The Entrance

The Entrance is a district centre and town in the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.

The Entrance is a district centre and town in the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Central Coast Council local government area. At the 2011 census, The Entrance had a population of 3,873 people.The town occupies an area of land that is bounded by water on three sides. The Entrance gains its name from the channel that runs along much of its northern border that is the entrance to Tuggerah Lakes. The Entrance has been apopular holiday destination since the first guest house was established there in 1885.As a beloved "holiday playground of two cities", the town continues to grow with new tourist accommodation, including the Pullman Hotel at North Entrance, the redevelopment of residential areas, and the enhancement of recreational facilities. The district's main tourist attractions are its beaches, lake and town centre. It is also suitably located for day trips to the Hunter Valley vineyards.

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. Both Battley and Manning have streets named in their honour at The Entrance.

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 streets 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 changed on 15 November 1911 and the name "The Entrance" was adopted.

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 North 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 (the building has since relocated to Wyee). Although competition was fierce, the guesthouses had high occupancy rates in the booming times. Bayview Avenue, Ozone Street, and Lakeside Parade are 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.

Prime Minister Menzies, Mrs Menzies, and their daughter Miss. H. Menzies visited the town in October 1953. The Prime Minister spoke with the pupils at The Entrance Public School and spent the evening at the Floral Ball held at The Palm Grove Dance Hall. It was reported in The Gosford Times that "It was most probably the most magnificent floral display ever assembled ...in this district".

There was a proposal for the railway to have a branch line to The Entrance. The proposed route would have left the Main North line just south of Chittaway Creek and terminated at present day Taylor Park. There was also a proposal for a local government area to be named and centred on The Entrance. Prior to 2016, The Entrance was part of the former Wyong Shire.