The Entrance, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
The Entrance is a district centre and town of the Central Coast region of New South Wales
, Australia
. It is part of the Wyong Shire local government area
. At the 2006 census
, The Entrance had a population of 2,632 people.
The town occupies an area of land that is bounded by water on three sides. The Entrance gains it name from the channel
that runs along much of its northern border that is the entrance to The Tuggerah Lakes
. The Entrance has been a very popular holiday destination for many people since the first guest house was established in 1885. The area is currently experiencing enormous growth as a result of small holiday cottages that dominated The Entrance for most of the 20th century being replaced by multi-storey apartment blocks
.
, the local Indigenous Australians
, it is believed Europeans first discovered it in 1796. It was found by Governor of Tasmania
, Colonel David Collins
, who had arrived on the First Fleet
during the search for an escaped convict
woman, Mary Morgan, who was said to be living with the Aborigines to the North of the Hawkesbury River
.
The area now known as The Entrance was occupied by Henry Holden in 1828. He occupied 640 acres (259 ha) and was bounded by the Pacific Ocean
on the eastern side, Tuggerah Lake
on the northern and western sides and extended all the way to the current Toowoon Bay
Road. Holden named the property Towoon. In 1835 the deeds were issued to John Edye Manning and he sold the land for £
200 to Thomas Cade Battley who renamed the property Terilbah.
In 1850, ownership was transferred to the Taylor Family and it was referred to as Tuggerah Beach. The land remained privately owned until about 1900 when it was divided up among the twelve children of Richard Brown Taylor and Norberta Maria Gertrude (née Watkins). The Taylors donated land to the Roman Catholic Church, The Church of England and The Entrance Public School. Many street
s in the area are named after them including Taylor Street, Richard Street, Norberta Street and Victoria Street.
On 15 December 1910, Karagi Receiving Office was opened. Karagi, meaning the entrance, was the Aboriginal name
for the point on the south bank of the channel at the Pacific Ocean, a name which has since been officially adopted. On 1 June 1911, Karagi Receiving Office was designated a Post Office. The name Karagi was not popular locally and on 15 November 1911, the English interpretation was adopted.
by Mr and Mrs Walter Denniss in 1885 and was called Dunleith Guest House. Bayview Guest House was the first to be opened in the Entrance and was opened in 1900 by Mr and Mrs Dening (née Taylor). Pinehurst Guest House was another that was constructed in 1903 by Les Taylor and was by far the largest at that time. By 1912, members of the Taylor family were operating four guest houses at The Entrance.
In March 1920, 200 parcels of land were auctioned after it had become clear that the land in the township needed to be subdivided. Each block of land averaged a selling price of £60 to £80, although some blocks closer to the water sold for as much as £200. Immediately holiday houses began to be built rapidly. It also resulted in a total of 15 guest houses operating soon after, including Lakeside built by Rene Johnson (née Taylor) that was the most exclusive. Although competition was fierce, the guesthouses had high occupancy rates in the booming times. Bayview Avenue and Ozone Street are both named after guest houses that were located at The Entrance.
Despite the growth, the area was still isolated and access was restricted to a wagon on the bush track from Gosford
or by a ferry from Wyong
. The area was popular among fishermen and prior to 1908 the majority of boats that travelled to The Entrance used Tuggerah Jetty, the remains of which, still exists on the shore of Tuggerah Lake between the entrances to Wyong River and Ourimbah Creek. When Wyong River was dredged in 1908, the boats would take their catch into Wyong. The construction of Wyong Wharf allowed greater access to The Entrance and the demand for ferry transport boomed. Numerous operators took advantage of the demand and ferry's such as Wyong, Waiwera, Loongana and Maheno were making regular journeys across Tuggerah Lake. In 1922, the bush track to Wyong was opened as a road. By the end of the nineteen-twenties the ferry's were rendered obsolete by buses that could reach The Entrance quickly and cheaply.
The Entrance Bridge
links The Entrance with The Entrance North over The Entrance Channel as part of Wilfred Barrett Drive. It was originally a wooden single lane bridge with bypass bays that allowed traffic travelling in the opposite direction to pass. It was opened in 1934. The original bridge was adequate until 1965 as it only served traffic
travelling as far as The Entrance North. By the end of 1965 the traffic flow over the old bridge at The Entrance increased to such an extent the structure was under constant repair. Work began on the current two lane, concrete structure on 17 July 1967 after a successful tender by Transbridge Pty Ltd. The bridge was opened to traffic on 20 December 1968 and officially opened by the Premier of New South Wales, the Hon. Robert Askin
on 18 April 1969.
The Entrance Cinema is another well-known icon. It is located on the corner of The Entrance Road and Bayview Mall. The cinema was opened as The Prince Edward Theatre in 1934 and was immediately popular due to the fire that burnt the other cinema in The Entrance, the Wintergarden Theatre in the same year. The Prince Edward Theatre closed in 1977 but was reopened in 1981 when it was purchased and converted into a smaller cinema. A second screen was added in 1988. The cinema achieved notoriety in 2006 when it refused to screen the film, The Da Vinci Code
as it was contrary to the owner's beliefs.
In 1999, The Entrance waterfront was named 'The Pelican Capital of Australia' by Wyong Council to coincide with the opening of a pelican feeding platform as part of the waterfront redevelopment. The daily feeding of the pelicans at 3.30 pm daily has been a regular event at The Entrance for around 20 years since an employee at Clifford's fish shop Peter Major started giving them his scraps during his lunch break. The daily practice attracts 20,000 visitors annually. The Entrance is the perfect place for fishing. There are many species of fish that can be found in the area such as whiting, flathead, bream, and blackfish. The prawnisi also come with the scoonie
The Entrance is located within the federal Division of Dobell
. Dobell was originally a fairly safe seat for the Australian Labor Party
but was won by the Liberal Party
in the 2001 election. The Liberals consolidated their hold on the seat at the 2004 election, but was lost by them in the 2007 election, going back to Labor.
In the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
, The Entrance is part of the Electoral district of The Entrance
. The electorate is considered a marginal seat for the Labor Party
who have held the seat since 1992. It is represented by Grant McBride
. McBride has announced he will not stand in the 2010 state election. McBride has never lived in the electorate.
Polling statistics are shown to the right for the Dobell
in the 2003 NSW and 2004 Federal elections.
The Entrance is serviced by Red Bus Services, and the town is the major terminus, with several routes terminating and beginning in Torrens Avenue. Bus numbers 21, 22 and 23 all run an identical route through the town via Torrens Avenue, Fairview Avenue and The Entrance Road on the way to Gosford. Bus numbers 24, 25, 26 and run an identical route through the suburb via Torrens Avenue, Fairview Avenue, The Entrance Road, Warrigal Street, Boondilla Road and Bay Road on the way to Wyong. In addition to this bus number 29 travels along The Entrance Road, Fairview Avenue, Torrens Avenue and Wilfred Barrett Drive on its way to Wyong Hospital from Stockland Bay Village. Generally, Red Bus Services run every 30 to 60 minutes from 5am to 12am.
The event contains a number of events including fun runs, concerts, fire works and displays. The highlight is the parade. This contains numerous floats from local organisations. The parade starts in Long Jetty and proceeds along The Entrance Road to the Memorial Park being cheered by locals and tourists along the way. In the past local children clamoured to collect 'freebies' (merchandise and sweets) thrown off the floats.
A Mardi Gras Queen, Prince and Princess are crowned as part of the festival.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is part of the Wyong Shire local government area
Local Government Areas of New South Wales
The local government areas of New South Wales, Australia have been subject to periodic bouts of restructuring and rationalisation by the State Government, involving voluntary and involuntary amalgamation of areas...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, The Entrance had a population of 2,632 people.
The town occupies an area of land that is bounded by water on three sides. The Entrance gains it name from the channel
Channel (geography)
In physical geography, a channel is the physical confine of a river, slough or ocean strait consisting of a bed and banks.A channel is also the natural or human-made deeper course through a reef, sand bar, bay, or any shallow body of water...
that runs along much of its northern border that is the entrance to The Tuggerah Lakes
The Tuggerah Lakes
The Tuggerah Lakes lie on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.-History:The area around the Tuggerah Lakes was inhabited by the local Aborigines known as the Darkinjung people prior to European discovery in 1796. The lake system was discovered by the first Governor of Tasmania, Colonel...
. The Entrance has been a very popular holiday destination for many people since the first guest house was established in 1885. The area is currently experiencing enormous growth as a result of small holiday cottages that dominated The Entrance for most of the 20th century being replaced by multi-storey apartment blocks
Tower block
A tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, office tower, apartment block, or block of flats, is a tall building or structure used as a residential and/or office building...
.
Settlements at the entrance
Although the area was previously inhabited by the Darkinjung peopleDarkinjung people
The Darkinjung are the in the Wyong and area and is a major landowner on the Central Coast, participating in formal joint management of some areas of state forest in the region. It represents over 450 local Aboriginal residents...
, the local Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
, it is believed Europeans first discovered it in 1796. It was found by Governor of Tasmania
Governors of Tasmania
The Governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as the Governor-General of Australia does at the national level.In accordance with the...
, Colonel David Collins
David Collins (governor)
Colonel David Collins was the first Lieutenant Governor of the Colony of Van Diemens Land, founded in 1804, which in 1901 became the state of Tasmania in the Commonwealth of Australia.-Early life and military career:...
, who had arrived on the First Fleet
First Fleet
The First Fleet is the name given to the eleven ships which sailed from Great Britain on 13 May 1787 with about 1,487 people, including 778 convicts , to establish the first European colony in Australia, in the region which Captain Cook had named New South Wales. The fleet was led by Captain ...
during the search for an escaped convict
Convictism in Australia
During the late 18th and 19th centuries, large numbers of convicts were transported to the various Australian penal colonies by the British government. One of the primary reasons for the British settlement of Australia was the establishment of a penal colony to alleviate pressure on their...
woman, Mary Morgan, who was said to be living with the Aborigines to the North of the Hawkesbury River
Hawkesbury River
The Hawkesbury River, also known as Deerubbun, is one of the major rivers of the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its tributaries virtually encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney.-Geography:-Course:...
.
The area now known as The Entrance was occupied by Henry Holden in 1828. He occupied 640 acres (259 ha) and was bounded by the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
on the eastern side, Tuggerah Lake
Tuggerah Lake
Tuggerah Lake is a large coastal saltwater lake on the Central Coast of New South Wales about north of Sydney. It is connected with the sea through a tidal channel at its southern end known as The Entrance. It is also connected with two smaller lakes, Budgewoi Lake and through that to Lake...
on the northern and western sides and extended all the way to the current Toowoon Bay
Toowoon Bay, New South Wales
Toowoon Bay is a suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, located on a peninsula between Tuggerah Lake and the Pacific Ocean south of The Entrance. It is part of the Wyong Shire local government area.- Location :...
Road. Holden named the property Towoon. In 1835 the deeds were issued to John Edye Manning and he sold the land for £
Australian pound
The pound was the currency of Australia from 1910 until 13 February 1966, when it was replaced by the Australian dollar. It was subdivided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence.- Earlier Australian currencies :...
200 to Thomas Cade Battley who renamed the property Terilbah.
In 1850, ownership was transferred to the Taylor Family and it was referred to as Tuggerah Beach. The land remained privately owned until about 1900 when it was divided up among the twelve children of Richard Brown Taylor and Norberta Maria Gertrude (née Watkins). The Taylors donated land to the Roman Catholic Church, The Church of England and The Entrance Public School. Many street
Street
A street is a paved public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable...
s in the area are named after them including Taylor Street, Richard Street, Norberta Street and Victoria Street.
On 15 December 1910, Karagi Receiving Office was opened. Karagi, meaning the entrance, was the Aboriginal name
Australian Aboriginal languages
The Australian Aboriginal languages comprise several language families and isolates native to the Australian Aborigines of Australia and a few nearby islands, but by convention excluding the languages of Tasmania and the Torres Strait Islanders...
for the point on the south bank of the channel at the Pacific Ocean, a name which has since been officially adopted. On 1 June 1911, Karagi Receiving Office was designated a Post Office. The name Karagi was not popular locally and on 15 November 1911, the English interpretation was adopted.
Growth
In 1889 the railway line was completed from Sydney to Newcastle and tourism began to develop in the area during the late 19th century following the construction of several guest houses. The first guest house in the area was built at The Entrance NorthThe Entrance North, New South Wales
The Entrance North is a coastal suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, at the end of a peninsula immediately across The Entrance Channel from The Entrance. It is part of the Wyong Shire local government area....
by Mr and Mrs Walter Denniss in 1885 and was called Dunleith Guest House. Bayview Guest House was the first to be opened in the Entrance and was opened in 1900 by Mr and Mrs Dening (née Taylor). Pinehurst Guest House was another that was constructed in 1903 by Les Taylor and was by far the largest at that time. By 1912, members of the Taylor family were operating four guest houses at The Entrance.
In March 1920, 200 parcels of land were auctioned after it had become clear that the land in the township needed to be subdivided. Each block of land averaged a selling price of £60 to £80, although some blocks closer to the water sold for as much as £200. Immediately holiday houses began to be built rapidly. It also resulted in a total of 15 guest houses operating soon after, including Lakeside built by Rene Johnson (née Taylor) that was the most exclusive. Although competition was fierce, the guesthouses had high occupancy rates in the booming times. Bayview Avenue and Ozone Street are both named after guest houses that were located at The Entrance.
Despite the growth, the area was still isolated and access was restricted to a wagon on the bush track from Gosford
Gosford, New South Wales
Gosford is a city located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 76 km north of the Sydney central business district...
or by a ferry from Wyong
Wyong, New South Wales
Wyong was proclaimed a town in 1888 and is currently a major northern suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, located approximately 89 km NNE of Sydney. It is the administrative centre for the Wyong Shire local government area.- History :...
. The area was popular among fishermen and prior to 1908 the majority of boats that travelled to The Entrance used Tuggerah Jetty, the remains of which, still exists on the shore of Tuggerah Lake between the entrances to Wyong River and Ourimbah Creek. When Wyong River was dredged in 1908, the boats would take their catch into Wyong. The construction of Wyong Wharf allowed greater access to The Entrance and the demand for ferry transport boomed. Numerous operators took advantage of the demand and ferry's such as Wyong, Waiwera, Loongana and Maheno were making regular journeys across Tuggerah Lake. In 1922, the bush track to Wyong was opened as a road. By the end of the nineteen-twenties the ferry's were rendered obsolete by buses that could reach The Entrance quickly and cheaply.
The Entrance Bridge
The Entrance Bridge joins the suburbs of The Entrance and The Entrance North on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, passing over The Entrance Channel. The road forms part of Wilfred Barret Drive....
links The Entrance with The Entrance North over The Entrance Channel as part of Wilfred Barrett Drive. It was originally a wooden single lane bridge with bypass bays that allowed traffic travelling in the opposite direction to pass. It was opened in 1934. The original bridge was adequate until 1965 as it only served traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
travelling as far as The Entrance North. By the end of 1965 the traffic flow over the old bridge at The Entrance increased to such an extent the structure was under constant repair. Work began on the current two lane, concrete structure on 17 July 1967 after a successful tender by Transbridge Pty Ltd. The bridge was opened to traffic on 20 December 1968 and officially opened by the Premier of New South Wales, the Hon. Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
on 18 April 1969.
The Da Vinci Code (film)
The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard. The screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman and based on Dan Brown's worldwide bestselling 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code...
as it was contrary to the owner's beliefs.
In 1999, The Entrance waterfront was named 'The Pelican Capital of Australia' by Wyong Council to coincide with the opening of a pelican feeding platform as part of the waterfront redevelopment. The daily feeding of the pelicans at 3.30 pm daily has been a regular event at The Entrance for around 20 years since an employee at Clifford's fish shop Peter Major started giving them his scraps during his lunch break. The daily practice attracts 20,000 visitors annually. The Entrance is the perfect place for fishing. There are many species of fish that can be found in the area such as whiting, flathead, bream, and blackfish. The prawnisi also come with the scoonie
Politics
|
|
The Entrance is located within the federal Division of Dobell
Division of Dobell
The Division of Dobell is an Australian electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Sir William Dobell, the painter. It is located in the Central Coast region of New South Wales and includes the towns of The Entrance, Tuggerah and Wyong...
. Dobell was originally a fairly safe seat for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
but was won by the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
in the 2001 election. The Liberals consolidated their hold on the seat at the 2004 election, but was lost by them in the 2007 election, going back to Labor.
In the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
, The Entrance is part of the Electoral district of The Entrance
Electoral district of The Entrance
The Entrance is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is represented by Chris Spence of the Liberal Party of Australia who defeated Labor candidate David Mehan at the State Election in 2011...
. The electorate is considered a marginal seat for the Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
who have held the seat since 1992. It is represented by Grant McBride
Grant McBride
Grant Anthony McBride , a former Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of The Entrance on the New South Wales Central Coast for the Australian Labor Party between 1992 and 2011.-Personal life:McBride is a qualified engineer who...
. McBride has announced he will not stand in the 2010 state election. McBride has never lived in the electorate.
Polling statistics are shown to the right for the Dobell
Division of Dobell
The Division of Dobell is an Australian electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Sir William Dobell, the painter. It is located in the Central Coast region of New South Wales and includes the towns of The Entrance, Tuggerah and Wyong...
in the 2003 NSW and 2004 Federal elections.
Town amenities
The Entrance Town Centre is located on The Entrance Road, extending from Dening Street (named after the original owners of Bayview Guest House.) to The Entrance Bridge. Lakeside Shopping Centre (locally called by its former name Lakeside Plaza) is located on the corner of The Entrance Road and Dening Street. It contains a Coles supermarket, bakery, pharmacy, Greater Building Society, Medicare, newsagent as well as several specialty stores. The main street of the town (The Entrance Road) has approximately 200 shops and services. These include branches of Commonwealth, Westpac, ANZ banks. Legal, medical and political offices are also located on the main street. At the bottom of the main street the stores focus on the needs of tourists with fashion, fishing equipment and restaurants.The Entrance is serviced by Red Bus Services, and the town is the major terminus, with several routes terminating and beginning in Torrens Avenue. Bus numbers 21, 22 and 23 all run an identical route through the town via Torrens Avenue, Fairview Avenue and The Entrance Road on the way to Gosford. Bus numbers 24, 25, 26 and run an identical route through the suburb via Torrens Avenue, Fairview Avenue, The Entrance Road, Warrigal Street, Boondilla Road and Bay Road on the way to Wyong. In addition to this bus number 29 travels along The Entrance Road, Fairview Avenue, Torrens Avenue and Wilfred Barrett Drive on its way to Wyong Hospital from Stockland Bay Village. Generally, Red Bus Services run every 30 to 60 minutes from 5am to 12am.
Mardi Gras
To celebrate the start of the summer tourist season, on the first full weekend in December The Entrance holds its annual Mardi Gras festival. The first Mardi Gras was held in 1950. Mardi Gras is the major event of the town and district for the year. The festival is named Mardi Gras after the spirit of the carnevals and Mardi Gras of Europe.The event contains a number of events including fun runs, concerts, fire works and displays. The highlight is the parade. This contains numerous floats from local organisations. The parade starts in Long Jetty and proceeds along The Entrance Road to the Memorial Park being cheered by locals and tourists along the way. In the past local children clamoured to collect 'freebies' (merchandise and sweets) thrown off the floats.
A Mardi Gras Queen, Prince and Princess are crowned as part of the festival.
External links
- The Entrance at Government Tourism NSW web site