council-managed land all need a temporary licence from Central Coast Council, issued for 6 or 12 months. Licences come out of a yearly expression of interest round. The 2026-27 round ran from 16 March to 10 May 2026, and applicants could lodge only one EOI per location. Each annual licence runs from 1 July to 30 June.
What the guidelines ask of instructors
The council's EOI guidelines for personal trainers and fitness groups set a minimum of a Certificate IV in the appropriate field, or against the industry standard, for instructors, along with senior first aid and CPR, and the operator must carry public liability insurance while the licence lasts. Every application has to state the maximum number of participants in any one session, and a multiple-location licence stretches to three spots at most. When a trainer gets back to you, it is fair to ask where their licence lets them work and how big their groups get.
Not every session has to be on the sand
A session does not have to happen near the water. A garage workout in Erina or a shared hour with your partner in Kincumber is just as possible, and mobile personal training and partner and small group training set out how each one works.
Central Coast questions
Will a beach group stay in the same spot all year?
Not always. Central Coast licences follow the financial year, from 1 July to 30 June, and the council runs a fresh expression of interest round each year. Ask the trainer where they expect to be over the next few months.
Does the trainer need to be near my suburb?
We pass your request to one personal trainer on the Central Coast. Name your suburb, such as Gosford, Wyong or Woy Woy, on the request form so it reaches someone close by.