A Brief Timeline of the Central Coast

Before 1788 - What later became known as the Central Coast was the home of the coastal Guringai people and the Darkingung people. The Guringai occupied an area which extended from the northern side of Sydney Harbour, then along the coast to the lower reaches of Lake Macquarie. The Darkingung people also occupied a vast area, reaching west of Mangrove Creek to Rylstone, north to Cessnock and the Wollombi areas.

1788 - Governor Arthur Phillip and a small party made a brief excursion into Broken Bay and a tributary called the "north-east arm". Phillip engaged in further exploration in 1789. In time this tributary came to be called "Brisbane Water".

1796 - Tuggerah Lakes are first discovered by a fishing boat crew who were cast ashore during poor weather.

1823 - A soldier named James Webb received permission to occupy 300 acres in Brisbane Water for the purpose of running cattle. He later received a land grant of 100acres on the western side of the Rip Bridge. He is reputed to be the first white settler of Brisbane Water and its first shipbuilder, an industry which persisted until the mid 1950's.

1825 - William Cape and his two sons are granted land at Wyong, beginning white settlement of the area. Timber getters start exploiting the Yarramalong and Dooralong Valleys.

1826 - John Gray settles at Terrigal.

1827 - The original Gosford watch-house was built in Donnison Street.

1828 - Henry Holden receives the first land grant of 640 acres in the Entrance area.

1833 - Gosford Courthouse added to the watch-house.

1835 - Jonathon Warner opens the first Brisbane Water Post Office.

1839 - Governor Gipps names the town of Gosford, purportedly after Archibald Acheson, the second Earl of Gosford.

1842 - The oldest church in the district, Holy Cross Catholic Church is built at Kincumber. St Pauls Church of England was completed not long after. Both churches contain the graves of prominent early citizens.

1865 - Gosford Public School is established in a church building. Later, in 1877, a purpose built sandstone school opens.

1882 - Gosford Post and Telegraph office opens in Mann Street.

1883 - A school is established at Wyong Creek.

1885 - Gosford officially becomes a town. The Gosford Times newspaper is published for the first time. The Entrance begins its fledgling tourism industry with Dunleith Guest House, opened by Mr and Mrs Walter Deniss.

1887 - Gosford railway station opens. John Bennett Whiteway is elected the first mayor of Gosford Borough Council.

1889 - The first of two railway bridges to cross the Hawkesbury River is completed, linking the region to Sydney.

1898 - The paddle steamer Maitland is wrecked at Cape Three Points during a gale. The vessel lost power and collided with a rock shelf with the loss of 26 souls.

1900 - Bayview Guest house opens at the Entrance with 42 rooms.

1903 - Norah head Lighthouse is constructed to reduce the number of ship wrecks in the area. Several ships had come to ground in the area surrounding the lighthouse such as the Gwdir in 1894.

1907 - Erina Shire Council is formed, covering from the Hawkesbury to Catherine Hill Bay.

1913 - Gosford Racecourse holds it first meeting.

1920 - 200 allotments are sold at public auction at The Entrance and holiday cottages pring up seemingly overnight.The Entrance is described as a "Tent City" during peak holiday times.

1924 - The first foundation tone for the Wyong Courthouse is laid by Thomas John Lay, the then Minister for Justice.

1929 - Gosford High School, the first in the Gosford district opens.

1930 - The Pacific Highway reaches Gosford, reducing travelling time markedly when compared to the old route via Wisemans Ferry and Mangrove Mountain.

1934 - The Entrance to The Entrance North is joined by a single lane wooden bridge, which persisted untill 1969 when it was replaced by the current bridge.

1938 - Town water is delivered to Gosford for the first time, directly from Mooney Dam.

1939 - Gosford District gets its first fire station.

1945 - Gosford Hospital is opened by the then Minister for Health C. A. Kelly. The road bridge is opened over the Hawkesbury River at Mooney Mooney, replacing the car ferries.

1947 - The Shires of Gosford and Wyong are constituted. Woy Woy Shire, Erina Shire and Gosford Municipality were dissolved.

1958 - Eric Worrell opens the Australian Reptile Park. The park produces venoms from various snakes and spiders for the Commonwealth Serum laboratories in Melbourne and continues to be a major attraction for the tourism industry on the coast.

1960 - Electrification of the railway between Sydney and Gosford is completed.

1965 - The Hawkesbury to Calga section of the Sydney-Newcastle freeway is completed.

1971 - 2GO goes to air for the first time, becoming the first radio station on the Central Coast.

1974 - Powerfull storms hit the Central Coast, causing widespread damage and causing the deaths of several people. The Rip bridge is opened.

1975 - Old Sydney Town is opened on Australia Day. Unfortunately it was closed in 2003.

1980 - Gosford is proclaimed a city.

1987 - Erina Fair is opened.

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