View source for City of Gosford

{{Short description|Former local government area in New South Wales, Australia}}
{{about|the former [[Local government in Australia|local government area]]|the city|Gosford|all other uses|Gosford (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox Australian place | type = lga
| name     = City of Gosford
| state    = nsw
| image    = Gosford LGA NSW.png
| caption  = Location in [[New South Wales]]
| pop      = 162,440
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2011}}
| pop_footnotes =<ref name="Census2011">{{Census 2011 AUS|id=LGA13100 |name=Gosford (C) |accessdate=27 December 2012 |quick=on}}</ref>
| poprank  = 24th
| density  = 172.81
| area     = 940
| coordinates = {{coord|33|26|S|151|13|E|display=inline,title|region:AU_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki}}
| local_map = 
| zoom     = 
| est      = 11 November 1886 (Borough)<br/>24 October 1936 (Municipality)<br/>1 January 1947 (Shire)<br/>1 January 1980 (City)
| abolished = {{end date|2016|05|12|df=y}}
| timezone = [[Australian Eastern Standard Time|AEST]]
| utc      = +10
| timezone-dst= [[Australian Eastern Daylight Time|AEDT]]
| utc-dst  = +11
| seat     = [[Gosford Administration Building]] (1976–2016)
| mayor    = [[Lawrie McKinna]]
| region   = [[Central Coast (New South Wales)|Central Coast]]
| logo = Gosford City Council Logo 1990s-2016.png
| url      = https://web.archive.org/web/20160229210521/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/
| stategov = [[Electoral district of Gosford|Gosford]]
| stategov2= [[Electoral district of Terrigal|Terrigal]]
| stategov3= [[Electoral district of The Entrance|The Entrance]]
| fedgov   = [[Division of Robertson|Robertson]]
| fedgov2  = [[Division of Dobell|Dobell]]
| near-nw  = [[City of Cessnock|Cessnock]]
| near-n   = [[Wyong Shire|Wyong]]
| near-ne  = ''[[Tasman Sea]]''
| near-e   = ''[[Tasman Sea]]''
| near-w   = [[City of Hawkesbury|Hawkesbury]]
| near-sw  = [[Hornsby Shire|Hornsby]]
| near-s   = [[Pittwater Council|Pittwater]]
| near-se  = ''[[Tasman Sea]]''
}}
The '''City of Gosford''' was a [[Local government in Australia|local government area]] that was located in the [[Central Coast (New South Wales)|Central Coast]] region in the state of [[New South Wales]], Australia. The incorporation of Gosford dates back to 1886 when the Town of Gosford was proclaimed as the ''Borough of Gosford'', becoming the ''Municipality of Gosford'' from 1906. In 1908, the Gosford Municipality merged into [[Erina Shire]] which covered the remaining Central Coast area outside of Gosford, but regained its independence in 1936. From 1 January 1947, local government in the Central Coast region was reorganised, creating ''Gosford Shire'' and [[Wyong Shire]], and the final boundaries of Gosford City Council date from this period. From 1 January 1980, Gosford Shire was granted city status, becoming the City of Gosford. On 12 May 2016 the [[Minister for Local Government (New South Wales)|Minister for Local Government]] amalgamated the City of Gosford and [[Wyong Shire]] Councils to form the new [[Central Coast Council (New South Wales)|Central Coast Council]].<ref name=ccc>{{cite web |url=https://www.strongercouncils.nsw.gov.au/new-councils/central-coast-council/ |title=Central Coast Council |work=Stronger Councils |publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]] |date=12 May 2016 |access-date=20 May 2016 |archive-date=8 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180608042443/https://www.strongercouncils.nsw.gov.au/new-councils/central-coast-council/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Until its merger with the Wyong Shire in 2016, The City of Gosford covered an area of {{convert|940|km2}}. Its administrative seat was located in [[Gosford]], approximately {{convert|77|km}} north of Sydney and approximately {{convert|86|km}} south of [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]]. The city was 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, Australia|Great North Road]] where it encircled 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, New South Wales|Forresters Beach]].

The last mayor of the Gosford City Council was [[Councillor|Cr.]] [[Lawrie McKinna]], an [[independent (politician)|independent]] politician.<ref name=McKinna1>{{cite news |work=ABC News |location=Australia |date=25 September 2012 |title=Former Mariners coach scores mayoral post |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-25/former-mariners-coach-scores-mayoral-post/4278804 |access-date=26 September 2012}}</ref>

==Suburbs and localities==
The local government area included a moderately densely populated coastal strip that extended northward from the [[Hawkesbury River]], and an extensive sparsely-populated region to the west that was largely native bush. The towns and villages located within the City of Gosford were:

{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
* [[Avoca Beach, New South Wales|Avoca Beach]]
* [[Bar Point, New South Wales|Bar Point]]
* [[Bensville, New South Wales|Bensville]]
* [[Blackwall, New South Wales|Blackwall]]
* [[Booker Bay, New South Wales|Booker Bay]]
* [[Bouddi, New South Wales|Bouddi]]
* [[Box Head, New South Wales|Box Head]]
* [[Calga, New South Wales|Calga]]
* [[Central Mangrove, New South Wales|Central Mangrove]] (with parts located within Wyong Shire)
* [[Cheero Point, New South Wales|Cheero Point]]
* [[Cogra Bay, New South Wales|Cogra Bay]]
* [[Copacabana, New South Wales|Copacabana]]
* [[Daleys Point, New South Wales|Daleys Point]]
* [[Davistown, New South Wales|Davistown]]
* [[East Gosford, New South Wales|East Gosford]]
* [[Empire Bay, New South Wales|Empire Bay]]
* [[Erina, New South Wales|Erina]]
* [[Erina Heights, New South Wales|Erina Heights]]
* [[Ettalong Beach, New South Wales|Ettalong Beach]]
* [[Forresters Beach, New South Wales|Forresters Beach]]
* [[Glenworth Valley, New South Wales|Glenworth Valley]]
* [[Gosford, New South Wales|Gosford]]
* [[Green Point, New South Wales|Green Point]]
* [[Greengrove, New South Wales|Greengrove]]
* [[Gunderman, New South Wales|Gunderman]]
* [[Hardys Bay, New South Wales|Hardys Bay]]
* [[Holgate, New South Wales|Holgate]]
* [[Horsfield Bay, New South Wales|Horsfield Bay]]
* [[Kariong, New South Wales|Kariong]]
* [[Killcare, New South Wales|Killcare]]
* [[Killcare Heights, New South Wales|Killcare Heights]]
* [[Kincumber, New South Wales|Kincumber]]
* [[Kincumber South, New South Wales|Kincumber South]]
* [[Koolewong, New South Wales|Koolewong]]
* [[Kulnura, New South Wales|Kulnura]] (with parts located within Wyong Shire)
* [[Lisarow, New South Wales|Lisarow]]
* [[Little Wobby, New South Wales|Little Wobby]]
* [[Lower Mangrove, New South Wales|Lower Mangrove]]
* [[Macmasters Beach, New South Wales|MacMasters Beach]]
* [[Mangrove Creek, New South Wales|Mangrove Creek]]
* [[Mangrove Mountain, New South Wales|Mangrove Mountain]]
* [[Marlow, New South Wales|Marlow]]
* [[Matcham, New South Wales|Matcham]]
* [[Mooney Mooney, New South Wales|Mooney Mooney]]
* [[Mooney Mooney Creek, New South Wales|Mooney Mooney Creek]]
* [[Mount Elliot, New South Wales|Mount Elliot]]
* [[Mount White, New South Wales|Mount White]]
* [[Narara, New South Wales|Narara]]
* [[Niagara Park, New South Wales|Niagara Park]]
* [[North Avoca, New South Wales|North Avoca]]
* [[North Gosford, New South Wales|North Gosford]]
* [[Patonga, New South Wales|Patonga]]
* [[Pearl Beach, New South Wales|Pearl Beach]]
* [[Peats Ridge, New South Wales|Peats Ridge]]
* [[Phegans Bay, New South Wales|Phegans Bay]]
* [[Picketts Valley, New South Wales|Picketts Valley]]
* [[Point Clare, New South Wales|Point Clare]]
* [[Point Frederick, New South Wales|Point Frederick]]
* [[Pretty Beach, New South Wales|Pretty Beach]]
* [[St Huberts Island, New South Wales|St Huberts Island]]
* [[Saratoga, New South Wales|Saratoga]]
* [[Somersby, New South Wales|Somersby]]
* [[Spencer, New South Wales|Spencer]]
* [[Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast)|Springfield]]
* [[Tascott, New South Wales|Tascott]]
* [[Terrigal, New South Wales|Terrigal]]
* [[Umina Beach, New South Wales|Umina]]
* [[Upper Mangrove, New South Wales|Upper Mangrove]]
* [[Wagstaffe, New South Wales|Wagstaffe]]
* [[Wamberal, New South Wales|Wamberal]]
* [[Wendoree Park, New South Wales|Wendoree Park]]
* [[West Gosford, New South Wales|West Gosford]]
* [[Wisemans Ferry, New South Wales|Wisemans Ferry]]
* [[Wondabyne, New South Wales|Wondabyne]]
* [[Woy Woy, New South Wales|Woy Woy]]
* [[Woy Woy Bay, New South Wales|Woy Woy Bay]]
* [[Wyoming, New South Wales|Wyoming]]
* [[Yattalunga, New South Wales|Yattalunga]]
}}

== History ==
===Early history===
The traditional Aboriginal inhabitants of the lands now known as the [[Brisbane Water]] were the [[Guringai]] people of the [[Eora]] nation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guringai.com.au/ |title=Guringai history |work=Services |publisher=Guringai Tribal Link Aboriginal Corporation |year=2010 |access-date=1 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421193944/http://guringai.com.au/ |archive-date=21 April 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Darkingung people occupied large areas inland west towards [[Rylstone]], and north to [[Cessnock, New South Wales|Cessnock]] and [[Wollombi]].<ref name="GosfordHistory">{{cite web |title=Some Significant events in Gosford History |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/Suburbs/documents/history.html/ |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=1 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140624025651/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/Suburbs/documents/history.html/ |archive-date=24 June 2014}}</ref>

In 1811, the [[Governor of New South Wales]], [[Lachlan Macquarie]], gave the first [[land grant]] in the region to William Nash, a former marine of the [[First Fleet]]. No further grants were made in the area until 1821.<ref>Bennett, F. C., ''The Story of the Aboriginal People of the Central Coast of New South Wales'', Brisbane Water Historical Society, 1968, p. 9.</ref> In 1839 governor [[George Gipps|Sir George Gipps]] named the town of Gosford after his friend, [[Archibald Acheson, 2nd Earl of Gosford|The Earl of Gosford]].<ref name="GosfordHistory"/> In 1840, the Brisbane Water Police District was proclaimed covering the area from the Hawkesbury River to Lake Macquarie and which administered local government under the control of magistrates.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230138392 |title=POLICE DISTRICTS. |newspaper=[[New South Wales Government Gazette]] |issue=52 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=26 August 1840 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=821 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Gosford District Historical Research Association (GDHRA) |title=City of Gosford: History of Local Government |date=1981 |publisher=Gosford District Historical Research Association and Gosford Printing Pty. Ltd. |location=Gosford |page=10}}</ref> In 1843, the Brisbane Water District Council was proclaimed on the same boundaries as the Police District, and replaced the appointed magistrates with an elected council as part of an early attempt to establish local government administration throughout the colony.<ref>GDHRA, p. 12.</ref> This experiment in local government was not very successful, with much public opposition focused on the issue of increased taxation, and a lack of oversight and faulty administration led to the collapse of many of these District Councils. The Brisbane Water District Council had ceased to exist by 1855, and the NSW Parliament passed the ''Municipalities Act'' in 1858, which allowed for the creation of Municipalities and Boroughs if a petition of as few as 50 signatures was presented to the government.<ref name="WDC">{{cite web |title=Agency 3085: Windsor District Council |url=https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/agency/3085 |publisher=NSW State Archives and Records |access-date=8 March 2019}}</ref> However, no petition was ever sent from the residents of Brisbane Water to the government under this act, and local matters reverted to the police magistrates for determination.<ref name="GDHRA, p. 14">GDHRA, p. 14.</ref>[[File:SLNSW 796360 School of Arts Gosford.jpg|right|300px|thumb|upright|The School of Arts on the corner of Mann Street and Georgiana Terrace, Gosford, was the council seat of Gosford from 1886 to 1907, and Erina from 1907 to 1912. It was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1927 with only the sandstone base remaining.]]

===Gosford Borough===
Under the succeeding ''Municipalities Act, 1867'', which allowed for residents to petition the Colonial Government for incorporation, a petition signed by 59 Gosford residents, amongst a population of approximately 1,000 at the time, was sent to the governor on 10 June 1886 requesting the establishment of the "Borough of Gosford" with two wards, East Gosford and West Gosford.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221686016 |title=GOSFORD.—PETITION FOR A MUNICIPALITY. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=321 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=10 June 1886 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=3989 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The petition was subsequently accepted and on 11 November 1886, the "Borough of Gosford" was proclaimed by the governor [[Charles Wynn-Carington, 1st Marquess of Lincolnshire|Lord Carrington]], with an area of 1,840 acres in and around the Town of Gosford.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223782683 |title=Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=639 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=11 November 1886 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=7801 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The first election for the six aldermen and two auditors was held at Gosford Courthouse on 1 February 1887, and the first mayor, John Bennett Whiteway, was elected at the first council meeting on 20 February 1887.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223782511 |title=Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=743 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=29 December 1886 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=8815 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224183094 |title=BOROUGH OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=153 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=15 March 1887 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=1907 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name=whiteway>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224183093 |title=BOROUGH OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=153 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=15 March 1887 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=1907 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> From 1888, the borough council meetings were held in the Gosford School of Arts building at 38 Mann Street.<ref>GDHRA, p. 16.</ref>

===Erina Shire===
The remaining area of the Brisbane Water Police District outside of Gosford continued to be administered by the police magistrates until 1906.<ref name="GDHRA, p. 14"/> From 7 March 1906, this area became the [[Erina Shire]], when it was proclaimed by the NSW Government Gazette along with 132 other new Shires as a result of the passing of the ''[[Local Government (Shires) Act 1905]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226474400 |title=PROCLAMATION |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=121 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 March 1906 |access-date=16 May 2018 |page=1593 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> On 16 May 1906, the Shire was divided in to three Ridings (A, B, C) and five temporary councillors were appointed (John Bourke of Kincumber, John Martin Moroney of Woy Woy, Harold Stanley Robinson of Penang, Manasseh Ward of Gosford, and Alexander Wilkinson of Wyong).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article229308308 |title=NOTIFICATION |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=161 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=16 May 1906 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=2927 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article229308305 |title=PROCLAMATION |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=161 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=16 May 1906 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=2981 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The Temporary Council first met at Gosford Courthouse on 13 June 1906 and Manasseh Ward was elected as the chairman.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136219058 |title=ERINA SHIRE COUNCIL. |newspaper=[[The Newcastle Herald|Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate]] |issue=9861 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=18 June 1906 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The first election was held on 24 November 1906 and the first meeting of the elected nine-member council was held at the Gosford Courthouse on 5 December 1906, with councillor Ward elected to continue serving as the first shire president.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161289489 |title=ERINA SHIRE ELECTIONS. |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=30 November 1906 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161290944 |title=PERMANENT COUNCIL |newspaper=[[The Gosford Times and Wyong District Advocate]]|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 December 1906 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> 
[[File:SLNSW 796359 Council Chambers Gosford.jpg|right|300px|thumb|upright|Erina Shire Chambers in Gosford, built 1912.]]
With the coming into effect of the ''Local Government Act, 1906'', the Borough of Gosford became the Municipality of Gosford, as well as the power of Councils to petition the government to dissolve and merge with other Councils. In July 1907 a petition from the Municipality of Gosford was published in the Government Gazette requesting to merge with Erina Shire, the first Council to do so under the 1906 act.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226593036 |title=LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1906. |newspaper=[[Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales]] |issue=81 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=10 July 1907 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=3892 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> However, owing to objections from the Wyong Progress Association and the Erina Shire Council, a public inquiry was established by the secretary for public works, where it was heard that the Gosford Municipality was in debt and desired to merge with Erina to resolve its financial issues.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article238074038 |title=LOCAL GOVERNMENT. |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |issue=8825 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=13 September 1907 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Despite objections, the commissioner returned a recommendation for the merger and a proposal for a six-ward model was considered and accepted at a conference held on 30 September 1907.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134692439 |title=GOSFORD MUNICIPALITY. |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |issue=10,247 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 September 1907 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161289110 |title=Erina Shire Council. |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=4 October 1907 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The proposal for a six-ward Erina Shire with Gosford becoming F Riding was subsequently proclaimed and came into effect on 23 January 1908.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226586454 |title=PROPOSED RECONSTITUTION OF ERINA SHIRE AND THE MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD, BY UNITING THE TWO AREAS. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=148 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=27 November 1907 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=6439 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226588182 |title=PROCLAMATION |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=4 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=15 January 1908 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=281 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138401149 |title=NEW ERINA SHIRE. |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 January 1908 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The new Shire Council Chambers on Mann Street, Gosford, were officially opened on 4 May 1912.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102919164 |title=SHIRE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, ERINA. |newspaper=The Land |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=31 May 1912 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

In 1921, a group of ratepayers angered by what they saw as a general neglect of their local area, formed an organisation to work towards the separation of the [[Woy Woy]] Peninsula area from Erina Shire.<ref name="WoyWoy">{{cite web |last1=Gosford City Library |title=History of Woy Woy |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/Suburbs/documents/history-of-woy-woy |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=1 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140623224550/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/Suburbs/documents/history-of-woy-woy |archive-date=23 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118881581 |title=Cinderella |newspaper=Evening News |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=9 January 1922 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> On 27 April 1928 a proposal for separation was received and the [[Woy Woy Shire|Shire of Woy Woy]] was subsequently proclaimed on 1 August 1928.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219948160 |title=LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1919. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales|issue=54 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=27 April 1928 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=1863 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{Gazette NSW| title = Local Government Act 1919. Proclamation| issue = 97| page = 3532| date = 27 July 1928| url  = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219951602| access-date = 22 October 2018| via = National Library of Australia}}</ref>

===Gosford Municipality and Brisbane Water County Council===
[[File:Meeting Chamber, Gosford Council Chambers in Building magazine 24 May 1939.jpg|left|250px|thumb|upright|The meeting chamber of Gosford Council Chambers on Mann Street, completed in 1939.]]
In March 1936, three councillors of Erina Shire were dismissed from office for having held office while subject to a special disqualification, and it was also revealed that council staff had not been paid since February.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article141521469 |title=COUNCILLORS FINED. |newspaper=Dungog Chronicle: Durham And Gloucester Advertiser |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 March 1936 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237873307 |title=ERINA SHIRE EMPLOYEES NOT PAID |newspaper=The Labor Daily |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=13 March 1936 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> As the council could not meet due to lack of quorum, on 24 March 1936 the Minister for Local Government, [[Eric Spooner]], dismissed the council and appointed an administrator, B. C. Hughes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230818786 |title=ERINA SHIRE |newspaper=The Sun |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 March 1936 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=9|via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237881644 |title=ADMINISTRATOR IS LIKELY |newspaper=The Labor Daily |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=6 March 1936 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Spooner commissioned Hughes to undertake an inquiry into the administration of Erina Shire and, following a January petition from Gosford and Point Clare residents for a new Gosford municipality, also to investigate the question of the separation of Gosford from the Shire.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139240701 |title=ERINA SHIRE |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=6 June 1936 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224753252 |title=LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1919. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=21 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 January 1936 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=426 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The inquiry found in favour of a separation of Gosford, which was accepted by Spooner, and Erina Shire was divided again to re-form the Municipality of Gosford on 24 October 1936, including the areas of the former Gosford Municipality abolished in 1908 and also new areas from Narara to Woy Woy and Point Clare.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17280705 |title=GOSFORD. |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |issue=30,825 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=19 October 1936 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{Gazette NSW| title = Local Government Act 1919. Proclamation| issue = 4401| page = 166| date = 23 October 1938| url  = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223041156| access-date = 22 October 2018| via = National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>GDHRA, p. 25.</ref> A nine-member provisional council was appointed the same day, and at the first meeting on 24 October 1936 [[William Calman Grahame]] was elected as the first mayor and Charles Staples, the former mayor of Woy Woy, was elected deputy mayor.<ref name=grahamestaples1>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17285711 |title=NEW MUNICIPALITY. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=26 October 1936 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Following the first council election on 23 January 1937, Grahame and Staples were re-elected to their positions on 29 January.<ref name=grahamestaples2>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135197929 |title=ALD. W. C. GRAHAME |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=30 January 1937 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article229876350 |title=GOSFORD- ERINA QUARREL |newspaper=The Sun |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=29 March 1938 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

In March 1938, the first permanent supply of town water was delivered to Gosford, with the opening of a new water supply direct from Lower Mooney Dam on the [[Mooney Mooney Creek]].<ref name="GosfordHistory"/> On 22 April 1939, the Gosford Council Chambers on Mann Street, designed in the Inter-war Art Deco style by architects Loyal Figgis and Virgil Cizzio and built by A. E. Catterall at a cost of £5,785, was officially opened by the Minister for Local Government, Eric Spooner.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166935491 |title=New Council Chamber |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |issue=2914 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=23 March 1939 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166931907 |title=GOSFORD'S GODFATHER |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |issue=2923 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 April 1939 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167382380 |title=THE GOSFORD SHIRE COUNCIL CHAMBERS |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=27 October 1953 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=5|via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Following significant debate about the provision of electricity undertakings across the Central Coast, including over the split between Erina Shire and Gosford,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133638100 |title=MINISTER ACTS |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=17 February 1938 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> on 16 October 1942 Gosford Municipality combined with the Shires of Erina and Woy Woy to form the [[Brisbane Water County Council]] to provide electricity to the combined area of the three councils. The county council operated as an [[public utility|electricity and gas supplier and retailer]] and was managed by representatives of the three councils. The county council operated until its amalgamation with the [[Sydney County Council]] from 1 January 1980.<ref name=BWCC>{{cite web|title= AGY-3490 – Brisbane Water County Council|url=http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/agencies/3490|website=State Records Archives Investigator|publisher=NSW State Records|access-date=1 December 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140626141035/http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/agencies/3490|archive-date=26 June 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

===Gosford and Wyong===
[[File:Gosford Council Chambers in Building magazine 24 May 1939.jpg|right|300px|thumb|upright|Gosford Council Chambers on Mann Street, completed in 1939 was the council seat until 1974, when it was demolished for the present Gosford Administration Building.]]
In June 1945, Erina Shire resolved to investigate the reconstitution of local government on the Central Coast into two shires and following further discussions a formal proposal was presented to the Minister for Local Government, [[Joseph Cahill]], in October 1945.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134999900 |title=Move to Regroup Areas of Gosford Councils |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=13 June 1945 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222031971 |title=LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1919. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=113 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=26 October 1945 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=2022 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Nevertheless, the proposal proved divisive, with Gosford and the Wyong section of Erina Shire in favour and the rest of Erina Shire and Woy Woy Shire opposed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140600432 |title=Inquire Into Shire Regrouping |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=13 February 1946 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The formal government inquiry subsequently supported the proposal and in April 1946, Cahill notified the councils of his intention to proceed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17977132 |title=NEW SHIRES IN GOSFORD AREA |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=22 April 1946 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> On 1 January 1947, part of Erina Shire, all of Woy Woy Shire and the Municipality of Gosford formed '''Gosford Shire''', and the remainder of Erina Shire north and east of Kulnura, Central Mangrove and Lisarow formed [[Wyong Shire]].<ref>{{Gazette NSW| title = Local Government Act 1919. Proclamation| issue = 145| page = 2967| date = 20 December 1946| url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224795681| access-date = 22 October 2018| via = National Library of Australia}}</ref>

In August 1948, Gosford Shire established the first Library Service, with branches opening on 13 August at Woy Woy (in the old Council Chambers) and on 16 August on Mann Street next to the Council Chambers.<ref name="GosfordHistory"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167381358 |title=Gosford Library Now Five Years Old |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 August 1953 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> An expanded Gosford Branch Library was opened in 1951 by the Minister for Education, [[Bob Heffron]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18242321 |title=LIBRARY AT GOSFORD |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=3 December 1951 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> New Libraries were subsequently opened at Gosford (Donnison St, 1969), Umina (1983), Kariong (2002) and at Kincumber, Wyoming and Erina (2003).<ref>{{cite web |title=Library Branches & Service Points |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/library/branches/index_html |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=1 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140623193735/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/library/branches/index_html |archive-date=23 June 2014}}</ref>

On 23 February 1961, Gosford Shire Council resolved to suspend the shire clerk, Nigel George Howes, noting dissatisfaction with his work and that they no longer had confidence in him. However, Howes later gained an Equity Court ruling that placed a suspension on council's dismissal of him until a public inquiry could be held to investigate the Council resolution.<ref>{{cite news |title=Suspenson "Invalid". Court Action by Shire Clerk |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 February 1961 |page=8}}</ref> Awaiting the results of the inquiry, Howes returned to work in March and was suspended again on 6 June 1961, with the council then airing various allegations in the inquiry against him.<ref>{{cite news |title=Delay in Inquiry on Shire Clerk |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=2 May 1961 |page=7}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Shire Clerk of Gosford is Suspended |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=6 June 1961 |page=6}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Inquiry Told of Shire Clerk's Election Request |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=21 June 1961 |page=6}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Almost in Tears as Suspension Says Shire Clerk |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=23 September 1961 |page=10}}</ref> On 5 August 1961, the council was brought into disrepute again when Councillor Donald Norman Lamont was convicted on 11 counts (fined £450) for three breaches of the ''Local Government Act 1919'', including voting and participating in debate on several developments in which he had a significant undeclared financial interest.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gosford Council Member Fined, Disqualified |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=5 August 1961 |page=7}}</ref> As a result of these events, the Minister for Local Government, [[Pat Hills]], announced that due to the failure of council to resolve these matters and the loss of public confidence in the council, he would dismiss the council and appoint an administrator.<ref name=dane1>{{cite news |title=Administrator to take over from Council at Gosford |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 September 1961 |page=1}}</ref> Subsequently, on 20 September 1961 Hills dismissed the council and appointed the Chief Inspector of Local Government Accounts, Henry William Dane, as administrator.<ref name=dane2/> On the dismissal, Councillor Dangar laid the blame for the dysfunction at the feet of the acting shire president, Jack Roberts: "As soon as Councillor Barrett [the shire president] became ill, you made no effort to work with Mr Howes and you had him sacked within two weeks."<ref name=dane1/> The inquiry was concluded in October 1961, with Special Magistrate E. R. Harvey finding that there was "no justification" for Council's actions to suspend the shire clerk.<ref>{{cite news |title='No Justification' For Suspension Of Shire Clerk |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=10 November 1961 |pages=1}}</ref> Not long after, Dane reinstated Howes to duty as shire clerk, and the council would remain under administration until December 1965.<ref name=Howes/><ref name=dane3/>

In 1974–1976, the 1939 Gosford Council Council Chambers were demolished and replaced by the Gosford Administration Building, a [[Brutalist]] style tower with a pre-cast concrete facade designed by prominent architects, McConnell Smith & Johnston.<ref>{{cite web |title=Central Coast Council Administration Building (Gosford Office) |url=https://apps.environment.nsw.gov.au/dpcheritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=1620245 |website=NSW State Heritage Inventory |publisher=Heritage NSW |access-date=19 December 2020}}</ref> On 9 November 1979, the Shire of Gosford was proclaimed as the City of Gosford, with effect from 1 January 1980.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219973307 |title=LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1919.—PROCLAMATION |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=150 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=9 November 1979 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=5561 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gosford Shire (1947–1979) / City of Gosford (1980- ) |url=http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/agencies/3814 |website=NSW State Records |publisher=The State Records Authority of New South Wales |access-date=1 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625080954/http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/agencies/3814 |archive-date=25 June 2014}}</ref>

In January 1997, the mayor of Gosford, Tony Sansom, was briefly threatened with dismissal from office when a Magistrate ordered that he be removed from office as a result of litigation that alleged irregularities in moving the dates of the September 1996 mayoral election. However, Sansom, who described the magistrate's ruling as "bizarre" appealed the decision to the [[Supreme Court of New South Wales|Supreme Court]].<ref name="Sansom1"/> On 4 July 1997, the Supreme Court overturned the magistrate's ruling, with Justice Michael Grove noting that the ruling was an "error of law".<ref name="Sansom2"/>

===Establishment of Central Coast Council and abolition of Gosford City Council===
In 2015 a [[Local government areas of New South Wales#Reviews of local government areas|review of local government boundaries]]{{Broken anchor|date=2024-09-15|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Local government areas of New South Wales#Reviews of local government areas|reason= The anchor (Reviews of local government areas) [[Special:Diff/986767511|has been deleted]].}} by the [[Government of New South Wales|NSW Government]] [[Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of New South Wales|Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal]] recommended that Wyong Shire and Gosford City councils merge to form one single council with an area of {{convert|1681|km2}} and support a population of approximately 331,007.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpc-olg-ss.s3.amazonaws.com/8b58f3fc8164536b82053820c30c42b7/Gosford-Wyong.pdf |title=Merger Proposal: Gosford City Council, Wyong Shire Council |publisher=Government of New South Wales |date=January 2016 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201084151/https://dpc-olg-ss.s3.amazonaws.com/8b58f3fc8164536b82053820c30c42b7/Gosford-Wyong.pdf |archive-date=1 December 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 12 May 2016, with the release of the ''Local Government (Council Amalgamations) Proclamation 2016'', [[Central Coast Council (New South Wales)|Central Coast Council]] was formed from Wyong Shire and Gosford City councils.<ref name=LGP>{{cite web|title=Local Government (Council Amalgamations) Proclamation 2016 [NSW] - Schedule 3 - Provisions for Central Coast Council|url=http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/regulations/2016-242.pdf|publisher=Parliament of New South Wales|access-date=8 October 2016|page=15|date=12 May 2016}}</ref> The first meeting of the Central Coast Council was held at the Wyong Civic Centre on 25 May 2016, with meetings alternating between Gosford and Wyong.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Barnes |first1=Denice |title=Historic first meeting of the new Central Coast Council is short, sharp but not sweet for some |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/central-coast/historic-first-meeting-of-the-new-central-coast-council-is-short-sharp-but-not-sweet-for-some/news-story/13f8eb0610c71f8a491378b71c8d7410 |access-date=1 December 2020 |agency=Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate |date=26 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Council meetings now reduced to once a month |url=https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2016/10/council-meetings-now-reduced-month/ |access-date=1 December 2020 |agency=Coast Community News |date=26 October 2016}}</ref>

==Demographics==
At the [[Census in Australia#2011|2011 Census]], there were {{formatnum:162440}} people in Gosford local government area, making the area the twelfth most populous local government area in New South Wales, and the [[List of cities in Australia by population#50 largest local government areas by population|twenty–fourth most populous local government area in Australia]]. 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#Medians for populations|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.<ref name="Census2011"/> With a higher proportion of elderly residents than the national [[median#Medians for populations|median]], the data reflects the [[colloquial]] term for the area as ''God's Waiting Room''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.australiantraveller.com/driving-holidays/coastal-climbing-central-coast/ |title=Coastal Climbing: Central Coast |author=Mode, Dorian |work=Australian Traveller |year=2012 |access-date=27 December 2012 }}</ref>

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.<ref name="Census2001"/> The median [[household income|weekly income]] for residents within the City of Gosford was approximately 10% lower than the national average.<ref name="Census2011"/><ref name="Census2006"/>

At the 2011 Census, the proportion of residents in the Gosford local government area who stated their [[ancestor|ancestry]] as Australian or [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] exceeded 78% of all residents. In excess of 60% of all residents in the City of Gosford nominated a [[Religion in Australia|religious]] affiliation with [[Christianity in Australia|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 [[Australian English|English]] only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8%).<ref name="Census2011"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=8|Selected historical census data for the City of Gosford local government area
|-
!colspan=3|Census year !!1991<br />{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}!!1996<br />{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}!!2001<ref name="Census2001">{{Census 2001 AUS|id=LGA13100 |name=Gosford (C) |accessdate=27 December 2012 |quick=on}}</ref>!!2006<ref name="Census2006">{{Census 2006 AUS|id=LGA13100 |name=Gosford (C) |accessdate=27 December 2012 |quick=on}}</ref>!!2011<ref name="Census2011"/>
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan="2"|Population ||Estimated residents on Census night ||align="right"|{{formatnum:128781}}<ref>https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/community-profiles/2001/LGA13100/download/TSP_LGA13100.xlsx</ref> ||align="right"|{{formatnum:144840}}<ref>https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/community-profiles/2001/LGA13100/download/TSP_LGA13100.xlsx</ref> ||align="right"|{{formatnum:154045}} ||align="right"|{{formatnum:158157}} ||align="right"|{{formatnum:162440}}
|-
|align="right"|LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales ||align="right"| ||align="right"|  ||align="right"| ||align="right"|9th ||align="right"|12th
|-
|align="right"|% of New South Wales population ||align="right"|2.25% ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;2.40% ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;2.42% ||align="right"| ||align="right"|2.35%
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian population ||align="right"|0.76% ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;0.81% ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;0.82% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;0.80% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;0.76%
|-
!colspan=3|Cultural and language diversity !! !! !! !! !!
|-
|rowspan=5 colspan=2|[[ancestor|Ancestry]],<br />top responses ||English||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|  ||align="right"|31.5%
|-
|Australian||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|  ||align="right"|30.4%
|-
|Irish||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|  ||align="right"|9.2%
|-
|[[Scottish people|Scottish]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|  ||align="right"|7.5%
|-
|German||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|  ||align="right"|2.3%
|-
|rowspan=5 colspan=2|Language,<br />top responses<br />(other than [[Australian English|English]]) ||Spanish||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|0.2% ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;0.3% ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;0.4%
|-
|Italian||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|0.4% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;0.3% ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;0.4%
|-
|German||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|0.3% ||align="right"|{{steady}}&nbsp;0.3% ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;0.4%
|-
|[[Cantonese]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|0.2% ||align="right"|{{steady}}&nbsp;0.2% ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;0.3%
|-
|[[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|n/c ||align="right"|n/c ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;0.3%
|-
!colspan=3|Religious affiliation !! !! !! !! !!
|-
|rowspan=5 colspan=2|[[Religion in Australia|Religious]] affiliation,<br />top responses ||[[Anglican Church of Australia|Anglican]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|31.2% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;28.5% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;26.7%
|-
|[[Roman Catholic Church in Australia|Catholic]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|26.3% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;25.6% ||align="right"|{{steady}}&nbsp;25.6%
|-
|[[Irreligion in Australia|No Religion]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|12.3% ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;15.4% ||align="right"|{{profit}}&nbsp;19.8%
|-
|[[Uniting Church in Australia|Uniting Church]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|6.0% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;5.2% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;4.4%
|-
|[[List of Presbyterian denominations in Australia|Presbyterian and Reformed]]||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|4.1% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;3.5% ||align="right"|{{loss}}&nbsp;3.2%
|-
!colspan=3|Median weekly incomes !! !! !! !! !!
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Personal income ||Median weekly personal income||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|{{AUD}}438 ||align="right"|{{AUD}}534
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|94.0% ||align="right"|92.5%
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Family income  ||Median weekly family income||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|A$944 ||align="right"|A$1,395
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|91.9% ||align="right"|94.2%
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Household income ||Median weekly household income||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|A$1,147 ||align="right"|A$1,089
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"| ||align="right"|98.0% ||align="right"|88.2%
|-
|}

==Council==
===Final composition and election method===
Gosford City Council was composed of ten [[councillor]]s elected [[Single transferable vote|proportionally]] as one entire [[Ward (country subdivision)|ward]]. All councillors were elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The last election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the council was as follows:<ref name="EC">{{cite web |url=http://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/gosford-city-council/councillor |title=Gosford City Council – Summary of First Preference and Group Votes for each Candidate  |work=Local Government Elections 2012 |publisher=Electoral Commission of New South Wales |date=17 September 2012 |access-date=23 September 2012}}</ref> The mayor and deputy mayor were elected annually by the councillors at a special meeting of the council in September. The final Council, elected in 2012 and abolished in 2016, in order of election, were:<ref name="EC"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Councillor!!Party!!Notes
|-
| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}|&nbsp;
| Jeff Strickson
| [[Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)|Liberal]]
| Elected 2008–2016. 
|-
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}|&nbsp;
| Jim Macfadyen
| [[Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)|Labor]]
| Elected 2004–2016. Mayor 2007–2008. Deputy mayor 2014–2015.<ref name="MacfadyenDrake">{{cite web |title=New Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Gosford City |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/news_events/media/media_2007/september-2007/new-mayor-and-deputy-mayor-for-gosford-city |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530113850/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/news_events/media/media_2007/september-2007/new-mayor-and-deputy-mayor-for-gosford-city |archive-date=30 May 2009 |date=24 September 2007}}</ref><ref name="McKinna3"/>
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| [[Lawrie McKinna]]
| [[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
| Elected 2012–2016. Mayor 2012–2016.<ref name=McKinna1/><ref name="McKinna">{{cite web |title=EXTRAORDINARY MEETING MINUTES (2012/3) – Monday, 24 September 2012 |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/docs/default-source/archived-minutes/minutes-2012/extraordinary-minutes---24-september-2012.pdf?sfvrsn=2 |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319071131/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/docs/default-source/archived-minutes/minutes-2012/extraordinary-minutes---24-september-2012.pdf?sfvrsn=2 |archive-date=19 March 2016 |date=24 September 2012}}</ref><ref name="McKinna2">{{cite web |title=EXTRAORDINARY MEETING MINUTES (2013/E2) – Monday, 30 September 2013 |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/docs/default-source/archived-minutes/minutes-2013/extraordinary-minutes---30-sepember-2013.pdf?sfvrsn=2 |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319070822/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/docs/default-source/archived-minutes/minutes-2013/extraordinary-minutes---30-sepember-2013.pdf?sfvrsn=2 |archive-date=19 March 2016 |date=30 September 2013}}</ref><ref name="McKinna3">{{cite news |title=Third Term for Mayor McKinna, New Deputy Mayor Elected |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/about-council/general-information-rates/latest-news/september-2014/2014/09/29/third-term-for-mayor-mckinna-new-deputy-mayor-elected |access-date=16 December 2020 |publisher=Gosford City Council |date=30 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321195845/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/about-council/general-information-rates/latest-news/september-2014/2014/09/29/third-term-for-mayor-mckinna-new-deputy-mayor-elected |archive-date=21 March 2016 |format=Media Release}}</ref><ref name="McKinna4">{{cite news |title=Fourth Term for Mayor McKinna, New Deputy Mayor Elected |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/about-council/general-information-rates/latest-news/september-2015/2015/09/28/fourth-term-for-mayor-mckinna-new-deputy-mayor-elected |access-date=16 December 2020 |publisher=Gosford City Council |date=29 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319072910/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/about-council/general-information-rates/latest-news/september-2015/2015/09/28/fourth-term-for-mayor-mckinna-new-deputy-mayor-elected |archive-date=19 March 2016 |format=Media Release}}</ref>
|-
| {{Australian party style|Greens}}|&nbsp;
| Hillary Morris
| [[Greens New South Wales|Greens]]
| Elected 2012–2016.
|-
| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}|&nbsp;
| Bob Ward
| Liberal
| Elected 2008–2016. Deputy mayor 2012–2014.<ref name="McKinna"/><ref name="McKinna2"/>
|-
| {{Australian party style|Labor}}|&nbsp;
| Vicki Scott
| Labor
| Elected 2004–2016. 
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Gabby Bowles
| Independent
| Elected 2012–2016 on McKinna's ticket.
|-
| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}|&nbsp;
| Chris Burke
| Liberal
| Elected 2008–2016.
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Craig Doyle
| Independent
| Elected 1999–2016. Deputy mayor 2003–2007, 2008–2012, 2015–2016.<ref name="MalcolmBrooksDoyle">{{cite web |title=Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting (No. 2004/01E) of the Council of the City of Gosford – 19 April 2004 |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/council/council_meetings/meeting_minutes/2004/04/19/extraordinary_minutes.pdf |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050719082901/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/council/council_meetings/meeting_minutes/2004/04/19/extraordinary_minutes.pdf |archive-date=19 July 2005 |date=19 April 2004}}</ref><ref name="MaherDoyle1">{{cite web |title=New Mayor and Deputy For Council |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au:80/ |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051001040935/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/ |archive-date=1 October 2005 |format=Media Release |date=30 September 2005 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="MaherDoyle2">{{cite web |title=Mayor and Deputy Mayor re-elected |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/news_events/media/media_2006/mayor-and-deputy-mayor-re-elected |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815074539/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/news_events/media/media_2006/mayor-and-deputy-mayor-re-elected |archive-date=15 August 2008 |date=26 September 2006}}</ref><ref name="HolsteinDoyle1">{{cite web |title=New Mayor and Deputy Mayor elected |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/news_events/media/media-releases-2008/september-2008/new-mayor-and-deputy-mayor-elected |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501080245/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/news_events/media/media-releases-2008/september-2008/new-mayor-and-deputy-mayor-elected |archive-date=1 May 2012 |format=Media Release |date=30 September 2008}}</ref><ref name="HolsteinDoyle2">{{cite web |title=Gosford City Council Mayoral Election |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/news_events/media/media-releases-2009/september-2009/gosford-city-council-mayoral-election |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110404200604/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/news_events/media/media-releases-2009/september-2009/gosford-city-council-mayoral-election |archive-date=4 April 2011 |date=29 September 2009}}</ref><ref name="MaherDoyle3">{{cite web |title=Gosford City Council Mayoral Election |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/news_events/media/media-releases-2010/september/gosford-city-council-mayoral-election/ |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405021955/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/news_events/media/media-releases-2010/september/gosford-city-council-mayoral-election/ |archive-date=5 April 2011 |date=28 September 2010}}</ref><ref name="MaherDoyle4">{{cite web |title=EXTRAORDINARY MEETING MINUTES (2011/E5) – Monday, 26 September 2011 |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/docs/default-source/archived-minutes/minutes-2011/extraordinary-minutes---26-september-2011.pdf?sfvrsn=2 |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319071440/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/docs/default-source/archived-minutes/minutes-2011/extraordinary-minutes---26-september-2011.pdf?sfvrsn=2 |archive-date=19 March 2016 |date=26 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="McKinna4"/>
|-
| {{Australian party style|Liberal}}|&nbsp;
| Deanna Bocking
| Liberal
| Elected 2012–2016.
|}

==Mayors and Shire Presidents==
===Mayors 1886–1908===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! # !! Mayor !! Term start !! Term end !! Time in office !! Notes
|-
| align=center|{{nts|1}} || John Bennett Whiteway || align=center| 20 February 1887 ||align=center| 18 February 1888 || align=right|{{ayd|1887|02|20|1888|02|18}} ||<ref name=whiteway/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|2}} || Henry Charles Wheeler ||align=center| 18 February 1888 ||align=center| 14 February 1889 || align=right|{{ayd|1888|02|18|1889|02|14}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219939717 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=129 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 February 1888 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1469 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|3}} || George Watt ||align=center| 14 February 1889 ||align=center| 2 August 1889 || align=right|{{ayd|1889|02|14|1889|08|02}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224314828 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=110 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=19 February 1889 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1389 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|4}} || Manasseh Ward ||align=center| 2 August 1889 ||align=center| 14 February 1890 || align=right|{{ayd|1889|08|02|1890|02|14}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222185037 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=397 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=6 August 1889 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=5306 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|– || Henry Charles Wheeler ||align=center| 14 February 1890 ||align=center| 16 February 1893 || align=right|{{ayd|1890|02|14|1893|02|16}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223596285 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=82 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 February 1890 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1361 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222105854 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=92 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=10 February 1891 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1149 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222976435 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=97 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 February 1892 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1233 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|4}} || John James Mullard ||align=center| 16 February 1893 ||align=center| 21 March 1895 || align=right|{{ayd|1893|02|16|1895|03|21}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220967544 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=114 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=21 February 1893 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1519 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222335793 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=98 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=16 February 1894 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1075 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|– || Henry Charles Wheeler ||align=center| 21 March 1895 ||align=center| 5 February 1896 || align=right|{{ayd|1895|03|21|1896|02|05}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224322592 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=208 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=26 March 1895 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2071 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|5}} || Charles Cain ||align=center| 5 February 1896 ||align=center| 17 September 1896 || align=right|{{ayd|1896|02|05|1896|09|17}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222649355 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=98 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=11 February 1896 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=938 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|– || Manasseh Ward ||align=center| 17 September 1896 ||align=center| 10 February 1899 || align=right|{{ayd|1896|09|17|1899|02|10}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222367288 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=754 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=22 September 1896 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=6618 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224340693 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=115 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 February 1897 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1005 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220948771 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=153 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=22 February 1898 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1388 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|7}} || Jeremiah James Mason ||align=center| 10 February 1899 ||align=center| 21 February 1901 || align=right|{{ayd|1899|02|10|1901|02|21}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220991112 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=142 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 February 1899 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1353 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221014548 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=143 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=16 February 1900 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1351 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|– || Manasseh Ward ||align=center| 21 February 1901 ||align=center| 10 July 1903 || align=right|{{ayd|1901|02|21|1903|07|10}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226376553 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=154 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=26 February 1901 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1532 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222070800 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=122 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=11 February 1902 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1210 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220261961 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=102 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 February 1903 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1668 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|– || Jeremiah James Mason ||align=center| 10 July 1903 ||align=center| 3 February 1904 || align=right|{{ayd|1903|07|10|1904|02|03}} ||
<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221035675 |title=BOROUGH OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=369 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=17 July 1903 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=5345 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|8}} || James Kibble ||align=center| 3 February 1904 ||align=center| 23 January 1908 || align=right|{{ayd|1904|02|03|1908|01|23}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221030646 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=80 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=9 February 1904 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1216 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220955412 |title=BOROUGH OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=87 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=17 February 1905 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1153 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226406535 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=85 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=13 February 1906 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1104 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name="MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223089856 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=37 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=20 March 1907 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1859 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|}

===Mayors 1936–1947===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! # !! Mayor !! Term start !! Term end !! Time in office !! Notes
|-
| align=center|{{nts|1}} || [[William Calman Grahame]] || align=center| 24 October 1936 ||align=center| 4 December 1940 || align=right|{{ayd|1936|10|24|1940|12|04}} ||<ref name=grahamestaples1/><ref name=grahamestaples2/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167867825 |title=Ald. Grahame Re-elected Mayor |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |issue=2822 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=9 December 1937 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167871665 |title="HAT TRICK TO MAYOR" |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |issue=2896 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=8 December 1938 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166939046 |title=MAYORAL ELECTION |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 December 1939 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article135451257 |title=WILL NOT CHANGE ITS MAYOR |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |issue=19,706 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 December 1939 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166937494 |title=W. B. Grahame, J.P. |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 December 1939 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|2}} || Ralph Randall Mortimer ||align=center| 4 December 1940 ||align=center| 4 December 1940 || align=right|{{ayd|1940|12|04|1940|12|04}}||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17703532 |title=GOSFORD COUNCIL RESIGNS. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=5 December 1940 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article81975162 |title=RESIGNATION OF GOSFORD COUNCIL |newspaper=Singleton Argus |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=6 December 1940 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167865131 |title=Gosford's Who's Who |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=21 June 1938 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|3}} || John Cunningham Speers ||align=center| 23 December 1940 ||align=center| 11 January 1943 || align=right|{{ayd|1940|12|23|1943|01|11}}||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166936870 |title=MANY CHANGES IN GOSFORD COUNCIL |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 December 1940 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article132825038 |title=THREE ALDERMEN RESIGN |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=18 December 1942 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article144119035 |title=GOSFORD MAYOR RESIGNS |newspaper=Daily Advertiser|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=13 January 1943 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|4}} || Clarence James Lloyd ||align=center| 11 January 1943 ||align=center| December 1943 || align=right|{{ayd|1943|01|11|1943|12|01}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140449320 |title=MAYOR OF GOSFORD RESIGNS |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=12 January 1943 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140451165 |title=Four Gosford Aldermen Stayed Away |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 May 1943 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|– || John Cunningham Speers ||align=center| December 1943 ||align=center| 1 January 1947 || align=right|{{ayd|1943|12|01|1947|01|01}}||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134928619 |title=GOSFORD AND HOMES SCHEME |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=23 February 1944 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134247964 |title=ALD. SPEERS MAYOR OF GOSFORD |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=6 December 1944 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|}

===Shire Presidents 1947–1980, and Mayors 1980–2016===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! # !! Shire president !! Term start !! Term end !! Time in office !! Notes
|-
| align=center|{{nts|1}} || John Cunningham Speers || align=center| January 1947 ||align=center| 18 July 1947 || align=right|{{ayd|1947|01|01|1947|07|18}} ||<ref name=SpeersBaldwin>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140310072 |title=PRESIDENT OF GOSFORD SHIRE RESIGNS |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=19 July 1947 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article107767016 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Muswellbrook Chronicle|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=11 April 1947 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|2}} || William Baldwin ||align=center| 18 July 1947 ||align=center| 6 December 1947 || align=right|{{ayd|1947|07|18|1947|12|06}}||<ref name=SpeersBaldwin/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134231914 |title=Gosford President Loses Seat |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=8 December 1947 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|3}} || J. H. Parks ||align=center| 10 December 1947 ||align=center|7 December 1948 || align=right|{{ayd|1947|12|10|1948|12|07}}||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134231697 |title=First President Of Gosford Shire |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=11 December 1947 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|4}} || William Benjamin Grahame ||align=center|7 December 1948 ||align=center|19 December 1949 || align=right|{{ayd|1948|12|07|1948|12|19}}||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140361466 |title=Gosford Shire President |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=8 December 1948 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|5}} || George Downes ||align=center|19 December 1949 ||align=center| 5 December 1950 || align=right|{{ayd|1948|12|19|1950|12|05}}||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167110138 |title=Councillor George Downes Elected New President Of Gosford Shire |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=20 December 1949 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|– || William Benjamin Grahame ||align=center|5 December 1950 ||align=center|6 December 1951 || align=right|{{ayd|1950|12|05|1951|12|06}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167225336 |title=Cr. Grahame Elected President |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=5 December 1950 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|6}} || William David Tarrant ||align=center|6 December 1951 ||align=center|1 December 1952 || align=right|{{ayd|1951|12|06|1952|12|01}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167223536 |title=Cr Tarrant Is Elected Shire President |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 December 1951 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|– || William Benjamin Grahame ||align=center|1 December 1952 ||align=center|8 December 1953 || align=right|{{ayd|1952|12|01|1953|12|08}} ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167230989 |title=CR. GRAHAME IS NEW PRESIDENT OF SHIRE COUNCIL |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 December 1952 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|7}} || James Arthur Brown ||align=center|8 December 1953 ||align=center| 1956 ||  ||<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140290218 |title=Shire President At Gosford |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate |issue=24,079 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=9 December 1953 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article162873170 |title=Cr J. A. Brown re-elected President |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 December 1954 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name=List>GDHRA, pp. 36–37.</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|8}} || John Leslie Chambers ||align=center|1956 ||align=center|December 1956 ||  ||<ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|– || James Arthur Brown ||align=center|December 1956 ||align=center|December 1957 ||  ||<ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|9}} || Charles Thomas Barrett ||align=center|December 1957 ||align=center|1961 ||  ||<ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|– || Jack Roberts (''Acting'') ||align=center|1961 ||align=center|20 September 1961 ||  ||<ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|– || Henry William Dane (''Administrator'') ||align=center|20 September 1961 ||align=center|4 December 1965 || align=right|{{ayd|1961|09|20|1965|12|04}} ||<ref name=dane2>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220284585 |title=LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1919.—PROCLAMATION. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=104 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=20 September 1961 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2917 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name=dane3>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220295161 |title=LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1919.—PROCLAMATION |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=100 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=6 August 1965 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2507 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name=dane1/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|10}} || R. M. Vaughan ||align=center|December 1965 ||align=center|December 1967 ||  ||<ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|11}} || William J. Bullion ||align=center|December 1967 ||align=center|December 1968 ||  ||<ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|12}} || L. J. McCarthy ||align=center|December 1968 ||align=center|December 1969 ||  ||<ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|– || William J. Bullion ||align=center|December 1969 ||align=center|1971 ||  ||<ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|– || Reginald James Tarbox (''Acting'') ||align=center|1971 ||align=center|September 1971 ||  ||<ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|13}} || Robert Lionel Hyndman ||align=center|September 1971 ||align=center|September 1972 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|{{nts|14}} || J. W. Laurenson ||align=center|September 1972 ||align=center|September 1973 ||  ||<ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|15}} || [[Malcolm Brooks]] ||align=center|September 1973 ||align=center|September 1977 ||  ||<ref>{{cite NSW Parliament |title=Mr Malcolm Harold Brooks (1930–2020) |id=1897 |former=Yes |access-date=16 December 2020}}</ref><ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|16}} || Donald Ernest Leggett ||align=center|September 1977 ||align=center|1 January 1980 ||  ||<ref name=List/>
|- bgcolor="#FFCC33"
! # !! Mayor !! Term start !! Term end !! Time in office !! Notes
|-
| align=center|– || Donald Ernest Leggett ||align=center|1 January 1980 ||align=center|September 1982 ||  ||<ref>{{cite news |title=Tributes to Don Leggett |url=http://peninsula.news/2011/0711/default.aspx?item=leggettp |access-date=16 December 2020 |agency=Peninsula Community Access News |date=11 July 2011}}</ref><ref name=List/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|17}} || Barrie N. Horne ||align=center| September 1982 ||align=center| September 1983 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|{{nts|18}} || Peter Coleman ||align=center| September 1983 ||align=center| September 1985 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|{{nts|19}} || Robert Bell ||align=center| September 1985 ||align=center| September 1986 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|{{nts|20}} || Dr Patricia Harrison ||align=center| September 1986 ||align=center| September 1989 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|{{nts|21}} || Kim Margin ||align=center| September 1989 ||align=center| September 1990 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|– || Dr Patricia Harrison ||align=center| September 1990 ||align=center| September 1991 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|– || Robert Bell ||align=center| September 1991 ||align=center| September 1993 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|{{nts|22}} || Dirk O'Connor ||align=center| September 1993 ||align=center| September 1994 ||  ||
|-
| align=center|{{nts|23}} || Tony Sansom ||align=center| September 1994 ||align=center| September 1998 ||  ||<ref name="Sansom1">{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Alex |title=A stripped mayor fights for his robes |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=29 June 1997 |page=50}}</ref><ref name="Sansom2">{{cite news |title=Court win for mayor |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=5 July 1997 |page=13}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|24}} || [[Chris Holstein]] ||align=center| September 1998 ||align=center| September 2001 ||  ||<ref>{{cite web |title=Your Council |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/council/yourcouncil.htm |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981202131411/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/council/yourcouncil.htm |archive-date=2 December 1998 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Your Council |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/council/yourcouncil.htm |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991104100656/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/council/yourcouncil.htm |archive-date=4 November 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Your Council |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/council/index.htm |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010410224903/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/council/index.htm |archive-date=10 April 2001}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|– || Robert Bell ||align=center| September 2001 ||align=center|19 April 2004 ||  ||<ref>{{cite web |title=Your Council |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/Council/index.cfm |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011109071301/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/Council/index.cfm |archive-date=9 November 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Meet Your Council |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au:80/your+council/index.htm |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020806182707/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/your+council/index.htm |archive-date=6 August 2002 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Meet Your Council |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/Council/index.htm |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040113044556/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/Council/index.htm |archive-date=13 January 2004}}</ref>
|-
| align=center|– || [[Malcolm Brooks]] ||align=center|19 April 2004 ||align=center|30 September 2005 || align=right|{{ayd|2004|04|19|2005|09|30}} ||<ref name="MalcolmBrooksDoyle"/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|25}} || [[Laurie Maher]] ||align=center|30 September 2005 ||align=center|24 September 2007 || align=right|{{ayd|2005|09|30|2007|09|24}} ||<ref name="MaherDoyle1"/><ref name="MaherDoyle2"/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|26}} || Jim Macfadyen ||align=center|24 September 2007 ||align=center|30 September 2008 || align=right|{{ayd|2007|09|24|2008|09|30}} ||<ref name="MacfadyenDrake"/>
|-
| align=center|– || [[Chris Holstein]] ||align=center|30 September 2008 ||align=center| 28 September 2010 || align=right|{{ayd|2008|09|30|2010|09|28}} ||<ref name="HolsteinDoyle1"/><ref name="HolsteinDoyle2"/>
|-
| align=center|– || [[Laurie Maher]] ||align=center|28 September 2010 ||align=center| 8 September 2012 || align=right|{{ayd|2010|09|28|2012|09|08}} ||<ref name="MaherDoyle3"/><ref name="MaherDoyle4"/>
|-
| align=center|{{nts|27}} || [[Lawrie McKinna]] ||align=center|24 September 2012 ||align=center|12 May 2016 || align=right|{{ayd|2012|09|24|2016|05|12}} ||<ref name=McKinna1/><ref name="McKinna"/><ref name="McKinna2"/><ref name="McKinna3"/><ref name="McKinna4"/>
|}

==Council executives==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Town clerk
!Term
!Notes
|-
| Robert John White
| 7 March 1887 – 30 January 1888
| <ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224184386 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=192 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=1 April 1887 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2335 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| William Hastings
| 30 January 1888 – 4 February 1903
| <ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219938147 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette|issue=81 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=3 February 1888 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=891 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222344235 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=283 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=9 April 1897 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=2599 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220948770 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=153 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=22 February 1898 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1388 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220940706 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=364 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 May 1899 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=3387 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221015564 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=181 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=27 February 1900 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1685 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226376558 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=154 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=26 February 1901 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1532 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222070797 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=122 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=11 February 1902 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1210 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| Richard Blaxland Hays
| 4 February 1903 – 14 September 1905
| <ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220261959 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=102 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 February 1903 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1668 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| William Hastings
| 14 September 1905 – 23 January 1908
|<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220950383 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=489 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=19 September 1905 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=6354 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226407318 |title=MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD. |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=103 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=23 February 1906 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1322 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name="MUNICIPALITY OF GOSFORD"/>
|-
!Town clerk
!Term
!Notes
|-
| Nigel George Howes
| 2 November 1936 – 31 December 1946
| <ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166520232 |title=N. G. Howes Town Clerk |newspaper=Man On The Land |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=3 November 1936 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
!Shire clerk
!Term
!Notes
|-
| Nigel George Howes
| 1 January 1947 – 1966
| <ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133166176 |title=Clerks of Wyong, Gosford Shires Not Returned Men |newspaper=Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 December 1946 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230865152 |title=Shire clerk sues councilor for defamation |newspaper=The Sun|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=17 March 1954 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167381643 |title=£1000 SLANDER CASE SETTLED |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=19 March 1954 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref name=Howes>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105898890 |title=Suspended Shire Clerk Reinstated |newspaper=The Canberra Times |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=11 November 1961 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| Benjamin G. Pratt
| 1966 – 1980
| 
|-
!Town clerk
!Term
!Notes
|-
| Benjamin G. Pratt
| 1 January 1980 – 1982
| 
|-
| W. H. Grant
| 1983 – 1988
| 
|-
!City Manager
!Term
!Notes
|-
| Neville Prince
| 1988 – 1 February 1991
| <ref name="Dedden"/>
|-
| Keith Dedden
| 1 February 1991 – 30 June 1993
| <ref name="Dedden">{{cite news |title=Local Government: People on the move – Gosford City Council |agency=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=5 February 1991 |page=15}}</ref>
|-
!General Manager
!Term
!Notes
|-
| Keith Dedden
| 1 July 1993 – 1995
| <ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article231958652 |title=GOSFORD CITY COUNCIL |newspaper=Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales |issue=162 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=2 December 1994 |access-date=16 December 2020 |page=7181 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
|-
| Peter Wilson
| 1995 – 1 June 2012
| <ref name=PWilson>{{cite news |last1=Vince |first1=Mary-Louise |title=Gosford Council's General Manager to retire |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-30/gm-retires/4041920 |access-date=16 December 2020 |agency=ABC News |date=30 May 2012}}</ref>
|-
| Stephen Glenn (Acting)
| 1 June 2012 – 31 December 2012
| <ref name=PWilson/>
|-
!Chief Executive Officer
!Term
!Notes
|-
| Paul Anderson
| 1 January 2013 – 12 May 2016
| <ref>{{cite web |title=Chief Executive Officer |url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/about-council/our-council/structure-and-vision/office-of-the-chief-executive-officer |publisher=Gosford City Council |access-date=16 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306151556/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/about-council/our-council/structure-and-vision/office-of-the-chief-executive-officer |archive-date=6 March 2016}}</ref>
|}

==Coat of arms==
{{Infobox COA wide
|image = [[File:Coronet of a British Earl.svg|150px|centre]][[File:Earl of Gosford COA.svg|180px|centre|Arms of the Earl of Gosford]] 
|year_adopted = 1966
|crest = A [[Cockerel|Cock]] Gules, standing upon a Trumpet Or. 
|torse =
|helm = An [[Earl#Coronet|Earl's Coronet]].
|escutcheon = Argent, a [[Double-headed eagle|Double-Headed Eagle]] displayed Sable, beaked and membered Or, on a Chief Vert, two Mullets Or. 
|supporters = Dexter: A Leopard proper, collared and chained Or; Sinister: A Leopard reguardant proper, collared and chained Or.
|compartment = 
|motto = GOSFORD CITY COUNCIL
|banner =
|badge = 
|symbolism = In 1952, the Brisbane Water Historical Society received the approval of the [[Archibald Acheson, 5th Earl of Gosford|5th Earl of Gosford]] via his son [[Archibald Acheson, 6th Earl of Gosford|Viscount Acheson]] for a proposal to adopt a version of the [[Earl of Gosford]]'s coat of arms for the use of Gosford Shire Council.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167230315 |title=Earl Offers Gosford Coat Of Arms |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=29 February 1952 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167229857 |title=Shire Interest In Earl's Coat Of Arms |newspaper=The Gosford Times And Wyong District Advocate|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=7 March 1952 |access-date=1 December 2020 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> However it wasn't until 1966 when Gosford Shire Council formally adopted the Gosford arms for use by Council.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cooranbean Courier |url=http://henrykendallcottage.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/CCourierDecember2019.pdf |publisher=Brisbane Water Historical Society |access-date=16 December 2020 |date=December 2019}}</ref> In a modification from the Gosford Arms, the original motto "Vigilantibus" (To be watchful) was replaced by the Council title ("Gosford Shire Council"), with the only change since to replace "Shire" with "City" when the name changed in 1980.
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20160229210521/http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/ Gosford City Council website (''Archived'')]

{{Gosford City Council}}
{{The Hawkesbury River|state=collapsed}}
{{NSW former LGAs |state=autocollapse}}
{{NSW Local Government amalgamations 2016|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gosford}}
[[Category:Former local government areas of New South Wales|Gosford]]
[[Category:Central Coast Council (New South Wales)|Gosford]]
[[Category:Central Coast (New South Wales)]]
[[Category:1886 establishments in Australia|Gosford]]
[[Category:1908 disestablishments in Australia|Gosford]]
[[Category:1936 establishments in Australia|Gosford]]
[[Category:1947 disestablishments in Australia|Gosford]]
[[Category:1947 establishments in Australia|Gosford]]
[[Category:2016 disestablishments in Australia|Gosford]]
[[Category:Lists of local government leaders of places in New South Wales|Gosford]]
[[Category:Shire Presidents and Mayors of Gosford]]