Location

The Central Coast Council area is located on the coast of New South Wales, between 60 and 90 kilometres north of the Sydney CBD, and about 80 kilometres south of the Newcastle CBD. The Central Coast Council area is bounded by Cessnock City, Lake Macquarie City and Lake Macquarie in the north, the Tasman Sea in the east, the Hawkesbury River and Hornsby Shire in the south, and Hawkesbury City in the west.

Included Areas

The Central Coast Council area includes the suburbs and localities of Alison, Avoca Beach, Bar Point, Bateau Bay, Bensville, Berkeley Vale, Blackwall, Blue Bay, Blue Haven, Booker Bay, Bouddi, Box Head, Budgewoi, Budgewoi Peninsula, Buff Point, Bushells Ridge, Calga, Canton Beach, Cedar Brush Creek, Central Mangrove, Chain Valley Bay, Charmhaven, Cheero Point, Chittaway Bay, Chittaway Point, Cogra Bay, Colongra, Copacabana, Crangan Bay (part), Daleys Point, Davistown, Dooralong, Doyalson, Doyalson North, Durren Durren, East Gosford, Empire Bay, Erina, Erina Heights, Ettalong Beach, Forresters Beach, Fountaindale, Frazer Park, Freemans, Glenning Valley, Glenworth Valley, Gorokan, Gosford, Green Point, Greengrove, Gunderman, Gwandalan, Halekulani, Halloran, Hamlyn Terrace, Hardys Bay, Holgate, Horsfield Bay, Jilliby, Kangy Angy, Kanwal, Kariong, Kiar, Killarney Vale, Killcare, Killcare Heights, Kincumber, Kincumber South, Kingfisher Shores, Koolewong, Kulnura, Lake Haven, Lake Munmorah, Lemon Tree, Lisarow, Little Jilliby, Little Wobby, Long Jetty, Lower Mangrove, MacMasters Beach, Magenta, Mangrove Creek, Mangrove Mountain, Mannering Park, Mardi, Marlow, Matcham, Moonee (part), Mooney Mooney, Mooney Mooney Creek, Mount Elliot, Mount White, Narara, Niagara Park, Norah Head, Noraville, North Avoca, North Gosford, Ourimbah, Palm Grove, Palmdale, Patonga, Pearl Beach, Peats Ridge, Phegans Bay, Picketts Valley, Point Clare, Point Frederick, Point Wolstoncroft, Pretty Beach, Ravensdale, Rocky Point, San Remo, Saratoga, Shelly Beach, Somersby, Spencer, Springfield, St Huberts Island, Summerland Point, Tacoma, Tacoma South, Tascott, Ten Mile Hollow (part), Terrigal, The Entrance, The Entrance North, Toowoon Bay, Toukley, Tuggerah, Tuggerawong, Tumbi Umbi, Umina Beach, Upper Mangrove, Wadalba, Wagstaffe, Wallarah, Wamberal, Warnervale, Watanobbi, Wendoree Park, West Gosford, Wisemans Ferry (part), Wondabyne, Woongarrah, Woy Woy, Woy Woy Bay, Wybung, Wyoming, Wyong, Wyong Creek, Wyongah, Yarramalong and Yattalunga.

Land Use

The Central Coast Council area is a rural and residential area, with some commercial and industrial land use. Rural land is used mainly for farming, timber-getting and coal mining for electricity generation. The Central Coast Council area encompasses a total land area of about 1,680 square kilometres, including more than 80 kilometres of coastline. More than half of the Council area is national parks, state forest, bushland, open space, nature reserves and aquatic environments (beaches and waterways). The population is dispersed across a variety of urban settings, including towns, villages and neighbourhoods. The largest centres are Gosford, Tuggerah-Wyong, Erina, Woy Woy and The Entrance.

Indigenous Meaning

The original inhabitants of the Central Coast Council area were the Darkinjung, Guringai and Awabakal Aboriginal people.

Settlement

European settlement dates from the 1820s, with development mainly along the coast, particularly around the waterways. Land was used mainly for farming and timber-getting. Ship building industries were also important. Growth was minimal until the 1860s, aided by the establishment of several shipyards and citrus orchards. Growth took place in the 1880s and 1890s, spurred by the opening of the railway line and the expansion of tourism. Growth continued in the early 1900s, with subdivision of land along the waterways and beaches for holiday villages and resorts. Significant development occurred in the post-war years, aided by improvements in access and the expansion of metropolitan Sydney. Agriculture and horticulture began to decline in importance as Gosford and Wyong developed as commuter, holiday and retirement centres. Rapid population growth took place between the 1960s and the 1980s. The population continued to increase from the 1990s, although at a slower rate.

Major Features

Major features of the Council area include Brisbane Water National Park, Bouddi National Park, Dharug National Park, Popran National Park, Wyrrabalong National Park, Brisbane Water, the Hawkesbury River, Jilliby State Conservation Area, Lake Macquarie State Conservation Area, Munmorah State Conservation Area, Tuggerah State Conservation Area, Australian Walkabout Wildlife Park, Australian Reptile Park, Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre, Australian Rainforest Sanctuary (Forest of Tranquility), TreeTops Adventure Park, Firescreek Fruit Winery, Central Coast Stadium, Central Coast Regional Sporting and Recreation Complex, Peninsula Recreation Precinct, Wyong Racecourse, Mount Penang Gardens Event Park and Parklands, Peninsula Leisure Centre, Budgewoi Lake, Lake Macquarie, Lake Munmorah, Tuggerah Lake, numerous small lakes and lagoons, Cockle Bay Nature Reserve, Kincumba Mountain Reserve, several state forests, the Gosford CBD, the Wyong CBD, Erina Fair Shopping Centre, Westfield Tuggerah Shopping Centre, Gosford Regional Gallery and Arts Centre, The Art House, Gosford Hospital, Wyong Hospital, TAFE NSW Hunter Institute (Gosford, Ourimbah and Wyong Campuses), The University of Newcastle (Central Coast Campus), The Great North Walk, The Entrance Ocean Baths, several dams and numerous golf clubs, beaches and lookouts.

Transport

The Central Coast Council area is served by the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, the Pacific Motorway, the Central Coast Highway, the Pacific Highway, the Sydney-Newcastle railway line and Warnervale Airport.