The Central Coast

The beautiful beaches on the Central Coast near Gosford

The Central Coast catchment covers approximately 1800 square kilometres and comprises the subcatchments of Brisbane Water and Gosford lagoons, Tuggerah Lakes, and Lake Macquarie. Smaller coastal streams also flow directly to the Pacific Ocean.

Long before European settlement, the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie regions were home to various Aboriginal tribes, clans and family groups, including the Darkinjung, and Awabakal.

Today approximately 500 000 residents live in the region, concentrated along the coastline and estuaries in the major urban centres of Gosford, Wyong and Lake Macquarie. There are also large influxes of people throughout holiday periods.

Approximately 58% of the region is vegetated, including state forests and national parks. Residential land use currently occupies 10% and rural land use 20%, with the remainder comprising industrial, commercial and protected areas.

The Central Coast is also home to 76 threatened animal species, including the endangered loggerhead turtle, swift parrot, stuttering barred frog and regent honeyeater; 31 threatened plant species; and 12 endangered ecological communities (EEC), many of which occur in riparian areas.

The main economic activities include mining, power generation, light industries, agriculture, service industries, tourism and administration. Horticulture, forestry, farming and rural residential development are the major land uses in the west of the catchment.