Gosford Central Coast, New South Wales | |||||||||||||||
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Coordinates | 33°25′37″S151°20′31″E / 33.42694°S 151.34194°E | ||||||||||||||
Population |
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Postcode(s) | 2250 | ||||||||||||||
Elevation | 20 m (66 ft) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) | ||||||||||||||
• Summer (DST) | AEST (UTC+11) | ||||||||||||||
Location |
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LGA(s) | Central Coast Council | ||||||||||||||
Region | Central Coast | ||||||||||||||
County | Northumberland | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | |||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | Robertson | ||||||||||||||
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Gosford is a waterfront city at the northern end of Brisbane Water on the Central Coast in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Gosford waterfront is known for its boating and scenic views on the shores of Brisbane Water. Gosford is the main commercial hub and gateway of the Central Coast. It is situated approximately 77 km (48 mi) north of Sydney and 86 km (53 mi) south of Newcastle. Gosford is located in the local government area of the Central Coast Council.
Gosford, locally nicknamed 'Gossie', [3] is located in the north-eastern part of the Sydney Basin in the traditional Darkinjung Country.
The regional city is one of the two shared administrative hubs of the Central Coast Council, along with Wyong. Gosford is the central business district of the Central Coast region and is the third largest urban area in the state of New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle. Gosford has been deemed a vital CBD spine under the NSW Metropolitan Strategy following the merging of Gosford City council and Wyong Shire council in 2016, forming the current Central Coast Council administration. [4] The population of the Gosford area was 169,053 in 2016. [2]
Until white settlement, the area around Gosford was inhabited by the Guringai peoples, who were principally coastal-dwellers, [5] and the Darkinjung people that inhabited the hinterland. Along with the other land around the Hawkesbury River estuary, the Brisbane Water district was explored during the early stages of the settlement of New South Wales.
Gosford itself was explored by State Governor Arthur Phillip between 1788 and 1789. [6] The area was difficult to access and settlement began around 1823. By the late 19th century the agriculture in the region was diversifying, with market gardens and citrus orchards occupying the rich soil left after the timber harvest. As late as 1850, the road between Hawkesbury (near Pittwater) and Brisbane Water was a cart wheel track. [7]
Typical of early Colonial settlement, convicts lived and worked in the Gosford area. In 1825, Gosford's population reached 100, of whom 50% were convicts.
East Gosford was the first centre of settlement. Gosford was named in 1839 after Archibald Acheson, 2nd Earl of Gosford – a friend of the then Governor of New South Wales George Gipps. [8] Acheson's title derives its name from Gosford, a townland (sub-division) of Markethill in County Armagh in Northern Ireland.
In 1887, the Main Northern railway line to Sydney was completed, requiring a bridge over the Hawkesbury River and a tunnel through the sandstone ridge west of Woy Woy. The introduction of this transport link and then the Pacific Highway in 1930 accelerated the development of the region.
Gosford became a town in 1885 and was declared a municipality in 1886. [9] It was then declared a Shire in 1947, and a City on 1 January 1980.
Mann Street, the spine of the Gosford CBD has been the subject of much debate, with urban planners having ambitions to make Gosford a small smart regional city[ citation needed ] with various plans for a performing arts center, greater choice in cafes and restaurants, new library, high speed rail linkage to Sydney and Newcastle, better pedestrian access from the Gosford Hospital, education and research precinct over the railway lines to Mann Street and a new Central Coast University promised at State and Federal elections.
As of the 2021 census, there were 4,873 people in Gosford CBD. 58.1% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were India 5.0%, and Nepal 4.1%. 64.0% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Nepali at 3.8% and Mandarin at 3.3%. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 40.1% and Catholic 15.8%. [10]
The Gosford Statistical Area, which incorporates the whole of Gosford's city and suburbs, includes Avoca Beach, Erina, Ettalong Beach, Kariong, Kincumber, Narara, Terrigal, Woy Woy, and Wyoming, and at the 2021 census had a population of 178,427. [11]
Gosford has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfa) [12] with warm summers and mild winters. In summer, temperatures average about 27–28 °C in the day with high humidity and about 17–18 °C at night. Winters are mild with cool overnight temperatures and mild to occasionally warm daytime temperatures with lower humidity. Records range from a maximum of 44.8 °C (113 °F) on 18 January 2013, to a low of −4.2 °C (24 °F) on 16 July 1970. Average rainfall is 1333 mm, much of which falls in the late summer and autumn. Rainfall is less common in late winter and early spring because of the foehn effect, as the city is located on the leeward side of the Great Dividing Range. [13]
Climate data for Gosford, New South Wales, Australia (1997–2013 normals, extremes 1954–2013) | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 44.8 (112.6) | 43.0 (109.4) | 40.1 (104.2) | 32.9 (91.2) | 28.8 (83.8) | 25.0 (77.0) | 25.5 (77.9) | 29.9 (85.8) | 36.1 (97.0) | 38.0 (100.4) | 41.8 (107.2) | 43.0 (109.4) | 44.8 (112.6) |
Mean maximum °C (°F) | 34.0 (93.2) | 32.6 (90.7) | 30.3 (86.5) | 27.2 (81.0) | 23.6 (74.5) | 21.1 (70.0) | 20.5 (68.9) | 23.4 (74.1) | 27.5 (81.5) | 30.8 (87.4) | 32.0 (89.6) | 32.8 (91.0) | 34.0 (93.2) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28.1 (82.6) | 27.4 (81.3) | 26.0 (78.8) | 23.3 (73.9) | 20.5 (68.9) | 18.3 (64.9) | 17.6 (63.7) | 19.4 (66.9) | 22.2 (72.0) | 23.9 (75.0) | 25.1 (77.2) | 26.6 (79.9) | 23.2 (73.8) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 22.7 (72.9) | 22.3 (72.1) | 20.8 (69.4) | 17.7 (63.9) | 14.6 (58.3) | 12.5 (54.5) | 11.6 (52.9) | 12.5 (54.5) | 15.3 (59.5) | 17.4 (63.3) | 19.5 (67.1) | 21.2 (70.2) | 17.3 (63.2) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.3 (63.1) | 17.2 (63.0) | 15.5 (59.9) | 12.1 (53.8) | 8.6 (47.5) | 6.7 (44.1) | 5.5 (41.9) | 5.6 (42.1) | 8.3 (46.9) | 10.8 (51.4) | 13.8 (56.8) | 15.7 (60.3) | 11.4 (52.6) |
Mean minimum °C (°F) | 13.5 (56.3) | 13.9 (57.0) | 11.9 (53.4) | 8.4 (47.1) | 4.1 (39.4) | 2.5 (36.5) | 1.7 (35.1) | 1.8 (35.2) | 4.1 (39.4) | 6.3 (43.3) | 9.7 (49.5) | 11.7 (53.1) | 1.7 (35.1) |
Record low °C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) | 9.7 (49.5) | 5.8 (42.4) | 1.5 (34.7) | 0.1 (32.2) | −1.5 (29.3) | −4.2 (24.4) | −1.1 (30.0) | −0.6 (30.9) | 1.1 (34.0) | 3.9 (39.0) | 6.0 (42.8) | −4.2 (24.4) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 107.0 (4.21) | 189.9 (7.48) | 146.6 (5.77) | 135.8 (5.35) | 121.5 (4.78) | 133.5 (5.26) | 77.7 (3.06) | 60.4 (2.38) | 63.0 (2.48) | 73.8 (2.91) | 85.0 (3.35) | 120.1 (4.73) | 1,314.3 (51.76) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 7.2 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 7.1 | 9.0 | 8.6 | 94.7 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 66.5 | 72.0 | 74.0 | 69.0 | 70.5 | 72.0 | 67.0 | 59.0 | 57.5 | 58.5 | 65.0 | 64.5 | 66.3 |
Average dew point °C (°F) | 17.4 (63.3) | 18.1 (64.6) | 16.8 (62.2) | 13.9 (57.0) | 10.9 (51.6) | 8.9 (48.0) | 7.2 (45.0) | 6.8 (44.2) | 9.1 (48.4) | 11.0 (51.8) | 14.0 (57.2) | 15.7 (60.3) | 12.5 (54.5) |
Source 1: Bureau of Meteorology- extremes 1954-2013 [14] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Bureau of Meteorology- 1997-2013 normals [15] |
Gosford proper is located in a valley with President's Hill on the city's western border, Rumbalara Reserve on its eastern border, and Brisbane Water to the city's south. Mann Street, Gosford's main street and part of the Pacific Highway, runs north-south and contains the frontage for much of the commercial district.
In the centre of Gosford is a shopping and community precinct, including Kibble Park, William Street Mall, Gosford City Library, the Imperial Shopping Centre and a full range of shops, cafes, banks and services.
A renewed period of optimism has followed demolition of several derelict buildings and several infrastructure investment projects including the full fibre optic telecommunications rollout of the National Broadband Network in 2012 in the city's CBD [16] as well as the so-called Kibbleplex project, announced in 2013 [17] that plans to house the new regional library, tertiary teaching rooms and associated organisations.
Gosford is situated along an identified business growth corridor between Erina, the West Gosford light industrial zone and Somersby. Connectivity of main roads and rail travel times between Sydney, the Central Coast and the Hunter region are key issues for corporate business relocation to the region. Aged and personal care and retail are major employers in Gosford. [18]
As an entertainment hub, Mann Street enjoys relatively good public transport links and is one of the Central Coast's most popular spots for pubs and clubs and in close proximity to cultural and sporting events.
Yacht and other boat building has been undertaken by East Coast Yachts [19] since 1964 [20] in West Gosford.
Gosford is home to:
Express Advocate: A News Corp Australia publication suburban style newspaper in the News Local Group.
Coast Community News releases both physical newspapers and digital news for the Central Coast. [23]
Radio stations available in Gosford include:
Bus services in Gosford are operated by Busways and Red Bus Services.
The Central Coast Highway cuts through Gosford's waterfront area, while its predecessor the Pacific Highway, takes on several names through the CBD itself.
Mann Street contains the main public transport links for Gosford, including Gosford railway station, with NSW TrainLink services twice an hour in the off-peak to Sydney Central and Newcastle Interchange, with more frequent services in the morning and evening peaks.
Gosford formerly had a professional team in the National Rugby League from 2000 until 2002, the Northern Eagles. The club, formed as a merger between the previously Gosford-bound North Sydney Bears and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, played its allocation of Gosford home matches at the purpose-built Central Coast Stadium. The club licence however reverted back to Manly in 2003 and the club was dissolved.
The Central Coast Mariners professional football club was formed in 2005 to participate in the A-League. The club has won two titles to date, most recently defeating Melbourne City in the 2023 A-League Men Grand Final.
Locally, Gosford is the headquarters of the Central Coast Division Rugby League, which owns the Central Coast League Club in downtown Gosford. The suburb of Gosford has one current club, the St. Edwards Bears, and one junior club, the Gosford Kariong Storm. The Storm were initially a senior club as well, formed from the merger of the Gosford Townies/Giants and the nearby Kariong Kookaburras.
The Central Coast Rugby Union features eight first grade clubs and is one of the strongest local rugby union competitions in the state.
The city also has local Australian rules and cricket clubs as well as basketball and Netball teams.
The Central Coast is a peri-urban region lying on the Pacific Ocean in northern-eastern New South Wales, Australia. The region is situated north of Sydney, which is filled with subtropical national parks, forests and also encompasses the major coastal waterways of Brisbane Water, Tuggerah Lakes and southern Lake Macquarie. The region's hinterland, which has fertile valleys, rural farmland and wineries, and also includes the Watagan Mountains. The Central Coast is known for its regional coastal towns like Terrigal, The Entrance, Ettalong Beach, Budgewoi and Bateau Bay with resorts and holiday parks, which feature many expansive beaches and lagoons with surfing and coastal tracks, as well as scenic views. Gosford is the main commercial hub and gateway.
Brisbane Water is a wave-dominated barrier estuary located in the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Brisbane Water has its origin at the confluence of the Narara and Coorumbine Creeks, to the south–east of Gosford and travels for approximately 18 kilometres (11 mi) in a southerly direction to its mouth at Broken Bay, about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the Tasman Sea, at Barrenjoey Head. A number of towns and suburbs surround the shores of Brisbane Water, including Blackwall, Booker Bay, Davistown, Empire Bay, Erina, Ettalong Beach, Gosford, Green Point, Hardys Bay, Kilcare, Kincumber, Koolewong, Phegans Bay, Point Frederick, Point Clare, Saratoga, Tascott, Wagstaffe, and Woy Woy. Contained within Brisbane Water is St Huberts Island, Rileys Island, Dunmar Island and Pelican Island; and adjoining the estuary is Brisbane Water National Park to the west and Bouddi National Park to the east. Forming part of the same tidal estuary system is a separate but connected basin, the Kincumber Broadwater, lying to the east of Davistown.
The City of Gosford was a local government area that was located in the Central Coast region in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The incorporation of Gosford dates back to 1886 when the Town of Gosford was proclaimed as the Borough of Gosford, becoming the Municipality of Gosford from 1906. In 1908, the Gosford Municipality merged into Erina Shire which covered the remaining Central Coast area outside of Gosford, but regained its independence in 1936. From 1 January 1947, local government in the Central Coast region was reorganised, creating Gosford Shire and Wyong Shire, and the final boundaries of Gosford City Council date from this period. From 1 January 1980, Gosford Shire was granted city status, becoming the City of Gosford. On 12 May 2016 the Minister for Local Government amalgamated the City of Gosford and Wyong Shire Councils. The Central Coast Council was established on the same day, covering the combined areas.
Wyong Shire was a local government area located in the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The incorporation of the Wyong area dates back to 7 March 1906 when the entire area of the Brisbane Water Police District outside of the Town of Gosford was proclaimed as the Erina Shire. From 1 January 1947, local government in the Central Coast region was reorganised, creating Gosford Shire and Wyong Shire, which comprised Erina Shire north and east of Kulnura, Central Mangrove and Lisarow.
The Main North Line is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through Strathfield to Armidale. The line is the main line between Sydney and Armidale. As of 1988, the line closed progressively north of Armidale with services gradually withdrawn till 2004, with the main route between Sydney and Brisbane now the North Coast line.
The Central Coast & Newcastle Line (CCN) is a NSW TrainLink passenger train service that runs along the Main North railway line in New South Wales, connecting the state's two largest cities, Sydney and Newcastle. The service runs from Central through to Broadmeadow on the Main North railway line to Newcastle Interchange on the Newcastle railway line, and services the Hawkesbury River region, the Central Coast and the city of Newcastle.
Woy Woy railway station is located on the Main Northern line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the southern Central Coast town of Woy Woy opening on 1 February 1889.
Woy Woy is a coastal town in the Central Coast region of the New South Wales state of Australia. The town is located on the southern reaches of Brisbane Water and near the mouth of Brisbane Water at the Pacific Ocean, it is a popular holiday destination. Woy Woy is located 84 km (52 mi) north of the state capital Sydney. It is a population centre within the Central Coast Council local government area.
Umina Beach is a suburb within the Central Coast Council local government area on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Umina Beach is situated 85 kilometres (53 mi) north of Sydney and 111 kilometres (69 mi) south of Newcastle.
Gosford railway station is located on the Main Northern line in New South Wales, Australia. It serves the Central Coast city of Gosford, opening on 15 August 1887.
Gosford is an electoral district of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in Australia. The electorate covers the southern and western parts of the Central Coast Council in the Central Coast region, including central Gosford and Woy Woy.
The AFL Hunter Central Coast is an Australian rules football competition in the Newcastle, Hunter Region and Central Coast regions of New South Wales.
Kariong is a locality of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia west of Gosford along the Central Coast Highway. It is part of the Central Coast Council local government area.
Patonga is a small beach side fishing and holiday village which is part of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, located on the edge of Brisk Bay and near the mouth of the Hawkesbury River. It is part of the Central Coast Council local government area. Patonga is the southern most village of the Central Coast.
The Central Coast Division of Country Rugby League is a rugby league competition based on the Central Coast of New South Wales between Sydney and Newcastle. The competition was founded in 1947 as a junior competition for the Newcastle club, Lakes United. The competition rapidly expanded and grew, so much so that in 1967, it was upgraded to full membership of the Country Rugby League as Group 12. In 1981, it was upgraded and renamed Central Coast Division. The division covers the entire region of the Central Coast from Woy Woy and Umina in the south up to Budgewoi and Gwandalan in the north.
The Shire of Erina was a local government area covering the majority of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The shire was proclaimed on 7 March 1906 as a result of the passing of the Local Government (Shires) Act 1905 and covered most of the Central Coast region with the exception of the Town of Gosford, which had been incorporated in 1886.
The Woy Woy railway tunnel is a heritage-listed railway tunnel located between Wondabyne and Woy Woy stations on the Main Northern railway line in New South Wales, Australia. The dual-track 1.69-kilometre tunnel was opened on 16 January 1888. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 28 June 2013.
The Central Coast Council is a local government area in the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. It is adjacent to the Pacific Highway, Central Coast Highway, the Northern railway line and the Pacific Ocean. The council was formed on 12 May 2016 following the merger of the Gosford City and Wyong Shire Councils.
The Shire of Woy Woy was a local government area on the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, centred on the town of Woy Woy. The shire was proclaimed on 1 August 1928 as a result of the proclamation of the separation of the D Riding of Erina Shire and had its council seat at Woy Woy, but covered the majority of the Woy Woy peninsula including Woy Woy Bay, Umina, Blackwall, Kariong, Pearl Beach, and Patonga. Woy Woy Shire was abolished on 1 January 1947 with the reorganisation of local government in the Central Coast region following the end of the Second World War, with the council area amalgamated into Gosford Shire.