Settlement history

European settlement dates from the late 1830s, when many timber-cutters arrived. Land was also used for agriculture. Growth took place during the late 1800s, when several ports operated and the railway line from Launceston was opened. The most significant residential development occurred from the 1950s into the 1970s. The population grew slightly from the 1970s to the 1990s. The population was relatively stable from 1991 to 2011, at about 20,000 people.

Land use

The Central Coast Council area features both urban and rural areas. Eighty-five per cent of the area’s population live along the coastal strip. The principal townships are Ulverstone and Penguin, with smaller townships at Forth, Gawler, Heybridge, Leith, Sulphur Creek and Turners Beach. Rural land is used largely for agriculture, including poppies, pyrethrum, peas, potatoes and onion growing, and timber production and livestock enterprises. Tourism is also an important industry. The Council area encompasses a total land area of about 930 square kilometres.

Transport

The Central Coast Council area is served by the Bass Highway.

Major features

• Major features of the Council area include Gunns Plains Cave,
• Leven Canyon,
• Dial Range,
• Preston Falls,
• Winterbrook Falls,
• Penguin Viewing Platform,
• Black Bluff,
• The Leven River,
• The Forth River,
• Wing’s Wildlife Park,
• various state forests,
• Ulverstone Local History Museum,
• Perry-Ling Gardens and numerous beaches.

Included areas