Tascott, New South Wales facts for kids
Quick facts for kids TascottCentral Coast, New South Wales |
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| Population | 1,602 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 728/km2 (1,890/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 2250 | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation | 5 m (16 ft) | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 2.2 km2 (0.8 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Central Coast Council | ||||||||||||||
| Parish | Patonga | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Gosford | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Robertson | ||||||||||||||
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Tascott is a suburb located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It sits between the towns of Gosford and Woy Woy. Tascott is found on the western shore of Brisbane Water and is part of the Central Coast Council area.
Contents
Tascott's Early Days
Tascott was founded by Thomas Alison Scott (1777–1881) and his wife, Mary Anne Scott. The suburb's name, Tascott, comes from Thomas Scott's initials: T.A. Scott.
Growing Sugar Cane in Australia
Thomas Scott is well-known for being one of the first people to grow sugar cane in Australia. However, the story of sugar cane in Australia began even earlier. Sugar cane arrived with the First Fleet in 1788.
The very first sugar cane crop on the Australian mainland was grown by a convict named James Williams. He grew it around 1823 in Port Macquarie. Thomas Scott had lived in Antigua, where sugar cane is common. He later moved to Port Macquarie to help grow sugar cane there.
Scott produced sugar from the cane he grew. But Port Macquarie was too far south and often had frosts. This made it hard to grow sugar cane successfully for business. Commercial sugar production stopped there by 1873 because of frost damage.
Scott's Farm on Brisbane Water
In 1829, Thomas Scott and his wife Mary Anne moved to what was then called Point Clare. By 1835, Scott had a sugar cane field growing there. He tried to create a perfect sugar farm.
Scott made small amounts of sugar that were used locally. He also grew tobacco and bananas. His five-acre sugar cane field was still there in 1874. Scott lived to be 105 years old, passing away in 1881. He is buried in the cemetery at Point Frederick.
The land Scott farmed is now part of modern-day Tascott. His old home, which later became a guesthouse, was located at the western end of this land. A street called Waterview Crescent is named after this old house. In 1920, the land was divided into smaller blocks and sold.
The Tascott Railway Station
Tascott railway station opened in 1905. It was built mainly to serve the 'Waterview' guesthouse, which Mary Scott ran. The name 'Tascott' was first used for this railway station.
The station once had a very risky level crossing where cars and trains crossed paths. Robert Scott, Thomas Scott's son, was sadly killed by a train there in 1920. This crossing was the only way for cars to reach the area west of the station for many years.
The station was rebuilt in 1939. Railway engineers even called the new design a 'Tascott type' platform. Today, the station platform is still short, only long enough for two train cars.
Roads and Growth
A private road was built in the late 1920s to connect Koolewong to Tascott. But a wooden bridge on this road later broke and was not fixed. Access to both suburbs got much better when the 'waterfront road' (now Brisbane Water Drive) was built in the late 1930s.
For many years, Tascott was split into different areas. The dangerous level crossings at the station and near Thomas Street were closed to cars in the 1960s. They only had farm-style gates, no warning signals. People kept walking across the tracks until a pedestrian bridge was built at the station in 1984.
The extension of Glenrock Parade finally gave safe road access to all parts of Tascott.
Before World War II, Tascott was a small holiday spot. Until the 1960s, it was mostly a rural area. There was even a dairy farm called Tascott Dairy. During this time, Tascott did not have modern sewerage or water pipes.
In the 1960s and 1970s, many new houses were built. This led to a fast growth in Tascott's population. In 2016, the population of Tascott was 1,602 people.
Notable Residents
- Nicola McDermott: A famous high jumper who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
