Woy Woy, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Woy Woy is a coastal town and a southern suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales
, Australia
, located on the southern reaches of Brisbane Water
79 kilometres (49 mi) north of Sydney
. It is an important population centre within the City of Gosford local government area
.
Woy Woy is located in the northern half of the Woy Woy Peninsula, Down a Mountain, a densely-populated estuarine peninsula that also includes the districts of Umina Beach
, Ettalong Beach
and Blackwall
, in addition to several small sub-districts. The historical and commercial core of Woy Woy is located around the railway station at the northern tip of the peninsula while its residential districts merge imperceptibly southwards with Umina and Ettalong. (Woy Woy officially ends at McMasters Road; and Umina begins beyond this.)
Woy Woy is considered a dormitory town
of Sydney.
people, and reputedly means 'big lagoon' or 'much water', referring to the deep tidal channel adjacent to the town centre.
It was originally known as Webb's Flat, named for James Webb, the first European settler of the Brisbane Water region in 1823, and was first explored by a party led by Governor Arthur Phillip
in 1789.
Electrification of the Main Northern rail line running through Woy Woy to Gosford in 1960 prompted rapid residential development in and around Woy Woy in the 1960s and 1970s as its relatively low-priced properties became an important part of the Sydney commuter belt, with rail journey times of just over an hour to reach Sydney
's central business district
.
During the Second World War, an airfield was constructed on the Woy Woy Peninsula as a satellite field of Schofields airfield. Schofields was used by the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (RN FAA) during WW2. Woy Woy airfield had a single runway sealed north/south. There were 4 pens for medium bombers, probably Grumman Avengers. The airfield was last used in 1946, the land subsequently developed for residential use.
December 1948, there were private enterprise plans announced to develop 1259 acres of light industrial land, 800 acres of accompanying housing, a railway connection with the existing main line and the conversion of the World War II era airstrip at Ettalong Beach into an airport. If the concept had proceeded all costs would have been covered by the developer, including water, sewerage and other amenities. At the time it was predicted that up to 50,000 jobs would have been developed within 10 to 25 years.
The $24 million Peninsula Leisure Centre opened on October 29, 2005 after significant delays.
conditions. A significant proportion of the local population commute to Sydney for work, with the majority of local work opportunities to be found in service, retail and other light commercial industries.
festival is held mid-November. The "Brisbane Water" Oyster Festival was inaugurated in 2000. The 2007 Festival Queen(s) were announced on Friday November 9. Queen of the Festival was Ms Natalie Jupe while Ms Kimberly Pratt was awarded Charity Queen, and Ms Glenda Bray was awarded Charity Queen runner-up. The entrants (10) raised ~$50,000 to raise awareness and help to find a cure for breast cancer.
After their retirement, the parents and younger brother of comedian Spike Milligan
(1918–2002) moved to Woy Woy; as a result, Spike spent some time in the town and was occasionally jocularly referred to as "the boy from Woy Woy". Woy Woy is now the home of an annual festival known as "Spike Fest", which celebrates Milligan's life and works. Milligan famously named Woy Woy "the largest above ground cemetery in the world" when visiting in the 1960s. He made numerous references to Woy Woy in the radio series The Idiot Weekly
.
In July 2007, a new cycle bridge near Woy Woy was named the "Spike Milligan Bridge"
Another internationally known resident of Woy Woy was Olive Riley
(1899–2008), of the Woy Woy Community Nursing Home, who became recognised as the world's oldest known blog
ger. From February 2007, aged 107, she started an internet blog
and also appeared in a number of YouTube
videos. Her last post was made on 26 June 2008, two and a half weeks prior to her death on 12 July, aged 108.
Woy Woy is also home to several sporting teams which compete in Central Coast competitions, including the Roosters (rugby league
- competed in Sydney's Jim Beam Cup, but not any more), Sharks (cricket
), Southern & Ettalong United FC (football), Lions (rugby union
) and the Peninsula Swans (Australian rules).
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...
, located on the southern reaches of Brisbane Water
Brisbane Water
Brisbane Water is the northern arm of Broken Bay on the east coast of New South Wales Australia. Brisbane Water is named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, Governor of New South Wales between 1820 and 1825...
79 kilometres (49 mi) north of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. It is an important population centre within the City of Gosford 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...
.
Woy Woy is located in the northern half of the Woy Woy Peninsula, Down a Mountain, a densely-populated estuarine peninsula that also includes the districts of Umina Beach
Umina Beach, New South Wales
Umina Beach is a suburb within the City of Gosford local government area on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.By road, it is north of Sydney and south of Newcastle....
, Ettalong Beach
Ettalong Beach, New South Wales
Ettalong Beach is a suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, located south of Woy Woy on Brisbane Water at the point where it meets Broken Bay, about 80km north of Sydney. It is part of the City of Gosford local government area...
and Blackwall
Blackwall, New South Wales
Blackwall is a suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, located immediately south of Woy Woy on Brisbane Water, north of Sydney. It is part of the City of Gosford local government area....
, in addition to several small sub-districts. The historical and commercial core of Woy Woy is located around the railway station at the northern tip of the peninsula while its residential districts merge imperceptibly southwards with Umina and Ettalong. (Woy Woy officially ends at McMasters Road; and Umina begins beyond this.)
Woy Woy is considered a dormitory town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
of Sydney.
Origin of name
The double name is a corruption of the indigenous term apparently taken from the local Darkinjung AboriginalIndigenous 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....
people, and reputedly means 'big lagoon' or 'much water', referring to the deep tidal channel adjacent to the town centre.
It was originally known as Webb's Flat, named for James Webb, the first European settler of the Brisbane Water region in 1823, and was first explored by a party led by Governor Arthur Phillip
Arthur Phillip
Admiral Arthur Phillip RN was a British admiral and colonial administrator. Phillip was appointed Governor of New South Wales, the first European colony on the Australian continent, and was the founder of the settlement which is now the city of Sydney.-Early life and naval career:Arthur Phillip...
in 1789.
Small coastal settlement
Woy Woy developed rapidly as a small coastal resort north of Sydney with the construction in 1888 of the northern railway. Its relative proximity to the state capital combined with its small-town isolation led to it developing a reputation in the middle years of the 20th century as a convenient "lover's retreat" for couples conducting affairs.Electrification of the Main Northern rail line running through Woy Woy to Gosford in 1960 prompted rapid residential development in and around Woy Woy in the 1960s and 1970s as its relatively low-priced properties became an important part of the Sydney commuter belt, with rail journey times of just over an hour to reach Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
.
During the Second World War, an airfield was constructed on the Woy Woy Peninsula as a satellite field of Schofields airfield. Schofields was used by the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (RN FAA) during WW2. Woy Woy airfield had a single runway sealed north/south. There were 4 pens for medium bombers, probably Grumman Avengers. The airfield was last used in 1946, the land subsequently developed for residential use.
December 1948, there were private enterprise plans announced to develop 1259 acres of light industrial land, 800 acres of accompanying housing, a railway connection with the existing main line and the conversion of the World War II era airstrip at Ettalong Beach into an airport. If the concept had proceeded all costs would have been covered by the developer, including water, sewerage and other amenities. At the time it was predicted that up to 50,000 jobs would have been developed within 10 to 25 years.
The $24 million Peninsula Leisure Centre opened on October 29, 2005 after significant delays.
Schools
Woy Woy has one Catholic school, St John the Baptist Primary School, located in Dulkara Road, Woy Woy. Schooling offered by the Sisters of St. Joseph commenced in Woy Woy in 1922 at the original St John the Baptist Church (Parish hall since 2007) located on the corner of Blackwall and Victoria Roads, Woy Woy.Economy
As a regional area, job losses have had an impact on the local economy - a recent example being the closure of the F.C. Nichols abattoir in 2003, blamed in part on droughtDrought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
conditions. A significant proportion of the local population commute to Sydney for work, with the majority of local work opportunities to be found in service, retail and other light commercial industries.
Culture
An annual oysterOyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
festival is held mid-November. The "Brisbane Water" Oyster Festival was inaugurated in 2000. The 2007 Festival Queen(s) were announced on Friday November 9. Queen of the Festival was Ms Natalie Jupe while Ms Kimberly Pratt was awarded Charity Queen, and Ms Glenda Bray was awarded Charity Queen runner-up. The entrants (10) raised ~$50,000 to raise awareness and help to find a cure for breast cancer.
After their retirement, the parents and younger brother of comedian Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
(1918–2002) moved to Woy Woy; as a result, Spike spent some time in the town and was occasionally jocularly referred to as "the boy from Woy Woy". Woy Woy is now the home of an annual festival known as "Spike Fest", which celebrates Milligan's life and works. Milligan famously named Woy Woy "the largest above ground cemetery in the world" when visiting in the 1960s. He made numerous references to Woy Woy in the radio series The Idiot Weekly
The Idiot Weekly
The Idiot Weekly was a radio programme made by the Australian Broadcasting Commission.-Background:Transcriptions of the Goon Show were broadcast on Australian radio from late 1955. When Spike Milligan visited his parents in Woy Woy in 1958, the Australian Broadcasting Commission signed him for a...
.
In July 2007, a new cycle bridge near Woy Woy was named the "Spike Milligan Bridge"
Another internationally known resident of Woy Woy was Olive Riley
Olive Riley
Olive Riley was an Australian woman, born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, believed for a time to have been the world's oldest blogger...
(1899–2008), of the Woy Woy Community Nursing Home, who became recognised as the world's oldest known blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ger. From February 2007, aged 107, she started an internet blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
and also appeared in a number of YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
videos. Her last post was made on 26 June 2008, two and a half weeks prior to her death on 12 July, aged 108.
Woy Woy is also home to several sporting teams which compete in Central Coast competitions, including the Roosters (rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
- competed in Sydney's Jim Beam Cup, but not any more), Sharks (cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
), Southern & Ettalong United FC (football), Lions (rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
) and the Peninsula Swans (Australian rules).
Notable residents
- Felicity WardFelicity WardFelicity Ward is an Australian comedian, best known for her TV appearances on Spicks and Specks, Thank God You're Here, Good News Week and as a writer/performer in the Channel 10 Network television programme The Ronnie Johns Half Hour...
, Female Commedienne, born in WoyWoy in 1980, - Minard Fannie CrommelinMinard Fannie CrommelinMinard Crommelin MBE was an Australian postmistress and environmental conservationist.Crommelin was born on 29 June 1881 at Aston Station, near Bombala, New South Wales....
M.B.EOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1881–1972), postmistress and environmental conservationist, spent 5 years as postmistress in Woy Woy. - Megan DehnMegan DehnMegan Dehn is an Australian international netballer from Woy Woy, New South Wales. A former Australian representative player, she currently plays in the ANZ Championship for New Zealand–based team the Northern Mystics....
(1974-), sport, grew up in Woy Woy. - John MonieJohn MonieJohn Monie is a former professional rugby league coach and player. He is probably best known for his coaching career where he won premierships in both Australia and England.-Playing career:...
, sport, grew up in Woy Woy. - Janice PetersonJanice PetersonJanice Petersen is an Australian television presenter. Currently Petersen is co-host of the Special Broadcasting Service World News Australia alongside Anton Enus.-Personal History:...
, (1977-), television presenter, grew up in Woy Woy. - Olive RileyOlive RileyOlive Riley was an Australian woman, born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, believed for a time to have been the world's oldest blogger...
(1899–2008), writer. - Josh Ross (1981-), IndigenousIndigenous AustraliansIndigenous 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....
OlympianOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, from the age of 7 attended Woy Woy Public School. - Simon TownsendSimon TownsendSimon Townsend is an Australian journalist who became a popular television host during the 1980s. He is currently a tutor in journalism.-Vietnam War Conscientious Objector:...
(1945-), journalist, television host & presenter, spent some time in Woy Woy. - Mark Gregory PeggMark Gregory PeggMark Gregory Pegg is an Australian professor of medieval history, currently teaching in the United States at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He specializes in scholarship of the Albigensian Crusade and the Inquisition, the history of heresy, and the history of holiness...
(1963-), world-renowned Historian and Author, now based in USA.
Sports Clubs
- Peninsula Swans Australian Rules Club
- Woy Woy Cricket Club
- Woy Woy Football Club
- Woy Woy Lions Rugby Union Club
- Woy Woy Peninsula Netball Aoociation
- Woy Woy Swim Club
- Woy Woy Roosters Rugby League Club
- Woy Woy Judo Club