Where Tuggerah Lakes squeeze into the sea through a ribbon of sandbars — shifting turquoise braids that look painted from above.
FreeFamily
The Entrance is named for exactly what a drone sees best: the channel where the Tuggerah Lakes system squeezes into the Pacific through a shifting maze of sandbars. From altitude, the braided turquoise-and-gold patterns change with every tide and storm — no two flights over this channel ever produce the same frame.
Flying the channel
Launch from the foreshore reserves on the southern side, away from the town centre crowds. Mid-morning high sun saturates the sandbar colours for top-downs; a slow track along the channel’s curve is the signature clip. The famous pelicans gather near the fish co-op for the daily feed — photograph them from the ground, and keep the drone high and away from bird concentrations. Standard CASA rules; no airport conflicts here.
Making a day of it
The Entrance’s waterfront cafes, the ocean baths and Long Jetty’s much-photographed old timber jetty (a five-minute drive down the lake) round out an easy Central Coast aerial day with Norah Head just north. More drone locations and photography spots nearby.
🏅 Own or manage this place? Get your “Featured on AustralianSecret” badge
Show visitors you're featured in our independent directory — copy this snippet into your website. The badge links back to your listing here.
Watch
Photo Gallery
Facilities
Foreshore parking, cafes, ocean baths and picnic reserves both sides of the channel
Photography Tips
Top-down the braided sandbars at 80–120 m in high sun; a slow reveal along the channel mouth toward the surf is the money clip.
Insider Tips
Keep the drone high and clear of the pelican concentrations near the fish co-op — shoot the 3.30 pm pelican feed from the ground instead.
Getting There
Marine Parade, The Entrance — 90 minutes from Sydney via the M1; foreshore parking on both sides of the channel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is The Entrance good for drones?
The tidal channel braids into turquoise sandbar patterns that read spectacularly from above — and they re-arrange after every storm and big tide.
Can you fly near the pelicans?
Keep the drone high and away from bird concentrations — large gatherings and drones don't mix. Watch the famous 3.30 pm pelican feed from the ground.
When is the best light for the sandbars?
Mid-morning to early afternoon high sun, which saturates the turquoise; storms reset the patterns beautifully.
Are there airspace restrictions at The Entrance?
No controlled-airspace issues — just standard CASA rules: under 120 m, line of sight, 30 m from people.
