The Central Coast is set to shine this summer courtesy of a new partnership between Audible and Empty Esky.
As the world’s largest producer and provider of audiobooks and original spoken word entertainment, Audible is teaming up with national tourism movement, Empty Esky, to give away selected free road trip listens to travellers this summer.
Styled as a national treasure hunt, The Great Aussie Audiobook Adventure aims to encourage travellers to get out and support small businesses in areas that have been hit hard by natural disaster and COVID-19, with road trippers able to unlock almost 60 hours’ worth of entertainment as they visit stops on the itinerary.
The Central Coast features prominently under the NSW North itinerary, with several local businesses curated stops for the Adventure.
These include Saddles at Mount White, Aquafun Avoca Lake, Firescreek Botanical Winery at Holgate and Mr Goaty Gelato and Distillery Botanica, both at Erina.
To the north of the region, stops include Wyong-based Little Creek Cheese, Daily Dough Co and The Marshmallow Co.
Country Manager at Audible Australia, Leanne Cartwright-Bradford, said the venture came about after new data commissioned by Audible revealed that over half of Australians (52 per cent) see the length of the drive as the biggest deterrent to going on a road trip, with a third (30 per cent) also saying travel time boredom was a problem, while almost three in four (71 per cent) admitting to asking the dreaded “are we there yet” on a long road trip.
“This year has been difficult for all Australians, but with summer around the corner we’re all looking forward to a getaway,” Cartwright said.
“As we look to safely holiday in our own backyards this year, Audible has picked some of our favourite road trip listens to keep Aussies entertained on their journey.”
Empty Esky Co-Founders, Eleanor Baillieu and Erin Boutros believe The Great Aussie Audiobook Adventure will entice travellers to discover regional Australia, with their curated itineraries jam-packed with entertainment and dining experiences to write home about.
Dilon Luke