The City of Gosford is a former local government area located on the 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 amalgamated the City of Gosford and Wyong Shire Councils. The Central Coast Council was established on the same day, covering the combined areas. Until its merger with the Wyong Shire in 2016, The City of Gosford covered an area of . Its administrative seat was located in Gosford, approximately north of Sydney and approximately south of 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 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. The last Mayor of the Gosford City Council was Cr. Lawrie McKinna, an independent politician. 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: History Early history The traditional Aboriginal inhabitants of the lands now known as the Brisbane Water were the Guringai people of the Eora nation. The Darkingung people occupied large areas inland west towards Rylstone, and north to Cessnock and Wollombi. 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. In 1839 Governor Sir George Gipps named the town of Gosford after his friend, The Earl of Gosford.