Party Venue Hire Central Coast

Start with the setting you want – sand, water, bush or main street – because on the Central Coast the area largely decides the style of the room. Terrigal has the densest run of waterfront restaurants: Swells Terrigal looks straight over Terrigal Beach, The Tropic offers a private dining room or exclusive hire for up to 280 standing, Amarilla serves Spanish-inspired food on the water at Terrigal Haven, and Coral Grill & Seafood seats 65 on the first floor above the Esplanade. Just south, The Surf Club Avoca Beach hires out its first-floor hall with a stage, deck and verandahs.

Gosford and Erina handle bigger and more flexible numbers. The Gallery @ Gosford RSL Club divides into soundproofed rooms for anything from 10 to 650, Gosford Sailing Club has a deck on the water, and Six String Brewing Co. in Erina has a room above its brewhouse. Further north, Long Jetty adds The Savoy Bar and Music, a live music bar in a former cinema, and Jasper's, a tapas restaurant that closes to the public for private sittings. Wyong covers sit-down meals at Royal Hotel Wyong and Middle Eastern banquets at Motel Mezza.

Up in the hinterland, The Springs at Peats Ridge has a sandstone-and-timber ballroom on a golf course estate, and Mangrove Mountain Memorial Club looks over its fairways from an enclosed balcony.

Narrowing it down by budget and format:

• Pub menus: two-course functions at Royal Hotel Wyong from $38 per person, catering at Woodport Hotel from $45 per person
• Shared banquets: Motel Mezza from $65 per person with halal-certified meat, The Tropic from $80 per person
• Whole-venue minimum spends: Amarilla from $5,000, The BOX on the Water from $6,500
• Room hire on its own: Mangrove Mountain Memorial Club and Wyong Milk Factory Tavern from $400
• No space hire charge: The Lakes Hotel at The Entrance, across four function areas

Planning around a particular occasion? Start with birthday party venues or Christmas party venues.