Gosford, New South Wales, Australia

🇦🇺 Gosford is a waterfront city on the northern extremity of Brisbane Water in the Central Coast Council local government area in the heart of the Central Coast in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Gosford is known for boating and scenic views on the foreshore of Brisbane Water and the surrounding valleys. It is situated 77 km (48 mi) north of Sydney and 86 km (53 mi) south of Newcastle. Gosford is the main commercial hub and the gateway of the Central Coast.

Gosford, locally referred to as Gossy, is located in the northern eastern part of the Sydney Basin in the Darkinjung Country, while the Gosford City Centre is surrounded by valleys and facing towards Brisbane Water in the south, which extends towards the mouth of Brisbane Water at Ettalong Beach and connecting to Broken Bay, which is adjacent to the Pacific Ocean.

The regional city is the administrative centre and central business district of the Central Coast region and is the third largest urban area in New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle. Gosford has been earmarked as a vital CBD spine under the NSW Metropolitan Strategy after the Central Coast Council was formed in 2016 from the Gosford City and Wyong Shire council merger.

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 (near Pittwater) and Brisbane Water was a cart wheel track.

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. 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.

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 with various plans for a performing arts centre, 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. Availability of affordable car parking around Gosford railway station is an ongoing concern for rail commuters and visitors to Gosford CBD.

Demographics 59.6% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were India 4.5%, and England 2.9%. 65.2% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin at 3.7%. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 33.9% and Catholic 18.2%.

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.

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 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: • Gosford Hospital – the largest public hospital on the NSW Central Coast • Laycock Street Community Theatre – the only professional, proscenium arch theatre venue on the Central Coast. Home of Gosford Musical Society who in fact provided financial support in the construction of the theater. • The Central Coast Conservatorium (in the original Gosford Courthouse) • Central Coast Stadium in Grahame Park, adjacent to the Central Coast Leagues Club. Originally built for the Central Coast Bears team in the NRL rugby league competition (to this day, the seats are arranged to say 'Go Bears'), since 2005 it is the home of the successful Central Coast Mariners A-League soccer / association football team and was the home venue of the Central Coast Rays rugby union Australian Rugby Championship team. • Central Coast Leagues Club – is the largest community sporting and social club in the region • The Entertainment Grounds, formerly known as Gosford Racecourse • Gosford Showground, home to greyhound racing organised by Gosford Greyhounds. • The headquarters of the Government of New South Wales workplace health and safety regulator, SafeWork NSW • Gavenlock Oval – Home ground of the Gosford City Dragons, a football club associated with Central Coast Football. • Gosford Regional Gallery and Gosford/Edogawa Commemorative Garden – The Commemorative Garden is a Japanese garden that was built as a gift to residents of Gosford City Council by the Ward of Edogawa, Tokyo, Japan. They were opened in September 1994.

Media: Print Express Advocate: A News Corp Australia publication suburban style newspaper in the News Local Group

Gosford Community News has been published fortnightly by Ducks Crossing Publications since 2010.

Media: Radio Radio stations available in Gosford include: • Triple M Central Coast • Hit101.3 Central Coast • ABC Central Coast • CoastFM 96.3 • Star 104.5 • EVT FM – Chinese radio network.

Transport 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 to Sydney Central and Newcastle Interchange.

Education • Gosford Public School and Henry Kendall High School in Faunce Street • Gosford High School – the only academically selective high school on the Central Coast • St Philip's Christian College Gosford • St Joseph's Catholic College, East Gosford is an all girls Catholic school • St Edward's College, East Gosford – is an all boys Catholic school • TAFE NSW • University of Newcastle Central Coast Clinical School.

Sport 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 soccer team was formed in 2005 to participate in the A-League. The club has won two titles to date.

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 AFL and cricket clubs as well as basketball and Netball teams.