Central Coast (New South Wales) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Central CoastNew South Wales |
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 Central Coast
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 346,596 (2021) (10th) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 206.18/km2 (534.0/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 1,681 km2 (649.0 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) | ||||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | AEDT (UTC+11) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Central Coast Council | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) |
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The Central Coast is a special region in New South Wales, Australia. It sits right on the Pacific Ocean, north of Sydney. This area is full of amazing subtropical national parks and forests. It also has big waterways like Brisbane Water, Tuggerah Lakes, and the southern part of Lake Macquarie.
Inland, you'll find green valleys, farms, and even wineries. The Watagan Mountains are also part of this beautiful area. The Central Coast is famous for its coastal towns like Terrigal, The Entrance, and Ettalong Beach. These towns have resorts, holiday parks, and many wide beaches. You can enjoy surfing, walking coastal paths, and seeing great views. Gosford is the main city and business center here.
The Central Coast includes important towns and villages such as Gosford, Wyong, Terrigal, Woy Woy, and The Entrance. It's the third-largest urban area in New South Wales. It's also the ninth-largest urban area in all of Australia. Geographically, the Central Coast stretches from the Hawkesbury River in the south. It goes to the Watagan Mountains in the west. It also includes the southern end of Lake Macquarie.
Contents
History of the Central Coast
The Central Coast has been home to Aboriginal people for thousands of years. The local Kuringgai people were among the first to meet British settlers. A famous Aboriginal man from this region was Bungaree. He was one of the first Aboriginal people to learn English. He became friends with early governors like Phillip and Macquarie. Bungaree even sailed around Australia with explorer Matthew Flinders. Governor Macquarie later called him "The King of the Broken Bay Tribes."
Other Aboriginal groups, like the Awabakal and Darkinyung people, also lived here. Sadly, diseases and conflicts with settlers greatly reduced their numbers. In 1811, Governor Lachlan Macquarie gave the first land grant in the region. It went to William Nash, a former marine.
Geography of the Central Coast
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The Central Coast is made up of many towns. These towns have grown together over the years. The main urban area is around the northern part of Brisbane Water. This includes Gosford, the biggest population center. It stretches east to the shopping area of Erina. Other important centers are Wyong, Tuggerah, and The Entrance. You can also find centers in Terrigal and Woy Woy.
On December 2, 2005, the Central Coast became an official stand-alone region. It was no longer just seen as part of Sydney or the Hunter Valley. A few years later, the NSW Government officially recognized it as part of Regional NSW.
Climate on the Central Coast
The Central Coast has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm, humid summers. The winters are mild and not too cold. Rain falls throughout the year, but it's a bit more common in autumn. Winter is usually the driest time.
Population of the Central Coast
The Australian Bureau of Statistics collects information about the population. In 2021, about 343,180 people lived in the Central Coast region. Experts think this number will grow to over 415,050 by 2035.
The average age of people living here is 43. About 4.9% of the population are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Most people were born in Australia (78.9%). Others came from the United Kingdom (4.6%) and New Zealand (1.7%).
Education on the Central Coast
The Central Coast has two campuses of the University of Newcastle. These are located at Ourimbah and Gosford Hospital. There are also three campuses of the Hunter Institute of TAFE. These are in Gosford, Wyong, and Ourimbah. The region also has many primary and secondary schools.
Culture and Entertainment
Media
Television
The Central Coast gets TV signals from both Sydney and Northern NSW. This means you can watch many different channels. There are eight main TV stations that serve the area. These include ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine, and Ten. Some stations, like NBN, even have local news shows.
Radio
You can listen to many local radio stations on the Central Coast. Some popular ones are Triple M Central Coast, Star 104.5, and Hit101.3 Central Coast. The ABC also has a local station. It broadcasts a local breakfast show. You can often pick up Sydney and Newcastle radio stations too.
The Central Coast does not have its own daily newspaper. However, there are several local weekly and monthly papers. These include Central Coast Community News and Coast Community Chronicle. These papers are popular and focus on local news.
Theatre
The Central Coast has three main theatres. The Laycock Street Theatre in North Gosford seats 392 people. It hosts plays and musicals. The largest theatre is The Art House in Wyong. It opened in 2016 and has a 500-seat main theatre. It also has a smaller studio space. This venue has helped local theatre groups grow. The Red Tree Theatre near Wyong is a newer, smaller space. It's used for shows, concerts, and events. The Peninsula Theatre in Woy Woy is another venue. It has 122 seats and good sound and lighting.
Sport
The Central Coast Mariners are a popular football (soccer) team. They play in the A-League. The Mariners have won the A-League championship multiple times, including in 2013, 2023, and 2024. They play their home games at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford. This stadium can hold over 20,000 fans.
The Wyong Roos play rugby league. They are linked to the Sydney Roosters team. The Sydney Roosters sometimes play games at Central Coast Stadium. The South Sydney Rabbitohs also play games here.
The Central Coast used to have an ice hockey team called the Central Coast Rhinos. They played at the Erina Ice Arena. Other local teams include the Central Coast Crusaders (basketball) and the Central Coast Centurions (junior rugby league).
The Central Coast has many places for sports. There are ovals, golf courses, skate parks, and swimming pools. National parks offer great walking and mountain biking trails. Water sports like sailing and water skiing are popular on the lakes.
Infrastructure
Telecommunications
The Central Coast has good phone and internet services. Mobile phone networks like Optus, Telstra, and Vodafone are available. However, some areas might have weak signals due to the landscape.
Broadband internet is widely available. Some areas now have fast fibre optic internet through the National Broadband Network (NBN). This offers very fast and stable internet speeds.
Governance
The Central Coast is managed by one local government body. This is the Central Coast Council. It looks after the area and its services. The Council was formed in 2016. This happened when the Gosford City Council and Wyong Shire Council merged. The Central Coast Council now serves about 348,930 people.
Transport
The Central Coast has a large road system. Buses and trains offer public transport options. Taxis are also available. Improving transport has been a big focus for the region for many years.
Roads
The main way to get to the Central Coast by road is the Pacific Motorway. It's also called the M1 Pacific Motorway. This freeway connects Sydney to northern New South Wales, including the Central Coast. It has three lanes in each direction in many parts.
The roads that link Kariong with Doyalson are known as the Central Coast Highway. This highway helps people travel across the region. The Central Coast Council and the NSW government maintain the roads.
Rail
Many towns on the Central Coast are on the Main Northern railway line. This train line is mainly used by people who travel to Sydney or Newcastle for work or school. Trains run more often during busy travel times. Gosford station is the biggest train station in the region. It's a stop for long-distance trains going to Sydney, Newcastle, and other cities.
The main railway stations on the Central Coast line are:
- Warnervale
- Wyong
- Tuggerah
- Ourimbah
- Lisarow
- Niagara Park
- Narara
- Gosford
- Point Clare
- Tascott
- Koolewong
- Woy Woy
- Wondabyne
Bus
Bus services on the Central Coast are run by three main companies: Busways, Red Bus Services, and Coastal Liner. These companies cover almost all areas of the region.
Busways services connect major points like Lake Haven, Tuggerah, Erina Fair, and Gosford. They cover areas from Woy Woy in the south to Budgewoi in the north. Red Bus Services mainly operate between Wyong, The Entrance, and Gosford. Coastal Liner runs limited services around Tuggerah, Wyong, and nearby areas. There's also a bus service that connects Cheero Point and Mooney Mooney to parts of Sydney.
Retail and Commercial
The Central Coast is home to Erina Fair. This is one of the largest shopping malls in the Southern Hemisphere. It has many restaurants, a cinema, fast food, and shops. Another big shopping mall is Westfield Tuggerah in the north.
There are also many smaller local shopping centers. You can find these in towns like Woy Woy, Umina Beach, Kincumber, Gosford, and Wyong.
See also
In Spanish: Central Coast (Nueva Gales del Sur) para niños
