Both streets share the same calm Ettalong Beach bay, the same town-centre services and the same school catchments. The real difference is position. The Esplanade holds the direct beach frontage and uninterrupted water outlooks, while Kourung Street sits one short block back with the foreshore at the end of the street. This guide walks through the practical differences in price, product and everyday living, so you can weigh the premium front row against the more accessible lifestyle street.
Lifestyle and Waterfront Position
The Esplanade is Ettalong Beach’s signature waterfront road, carrying the suburb’s direct beach frontage and outlooks across Broken Bay, the Ettalong channel and Bouddi National Park. 102 The Esplanade sits “front and centre on Ettalong Beach”, with ocean views directly across from the sand.
Kourung Street plays a different role. Listings position it about 450 m from the foreshore, with the beach at the end of the street and a short stroll from the shoreline. The council’s dog-friendly area runs from Kourung Street south to Augusta Street, and the off-leash beach zone is best reached around the Kourung Street entrance. A new shared path now links the street directly into the Esplanade network.
In practice, you are choosing between uninterrupted frontage and views, or a short, easy stroll to the same foreshore.
Property Prices and Value
Ettalong Beach’s median house price sits at $1,250,000 across 155 sales over two years, with constant-quality growth of 111.6% over ten years and 44.5% over five.
The Esplanade leads the suburb. Its five-year house median of $2,400,000 across nine sales is the highest of Ettalong Beach’s 24 ranked streets. Kourung Street’s five-year median of $1,310,000 sits roughly $1.09M lower on the same sales count.
Individual results show the spread on both streets. On The Esplanade, 68 The Esplanade sold for $3,100,000 in August 2026, while 61 The Esplanade changed hands at $1,300,000. At the top end, 117 The Esplanade’s four whole-floor waterfront residences are listed from $4,350,000, with marketing from $4,490,000. On Kourung Street, a two-bedroom villa at 1/25 Kourung Street sold for $995,000 in October 2025, while 15 Kourung Street sold for around $1,450,000. Brand-new townhouses at 36 Kourung Street are listed at $1,125,000, $1,250,000 and $1,300,000.
The Esplanade also has a much deeper unit market, with 290 unit sales over ten years, against nine on Kourung Street.
Streetscape and Character
The two streets look quite different on the ground. Kourung Street is a compact, low-rise residential street of about 80 properties, mixing newer townhouses, villas and duplexes with modest freestanding homes. Brand-new townhouses at 36 Kourung Street and a duplex at 2/24 Kourung Street set the tone for its low-maintenance coastal feel.
The Esplanade is a much larger, more mixed waterfront street of 489 properties, with 74 houses, 14 townhouses and 16 units among its foreshore addresses. It combines beachfront houses, whole-floor waterfront residences and the 2018 Atlantis apartment complex, alongside townhouses and units. That product mix shapes the buyer pool. Kourung Street leans toward low-maintenance coastal living, while The Esplanade spans premium houses through to boutique apartments.
Amenities and Everyday Convenience
Both streets draw on the same Ettalong town centre. The Galleria Ettalong Beach anchors the village with 11 restaurants, 14 cafés and eateries and more than 30 boutique shops, plus the six-screen Cinema Paradiso and weekend markets. The IGA, Ettalong Diggers RSL Club and the weekend markets are all close by. Suburb-wide, Ettalong Beach carries a Walk Score of 67, ranked third most walkable on the Central Coast, with 36 restaurants, bars and coffee shops.
The Esplanade adds foreshore amenities directly on the street: picnic spots, BBQs, a playground and grassy areas beside the water, plus beachfront dining at BOX on the Water. Kourung Street listings describe a walk-to-everything position to both Ettalong and Umina town centres. The services are shared, so the difference is the street-level proximity of foreshore dining and recreation.
Schools and Education
Schools are a near-identical consideration for both streets. They share the same catchments: Ettalong Public School (ICSEA 975) for primary and Brisbane Water Secondary College Umina Campus (ICSEA 966) for secondary. Ettalong Public School is zoned for 98% of Ettalong Beach homes, with the remaining 2% at Woy Woy South Public School (PropertyGo suburb profile). The only real difference is the primary-school walk, a six minute walk from The Esplanade against eight minutes from Kourung Street.
Nearby government options include Umina Beach Public School and Pretty Beach Public School. The nearest private options are an eight to nine minute drive from either street, with Coast Christian School at Bensville and Green Point Christian College around 18 to 21 minutes away.
Transport and Connectivity
Both streets share the same suburb-level network. Bus Route 53 reaches Woy Woy Station in about 10 minutes, where trains run to Sydney and Newcastle, while the Palm Beach ferry crosses Broken Bay in about 30 minutes with a $23.60 return fare. Road access sits about 90 minutes north of Sydney.
The Esplanade itself is the shared coastal pathway, hugging the beach and linking Ettalong Beach to Ocean Beach and Umina Beach in a roughly two-kilometre loop. The Palm Beach ferry wharf sits at the village end of the foreshore, and 96 The Esplanade is less than 500 m from the public wharf. Kourung Street now connects directly into that pathway network through a new 190-metre shared path. Transport is broadly shared, with The Esplanade acting as the pedestrian and cycling spine.
Conclusion
Both streets share the same calm bay, the same town centre, the same school catchments and the same transport network. The decision comes down to position and product. The Esplanade is the premium front row for buyers who prioritise direct frontage and uninterrupted views. Kourung Street is the accessible lifestyle street one block back, with newer low-rise housing and a lower entry point. Budget, and the value you place on direct water frontage, will guide most buyers between the two.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kourung Street’s house price in Ettalong Beach?
Kourung Street’s five-year house median is $1,310,000 across nine sales, its ten-year house median is $1.14M and its unit median is $850k. Recent activity spans a two-bedroom villa at 1/25 Kourung Street that sold for $995,000 in October 2025, 15 Kourung Street at around $1,450,000 and brand-new townhouses at 36 Kourung Street listed at $1,125,000, $1,250,000 and $1,300,000.
How far is Kourung Street from Ettalong Beach foreshore?
Listings position Kourung Street about 450 m from the foreshore, with the beach at the end of the street and a short stroll from the shoreline. A new shared path links the street to the Esplanade network, and the off-leash dog beach is best reached around the Kourung Street entrance.
What types of homes are on Kourung Street in Ettalong Beach?
It is a compact street of roughly 80 properties mixing newer townhouses, villas, duplexes and freestanding homes. Examples include brand-new three-bedroom townhouses at 36 Kourung Street, a duplex at 2/24 Kourung Street and a four-bedroom house at 15 Kourung Street.
Is Kourung Street in Ettalong Beach good for families and schools?
Yes. It sits in the Ettalong Public School catchment, an eight minute walk away, and the Brisbane Water Secondary College Umina Campus catchment, a seven minute drive. Nearby options include Umina Beach Public School and Pretty Beach Public School. The nearest private schools are around an eight to nine minute drive, with Coast Christian School and Green Point Christian College 18 to 21 minutes away.
What is Kourung Street’s investment potential in Ettalong Beach?
It offers the suburb’s growth story, with ten-year constant-quality growth of 111.6%, at a more accessible entry point than the waterfront. Newer townhouse and villa product in the street, plus its direct connection to the foreshore, supports ongoing buyer interest. A combined residential site at 100 and 101 The Esplanade and 1 and 3 Kourung Street, around 2,617 sqm, is marketed as having development potential.
What are Kourung Street’s key lifestyle advantages in Ettalong Beach?
A walk-to-everything position with the foreshore at the end of the street, direct off-leash beach access and a short stroll to both Ettalong and Umina town centres. The street’s newer low-maintenance townhouse and villa product keeps upkeep light and the entry point accessible.
What is The Esplanade’s house price in Ettalong Beach?
The Esplanade’s five-year house median is $2,400,000 across nine sales, its ten-year house median is $1.88M and its unit median is $478k. Recent sales include 68 The Esplanade at $3,100,000, while 117 The Esplanade’s whole-floor waterfront residences are listed from $4,350,000.
Is The Esplanade the most expensive street in Ettalong Beach?
Yes. Its five-year house median of $2,400,000 leads the suburb’s ranked streets, well above the suburb-wide median of $1,250,000 and roughly $1.09M above Kourung Street’s $1,310,000.
What types of properties are on The Esplanade in Ettalong Beach?
It is a large, mixed waterfront street of about 489 properties, including 74 houses, 14 townhouses and 16 units. You will find beachfront houses, whole-floor waterfront residences and the 2018 Atlantis apartment complex, plus shop-and-residence properties along the foreshore.
What are The Esplanade’s key lifestyle advantages in Ettalong Beach?
Direct beach frontage with views across Broken Bay, the Ettalong channel and Bouddi National Park. The street doubles as the shared coastal pathway linking a roughly two-kilometre loop to Ocean Beach and Umina Beach, with foreshore BBQs, a playground and beachfront dining at BOX on the Water.
How close is The Esplanade to Ettalong Beach town centre and the ferry?
The Esplanade carries the foreshore cafés and shops itself. The Palm Beach ferry wharf sits at the village end of the foreshore, and 96 The Esplanade is less than 500 m from the public wharf. The Galleria at 189 Ocean View Road anchors the town centre just back from the foreshore.
What is The Esplanade’s investment potential in Ettalong Beach?
Front-row scarcity underpins the suburb’s highest street median. Limited foreshore sites move quickly, with 96 The Esplanade selling in three days before it reached auction, and new boutique whole-floor residences are being delivered at 117 The Esplanade, listed from $4,350,000. Town-centre investment and the ferry connection support demand.