Move to Central Coast beach area

Hi, Im a divorced woman with 23 year old currently renting on the North Shore in Sydney. My daughter will (hopefully) start studying at Newcastle Unis Ourimbah Campus next year and we are thinking about making a sea change if we can afford to buy something together on the central coast - but have no idea about where we should be looking. We both drive so she will drive to the campus. Wed like to be near the beach for swimming and dog walking, with a social vibe, dining, cafes where I can hopefully make some new friends and it has enough going on to keep my daughter happy also. Any recommendations for a good beachside area which is safe for single women would be very much appreciated!