Gosford - A Brief History:
First inhabitants of Brisbane Water - Guringai (Ku-ring-gai) people.
1788 - Governor Arthur Phillip led a small party of officers and marines
on an exploratory voyage along the coast to the North of Sydney Harbour.
1820's - European settlement of the Gosford district began.
1821 - 1831 - The Pioneering era
1832 - 1843 - The Developing era
1848 - 1913 - Over 8 shipbuilding locations were active including
Blackwall, Cockle Creek, Broadwater and Webbs Reef, with the Davis' efforts
accounting for an overwhelming majority. Shipbuilding continued using local
timber into the 20th Century.
1830's - 1840's - The start of the Timber-getters, lime burners and
shipbuilders.
1880 - Citrus Orchards were planted on farms where Timber-getters had
cleared the land.
1880's - Until now, the districts timber and other 'produce' went to
Sydney by water.
1887 - Railway completed and tourism in the area became popular.
1897 - the district produced 3% of the states citrus crop increasing to
21% by 1921 and 34% in 1928. Market gardens and passion- fruit were also
increasing in popularity in the district.
1925 - Construction on the Pacific Highway began, completed in 1930.
1945 - Hawkesbury River car ferries and new road bridge built
Since the 1940's the greatest development in Gosford has been the growth
of urbanisation in the eastern sector, brought about by improvements to the rail
and road systems, an upsurge in secondary industries and State planning policies
which see Gosford as part of an expanding Sydney Region.
In recent times, the expansion of metropolitan Sydney, the availability of
private and public transport and improved Road systems have combined to change
the development of Gosford from a rural community prior to World War Two, to
that a city containing some secondary and service industries related to the
tourist trade.
Noted Pioneers:
Robert Henderson of Saratoga, Thomas Humphreys of Kincumber, and the Davis
brothers, Ben, Thomas, Rock and Edward. Bensville named after Ben, formerly
known as Sunnyside.
Historical
Sites
Historical
Sites of The Central Coast:
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