Gosford City Council
The area of Gosford City Council is located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 80 km north of Sydney and 80 km south of Newcastle and today covers 940 square kilometres. In 2011 it had an estimated population of 167,693 people.
The traditional owners of the area were the Guringai aboriginal inhabitants, they occupied the coastal area north of Sydney Harbour, and through to the south areas of Lake Macquarie.
Gosford was first discovered by white settlers in March 1788 by Governor Arthur Phillip and referred to the area as ‘North West arm of Broken Bay’, later the named ‘Brisbane Water’ around the time of white settlement in 1823 by James Webb and Gosford in 1839.
An early industry established in the area was shell gathering for the manufacture of lime that was for mortar in building. The area was very rich in quality timber and attracted many settlers for its associated industries including shipbuilding, roofing shingles and the export as railway sleepers. Citrus orchards were often established in the rich soils after the clearing.
Access to the Gosford area was limited to boat for the early years restricting its development. It was not until 1836 that the convict built Great North Road, linking Sydney and Newcastle was completed that an alternative to water transport was available. This road was not popular due to its isolation and lack of fresh water along its course, combined with steam boats becoming a more popular mode of transport. The road still exists today and is now closed to traffic but was used by motor vehicles until the late 1930’s when Peats Ferry Road (later known as Pacific Hwy) became a more popular route.
The area now known today as East Gosford was the first centre of settlement and development was later focused into the township of Gosford as a better wharf, courthouse and hotels followed.
With the Sydney railway line being completed in 1887 the development of the region accelerated allowing the transportation of people and goods in and out of the area.
Many of the early buildings of the area were constructed with the use of the cost effective timber found in the surrounding areas even though high quality sandstone was plentiful. Many of the early buildings have been lost through time but some early stone and brick examples still survive today if you have a keen eye.
Unfortunately preserving heritage items in the Gosford area is not a priority with the local council and many of the more elegant buildings have been destroyed rather than encouraging conservation. Gosford Council was advised in 1998 by Brooks and Associates, commissioned to undertake the first Heritage Study of Gosford, to list this area as a precinct and thus far has failed to act on this important advice in any way.
For articles relating to individual locations you can either use the search feature found throughout the website or THIS LINK will start you at the original post where you can then continue through to newer articles. Alternatively you can use the “Suburbs” drop-down menu at the top of the page to visit each suburb.
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![]() | Cnr Pacific Hwy & Wyoming Rd (West) Cnr Pacific Hwy & Wyoming Rd (West) Wyoming, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Frogys / Waltons – Gosford Frogys / Waltons – Gosford 70 Mann St, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Creighton's - Mann Street Gosford Creighton’s – Mann Street Gosford Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Cnr Mann & Donnison St - Gosford Cnr Mann & Donnison St - Gosford 99 Mann St, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Gosford waterfront (Northern end) - Gosford Gosford waterfront (Northern end) - Gosford Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Mann St Gosford looking south of Etna St Mann St Gosford looking south of Etna St Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Cnr Pacific Hwy Manns Rd Roundabout - Wyoming Cnr Pacific Hwy Manns Rd Roundabout - Wyoming Wyoming, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Cnr Watt & Beane St - Gosford Cnr Watt & Beane St - Gosford Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Cnr Watt & Faunce St – Gosford Cnr Watt & Faunce St – Gosford Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Mann St, Gosford - Zone3 Laser Tag Mann St, Gosford - Zone3 Laser Tag Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Hills St Professional Centre - Gosford Hills St Professional Centre - Gosford Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Avoca Beach Theatre Storm Damage Avoca Beach Theatre Storm Damage Avoca Beach, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Pear Beach / Lion Island Pear Beach / Lion Island Pearl Beach, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Gosford School of Arts Gosford School of Arts Mann St, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Imperial Shopping Centre - South / Kibble Park Myer / Imperial Shopping Centre - South / Kibble Park Gosford, NSW, Australia |
![]() | Sterlands Gosford - Cnr Mann & Erina St Sterlands Gosford - Cnr Mann & Erina St 163 Mann St, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | NSW - Blackwall - 393 Orange Grove Road NSW - Blackwall - 393 Orange Grove Road 393 Orange Grove Road, Blackwall, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | NSW - Mangrove Creek - Fairview Homestead NSW – Mangrove Creek – Fairview Homestead NSW - Mangrove Creek - Fairview Homestead |
![]() | Brisbane Water County Council (BWCC) - Gosford Brisbane Water County Council (BWCC) - Gosford 60 Mann St, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Gosford library Gosford Library Gosford Library, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Kibble Park – Gosford Kibble Park - Gosford Kibble Park, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Old Gosford Primary School |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park – Gosford Cenotaph Gosford War Memorial Park – Gosford Cenotaph Gosford War Memorial Park |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park – Boer War Memorial Gosford War Memorial Park – Boer War Memorial Gosford War Memorial Park |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park – Sister Sumner Memorial Gosford War Memorial Park – Sister Sumner Memorial Gosford War Memorial Park |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park – Harry Newhouse and Gallipoli Vetrans Gosford War Memorial Park – Harry Newhouse and Gallipoli Vetrans Gosford War Memorial Park |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park – A Century of Service Plaque Gosford War Memorial Park – A Century of Service Plaque |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park – National Servicemen’s Memorial Gosford War Memorial Park – National Servicemen’s Memorial |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park – War Widows Memorial Gosford War Memorial Park – War Widows Memorial |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park – Lone Pine Gosford War Memorial Park – Lone Pine |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park – HMA Ships South East Asia dedication plaque Gosford War Memorial Park – HMA Ships South East Asia dedication plaque |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park – British Commonwealth Occupation Force Gosford War Memorial Park – British Commonwealth Occupation Force |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park – World War 2 25 Pounder Cannon Gosford War Memorial Park – World War 2 25 Pounder Cannon |
![]() | Gosford War Memorial Park - Mann St Gosford War Memorial Park - Mann St Gosford War Memorial Park - Mann St |
![]() | Corduroy Road buried below Punt Straight Erina, New South Wales, Australia |
![]() | Wondabyne cutting brick arch culvert - Mullet Creek Wondabyne cutting brick arch culvert – Mullet Creek |
The old convict road (or Oldest Great North Road) from Ten Mile Hollow north because disused when the McDonald Line came into use. Part of the McDonald Line route would form one of the land routes to Brisabane Water and part of it would form part of the route to Wyong. By the 1920s, the way north was along Mogo Creek via St. Albums. Most of this information is from this website. http://www.convicttrail.org/history.php
One day, I would love to know what truly happened by ways of traveling. So much is still, unknown.