Bouddi National Park (NSW): $8 Per Vehicle Entry, Where to Start the Maitland Bay Walk and What Is Free (Central Coast)

Bouddi National Park charges $8 per vehicle per day, and the NSW National Parks page lists pay machines that take cards as well as the Park’nPay app. The park is on the Central Coast near Gosford and is always open, although it can close in poor weather or fire danger. This guide pulls together what the official pages say about getting in, where to park and which walks start where.

How much does it cost to go in?

The visitor info page gives the park entry fee as $8 per vehicle per day. It says the park has pay machines that accept cards, or you can pay through the Park’nPay app. The same page lists passes for people who visit often, with prices as of 8 November 2026:

Pass	Where it works	1 year	2 years
All Parks Pass	All parks in NSW, including Kosciuszko	$190	$335
Multi Parks Pass	All parks in NSW except Kosciuszko	$65	$115
Country Parks Pass	Parks in country NSW except Kosciuszko	$45	$75
Single Country Park Pass	One park in country NSW except Kosciuszko	$22	$40

The park page describes Bouddi as about a 90-minute drive from Sydney. It does not say which pass suits it.

Where does the entry fee apply?

The wording differs from page to page. The park-level page says $8 per vehicle per day. The pages for the Bouddi coastal walk, Maitland Bay track, Lobster Beach and Mount Bouddi picnic area each say that “park entry fees apply in the Putty Beach area only”. The Putty Beach campground page says the $8 entry fee is not included in camping fees. The Little Beach campground page says park entry fees do not apply at that campground “but may apply in other areas”. The Maitland Bay Information Centre page says entry fees do not apply at the visitor centre.

The pages do not draw a map of where the fee area starts and stops. The National Parks Contact Centre is on 1300 072 757, 7am to 7pm daily.

How do I drive there?

The visitor info page lists two park entry points, Putty Beach Drive and The Scenic Road, plus parking at the Maitland Bay Information Centre. It describes sealed roads, 2WD access and all-weather access. From Sydney, the page says to follow the F3 and take the Gosford exit, follow the signs to Woy Woy, then Kincumber, take Maitland Bay Drive and then Empire Bay Drive, and look for The Scenic Road at Killcare Heights and take Putty Beach Road.

From Gosford, it says to follow the Central Coast Highway towards Erina, turn right onto Avoca Drive and continue through Kincumber, then turn right at Empire Bay Drive and take Scenic Road. For public transport the page only points to the NSW transport info website and gives no route numbers; the website is the Transport for NSW trip planner.

Which walks start where, and how long do they take?

Walk	Distance	Time suggested	Grade
Maitland Bay track	2km return	15 to 45 minutes	Grade 3
Bouddi coastal walk	8.5km one way	3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes	Grade 3

The Maitland Bay track starts at the Maitland Bay Information Centre and goes downhill to the bay. The page calls it short and steep, with some steps, and says it needs a moderate fitness level. It suggests 15 to 20 minutes to walk down and 30 to 40 minutes to walk back up, and says some people find the return tough. If that worries you, the page suggests walking the flatter 3km to Putty Beach and having someone pick you up there. At low tide, it says, the eastern end of the bay shows the remains of the PS Maitland, wrecked in 1898.

The Bouddi coastal walk runs from Putty Beach to MacMasters Beach. The page splits it into three shorter sections: Putty Beach to Maitland Bay (3km), Maitland Bay to Little Beach (3.5km) and Little Beach to MacMasters Beach (1.7km). It lists sunscreen, a hat, snacks, drinking water and suitable clothing as what to bring, and suggests filling in a trip intention form so someone knows where you are.

Can I camp, and what is different at each campground?

Campground	Sites	How you get there	Entry fee
Putty Beach	20	Short walk to the tent site	$8 per vehicle per day, not included in the camping fee
Little Beach	6	750m walk along a gravel management trail from the carpark at Grahame Drive; carry all gear and water	Does not apply at the campground
Tallow Beach	Six tents	1.2km walk on a steep gravel management trail from the carpark; carry all gear and water	Does not apply at the campground

Putty Beach is the largest of the park’s camping areas. Its page lists toilets, drinking water, barbecue facilities, an outside shower and picnic tables, with check-in at 2pm and check-out before 10am. Little Beach has toilets, barbecues and picnic tables but no drinking water, so the page says to bring drinking and cooking water. Tallow Beach is the most remote of the three: its page calls the 1.2km walk hard and steep, says it is not recommended for elderly or very young campers, and lists toilets and unmarked sites. The visitor info page says overnight stays in vehicles, including campervans and rooftop tents, are prohibited in the park.

What are the rules, and what facilities are there?

• Pets: not permitted, apart from certified assistance animals.
• Fires and generators: camp fires, solid fuel burners, gathering firewood and generators are prohibited; free gas barbecues are provided at some locations.
• Smoking: NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
• Fishing: not permitted in the Bouddi National Park Marine Extension area, which the page says runs from Gerrin Point to Bombi Point including Maitland Bay. Elsewhere a current NSW recreational fishing licence is required.
• Phone reception: limited; the page says you need mobile reception to call Triple Zero (000).
• Drinking water: listed at Gerrin Point lookout, Maitland Bay Information Centre and Putty Beach campground.
• Toilets: listed at Little Beach, Lobster Beach, Mount Bouddi picnic area, Putty Beach and Tallow Beach.

Is there a quieter beach than Putty Beach?

The Lobster Beach page describes a sheltered beach “just a short walk from the carpark”, fringed with bushland and suited to swimming, snorkelling, birdwatching and fishing. It does not give a distance, a track name or the number of spaces at the carpark. The Mount Bouddi (Dingeldei) picnic area page lists picnic tables and a volunteer-built shelter, with toilets listed on the visitor info page. Both pages say the entry fee applies in the Putty Beach area only.

What if I need help on the day?

The Maitland Bay Information Centre is open on weekends and public holidays only, between 11am and 3pm, and its page says annual passes cannot be bought there. For general enquiries, call the National Parks Contact Centre on 1300 072 757 (7am to 7pm daily). The Girrakool office on 02 4320 4200 handles Monday to Friday enquiries, with hours that vary. In an emergency dial Triple Zero (000), and the page recommends downloading the Emergency Plus app before you visit.

Next door, our Gosford Park&Ride guide covers parking at the station if you would rather leave the car in town, and the guide to checking Central Coast road closures shows where to look before a drive.

Sources

• NSW National Parks — Bouddi National Park (checked 8 November 2026)
• NSW National Parks — Bouddi visitor info (checked 8 November 2026)
• NSW National Parks — Bouddi local alerts (checked 8 November 2026)
• NSW National Parks — Maitland Bay track, Bouddi coastal walk, Lobster Beach, Maitland Bay Information Centre (checked 8 November 2026)
• NSW National Parks — Putty Beach campground and Little Beach campground (checked 8 November 2026)

Featured image: Putty Beach (photo: FotoSleuth / CC BY 2.0) (text added)

OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service or Transport for NSW. Fees and rules can change; check the official pages above before you travel.