Central Coast (New South Wales)

Central Coast Gosford, New South Wales
View of Umina Beach from Mount Ettalong
Central Coast
Coordinates	33°17′57″S 151°11′32″E / 33.29917°S 151.19222°E / -33.29917; 151.19222Coordinates: 33°17′57″S 151°11′32″E / 33.29917°S 151.19222°E / -33.29917; 151.19222
Population	325,082 (2015) (9th)
• Density	570.6/km2 (1,478/sq mi)
Established	2005
Postcode(s)	2250, 2251, 2253, 2256, 2257, 2258, 2259, 2260, 2261, 2262, 2263, 2775
Area	566.2 km2 (218.6 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10)
• Summer (DST)	AEDT (UTC+11)
Location	77 km (48 mi) N of Sydney 76 km (47 mi) SW of Newcastle
LGA(s)	Central Coast Council, New South Wales Wyong Shire (before 12 May 2016) City of Gosford (before 12 May 2016)
State electorate(s)	Gosford Lake Macquarie Wyong Terrigal The Entrance
Federal Division(s)	Dobell Robertson Shortland
Localities around Central Coast: Upper Hunter Hunter Tasman Sea Greater Blue Mountains Area Central Coast Tasman Sea Hills District Forest District Northern Beaches

The Central Coast is a peri-urban region in the Australian state of New South Wales, located on the Tasman Sea coast north of Sydney and south of Lake Macquarie.

The Central Coast has an estimated population of 325,082 as of June 2015, growing at 1% pa. making it the third largest urban area in New South Wales and the ninth largest urban area in Australia. Geographically, the Central Coast is generally considered to include the region bounded by the Hawkesbury River in the south, the Watagan Mountains in the west and the southern end of Lake Macquarie in the north.

Politically, it is administered by the Central Coast Council as of 12 May 2016. In September 2006, the New South Wales government released a revised long term plan for the region that sees the Central Coast classified as a regional city, along with Wollongong and the Hunter Region. Subsequently, a new junior ministerial post was created in State Parliament, this was downgraded to a joint parliamentary secretary position in March 2015. As of April 2015, the parliamentary secretary for the Hunter and Central Coast is Scot MacDonald. In November 2015 both Gosford and Wyong councils controversially voted to merge under allegations of bullying as part of the state government's Fit for the Future plans. Amalgamation into a single Central Coast local government area has now passed all administrative and legislative requirements.