Central Coast Latest Developments and What Happened This Week

Central Coast Council approved $4.2 million in extra spending for the Gosford CBD renewal at its meeting on July 8.

The vote came days after the state government released its latest quarterly report on regional infrastructure, which listed the Central Coast as one of six priority zones for commuter housing growth. Local rates have risen 5.8 percent this financial year, and many residents who travel daily to Sydney face median house prices above $850,000 in Gosford and Erina.

The funding targets streetscape work on Mann Street between the waterfront and the railway station. It also covers new lighting and drainage upgrades near the old Imperial Centre site. Council staff said the money would come from the remaining balance of the 2024-2027 capital works program.

Fast rail and flood planning move forward

Transport for NSW held a community drop-in session at the Wyong Golf Club on July 10 to outline possible alignments for the proposed fast rail corridor. The session drew about 180 people, according to council records. Planners showed maps that route the line through the western edge of Tuggerah and near the existing Wyong station.

At the same time, council engineers released updated flood modelling for the Wyong River catchment. The new data uses rainfall figures from the March 2025 event, which saw 312 millimetres fall in 24 hours at Ourimbah. The report recommends raising sections of the Pacific Highway near Chittaway Point by 1.2 metres.

These two projects sit inside the council’s post-administration recovery plan adopted in late 2025. That plan set 12 performance targets, including completion of at least four major capital projects by December 2026.

Next steps for residents

Ratepayers can view the full Gosford CBD renewal scope and the flood maps on the council website until July 26. Submissions close at 5 pm that day. A further council briefing on the fast rail feedback is scheduled for August 5 at the council chambers in Gosford.