Gosford


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 north of Sydney and south of Newcastle. Gosford is located in the local government area of the Central Coast Council.
Gosford, locally nicknamed 'Gossie', 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 City of Gosford Council and Wyong Shire Council in 2016, forming the current Central Coast Council administration. The population of the Gosford area was 178,427 in 2021.

History

Until white settlement, the area around Gosford was inhabited by the Guringai peoples, who were principally coastal-dwellers, 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. 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 and Brisbane Water was a cart wheel track.
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. Acheson's title derives its name from Gosford, a townland 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. Electification of the line reached Gosford on 23 January 1960.
Gosford became a town in 1885 and was declared a municipality in 1886. It was then declared a Shire in 1947, and a City on 1 January 1980.

Demographics

As of the, 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%.
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.

Geography

Climate

Gosford has a humid subtropical climate 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 on 18 January 2013, to a low of on 16 July 1970.
Average rainfall is 1314.3 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. The reason for the relatively high amount of annual rainfall compared to other places in the vicinity is the shape and orientation of the coastline which makes Gosford slightly more prone to rain from southerly winds.

Central business district

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 as well as the so-called Kibbleplex project, announced in 2013 that plans to house the new regional library, tertiary teaching rooms and associated organisations.

Economy and infrastructure

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.
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 since 1964 in West Gosford.

Facilities

Gosford is home to:
Bus services in Gosford are operated by Busways and Red Bus CDC NSW.
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 Sydney Trains services twice an hour in the off-peak to Sydney Central and Newcastle Interchange, with more frequent services in the morning and evening peaks.

Education

Television

All major digital-only television channels are available in Gosford. The networks and the channels they broadcast are listed as follows:
Of the three main commercial networks:
  • The Seven Network airs a half-hour local Seven News bulletin for the Central Coast at 6 pm each weeknight. It is broadcast from studios in Canberra with reporters based at a local newsroom in the city.
  • Nine airs NBN News, a regional hour-long program including opt-outs for the Central Coast, every night at 6 pm. It is broadcast from studios in Newcastle with reporters based at a local newsroom in the city.
  • Network 10 airs short local news updates throughout the day, broadcast from its Hobart studios.

    Radio

Radio stations that broadcast to the city are:
  • ABC Central Coast on 92.5 FM which has its studio located on Donnison St in the city.
  • ABC NewsRadio on 98.1 FM
  • Raw FM on 88.0 FM
  • Hit101.3 Central Coast on 101.3 FM
  • Triple M Central Coast on 107.7 FM
  • Star 104.5 on 104.5 FM
  • Rhema FM Central Coast on 94.9 FM
  • Coast FM on 96.3 FM
  • Radio Five-O-Plus on 93.3 FM