City of Gosford

This article is about the local government area. For the city, see Gosford. For all other uses, see Gosford (disambiguation).
City of Gosford
New South Wales

Location of the City of Gosford in New South Wales
Coordinates 33°26′S 151°13′E / 33.433°S 151.217°E / -33.433; 151.217Coordinates: 33°26′S 151°13′E / 33.433°S 151.217°E / -33.433; 151.217
Population 162,440 (2011 census)[1] (24th)
 • Density 172.81/km2 (447.6/sq mi)
Area 940 km2 (362.9 sq mi)
Time zone AEST (UTC+10)
 • Summer (DST) AEDT (UTC+11)
Mayor Lawrie McKinna (Independent)
Council seat Gosford
Region Central Coast
State electorate(s)
Federal Division(s)
Website City of Gosford
LGAs around City of Gosford:
Cessnock Wyong Tasman Sea
Hawkesbury City of Gosford Tasman Sea
Hornsby Pittwater Tasman Sea

The City of Gosford is a local government area located on the Central Coast region, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

The City of Gosford covers an area of 940 square kilometres (360 sq mi). Its administrative seat is located in Gosford, approximately 83 kilometres (52 mi) north of Sydney and approximately 90 kilometres (56 mi) south of Newcastle. The City is bounded to the east by the Tasman Sea, to the south by Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury River, to the west by the Great North Road where it encircles the Dharug National Park taking in the catchment area of the Mangrove Creek Dam, before heading south–east towards the coast, north of Forresters Beach.

As at the 2011 Census, the Gosford local government area had an estimated population of 162,440, making the area the twelfth most populous local government area in New South Wales, and the twenty–fourth most populous local government area in Australia. Census data shows that the area has a high proportion of elderly residents than the national median; reflecting the colloquial term for the area as God's Waiting Room.[2]

The Mayor of the City of Gosford is Cr. Lawrie McKinna, a conservative independent politician.[3]


Suburbs and localities

The local government area includes a moderately densely populated coastal strip that extends northward from the Hawkesbury River, and an extensive sparsely-populated region to the west that is largely native bush. The towns and villages located within the City of Gosford are:

Demographics

At the 2011 Census, there were 162,440 people in Gosford local government area, of these 48.2% were male and 51.8% were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 2.2% of the population. The median age of people in the City of Gosford was 42 years; significantly higher than the national median of 37 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 18.7% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 19.2% of the population, compared to 14.0% being the national median of people aged over 65 years. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 48.6% were married and 13.8% were either divorced or separated.[1]

Population growth in the City of Gosford between the 2001 Census and the 2006 Census was 2.67%; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 Census, population growth was 2.71%. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78% and 8.32% respectively, population growth in the Gosford local government area was nearly one third below the national average.[4] The median weekly income for residents within the City of Gosford was approximately 10% lower than the national average.[1][5]

At the 2011 Census, the proportion of residents in the Gosford local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon exceeded 78% of all residents. In excess of 60% of all residents in the City of Gosford nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 Census, which was significantly higher than the national average of 50.2%. Meanwhile, as at the Census date, compared to the national average, households in the Gosford local government area had a lower than average proportion (7.5%) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4%); and a higher proportion (89.9%) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8%).[1]

Selected historical census data for the City of Gosford local government area
Census year 1991
1996
2001[4]2006[5]2011[1]
Population Estimated residents on Census night 128,781 144,840 154,045 158,157 162,440
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 9th 12th
% of New South Wales population 2.25% Increase 2.40% Increase 2.42% 2.35%
% of Australian population 0.76% Increase 0.81% Increase 0.82% Decrease 0.80% Decrease 0.76%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses 		English 31.5%
Australian 30.4%
Irish 9.2%
Scottish 7.5%
German 2.3%
Language,
top responses
(other than English) 		Spanish 0.2% Increase 0.3% Increase 0.4%
Italian 0.4% Decrease 0.3% Increase 0.4%
German 0.3% Steady 0.3% Increase 0.4%
Cantonese 0.2% Steady 0.2% Increase 0.3%
Mandarin n/c n/c Increase 0.3%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses 		Anglican 31.2% Decrease 28.5% Decrease 26.7%
Catholic 26.3% Decrease 25.6% Steady 25.6%
No Religion 12.3% Increase 15.4% Increase 19.8%
Uniting Church 6.0% Decrease 5.2% Decrease 4.4%
Presbyterian and Reformed 4.1% Decrease 3.5% Decrease 3.2%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$438 A$534
% of Australian median income 94.0% 92.5%
Family income Median weekly family income A$944 A$1,395
% of Australian median income 91.9% 94.2%
Household income Median weekly household income A$1,147 A$1,089
% of Australian median income 98.0% 88.2%

Council

Current composition and election method

Gosford City Council is composed of ten Councillors elected proportionally as one entire ward. All Councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The most recent popular election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the Council is as follows:[6]The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are elected annually by the Councillors at a special meeting of the Council in September.

PartyCouncillors
  Liberal Party of Australia 4
  Independent 3
  Australian Labor Party 2
  The Greens 1
Total 10

The current Council, elected in 2012, in order of election, is:[6]

CouncillorPartyNotes
  Jeff Strickson Liberal
  Jim Macfadyen Labor Deputy Mayor[3]
  Lawrie McKinna Independent Mayor[3]
  Hillary Morris Greens
  Bob Ward Liberal
  Vicki Scott Labor
  Gabby Bowles Independent Elected on McKinna's ticket.
  Chris Burke Liberal
  Craig Doyle Independent
  Deanna Bocking Liberal

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Gosford (C)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  2. ↑ Mode, Dorian (2012). "Coastal Climbing: Central Coast". Australian Traveller. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 "Former Mariners coach scores mayoral post". ABC News (Australia). 25 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  4. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Gosford (C)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  5. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Gosford (C)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Gosford City Council – Summary of First Preference and Group Votes for each Candidate". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2012.

External links

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