Avoca Beach, New South Wales

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Avoca Beach
city = Central Coast
state = nsw


caption =
lga = City of Gosford
postcode = 2251
pop = 4,196 (2006 census)
area = 4.0
propval = $571,250 (Q2 2007)
est =
parish = Kincumbercite web|url=http://www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/name_search/extract?id=SXKqwp|title=Geographical Names Register Extract - Avoca Beach (Suburb)|author=Geographical Names Board of New South Wales|accessdate=2007-07-16]
stategov = Terrigal
fedgov = Robertson
dist1 = 94 | dir1 = NNE | location1 = Sydney
dist2 = 17 | dir2 = ESE | location2 = Gosford
dist3 = 8 | dir3 = S | location3 = Terrigal
near-nw = Picketts Valley
near-n = Terrigal
near-ne = North Avoca
near-w = Kincumber
near-e = "Tasman Sea"
near-sw = Kincumber
near-s = Kincumber
near-se = Copacabana

Avoca Beach is a coastal suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, about convert|95|km|mi|0|lk=on north of Sydney. It is located within the City of Gosford local government area.The founder of Avoca was former wheat grower Sam Avoca Gorey.It has recently been voted the 4th most expensive place to live in NSW.

Geography

Avoca Beach is located on the Tasman Sea convert|17|km|mi|0 east-southeast of the Gosford central business district, and about halfway between Newcastle and Sydney, being about convert|95|km|mi|0 from each. It is bordered to the north by the Bulbararing Lagoon, to the west by Saltwater Creek and to the east by the ocean.cite book|title=Central Coast Street Directory|edition=13|year=2003|author=UBD|publisher=Universal Press|pages=Map 99|id=ISBN 0-7319-1475-9]

History

The area was originally inhabited by the Awabakal Aboriginal people. "Avoca" is an Irish name meaning "great estuary" or "where the river meets the sea", and is also the name of a town in County Wicklow, Ireland. [cite web|url=http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/placenames.html|title=Placenames|author=Gosford City Library|accessdate=2007-07-21]

On 4 January 1830, convert|640|acre|ha|0|lk=on of land in the area were promised to Irish army officer John Moore. However, the official deeds were not issued until 30 September 1839 due to the difficulty in surveying the land. He built a house opposite Bulbararing Lake (now known as Avoca Lake) and planted vines, cereals and fruit trees. He left the area in 1857 for the Victorian goldfields. [cite book|last=Pratt|first=Eileen|year=1978|title=Place Names of the Central Coast|publisher=Brisbane Water Historical Society and The Entrance and District Society|pages=4] In the late 19th century, Tom Davis leased the area in order to exploit local timber, which was transported by tram to a mill at Terrigal via what is now Tramway Road in North Avoca.cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/New-South-Wales/Avoca-Beach/2005/02/17/1108500192603.html|title=Travel - Avoca Beach|author=Fairfax Digital|date=8 February 2004|accessdate=2007-07-16]

Residential development in Avoca Beach began during the 20th century, and the area subsequently became a popular holiday retreat with wealthy residents of Sydney's North Shore.

Demographics

At the ABS 2006 census, Avoca Beach had a population of 4,196 people.Census 2006 AUS|id=SSC13006|name=Avoca Beach (State Suburb)|accessdate=2007-07-16|quick=on] This was an increase of 106 people from the 2001 census.Census 2001 AUS|id=SSC15006|name=Avoca Beach (State Suburb)|accessdate=2007-07-16]

Avoca Beach residents had a median age of 38, compared to the Central Coast average of 40.Census 2006 AUS|id=1156|name=Gosford-Wyong (Statistical Region)|accessdate=2007-07-16|quick=on] Median individual incomes in Avoca Beach were above average for the region — $515 per week compared with $407 per week. The 2006 Census reported 1,513 occupied private dwellings, of which 7.8% were non-permanent (caravans, cabins and houseboats), and the median monthly housing loan repayment of $1,720 was well above the regional average of $1,500. In the year to July 2007, Avoca Beach's median house price was $571,250 versus $350,000 for the Central Coast region.cite web|url=http://www.domain.com.au/public/SuburbProfile.aspx?suburb=Avoca%20Beach&postcode=2251|title=Locality details - Avoca Beach 2251|author=Domain (Fairfax Digital)|date=July 2007|accessdate=2007-07-16]

The population of Avoca Beach is predominantly Australian-born, with some 80.5% of its residents being born in Australia as at the 2006 census. The second most prevalent birthplace was the United Kingdom at 7.36%, followed by New Zealand, South Africa and Germany. The most popular religious affiliations in descending order in the 2006 census were Roman Catholic, Anglican, no religion, Uniting.

Politics

At federal level, Avoca Beach is within the Division of Robertson, which has been held since 2007 by Belinda Neal of the Australian Labor Party, who defeated Liberal incumbent Jim Lloyd on a 7.0% swing. While Avoca Beach's booth has always been more favourable to the Liberals than the electorate as a whole, the swing to Labor of 6.78% at Avoca Beach was consistent with the rest of the electorate. [cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/guide/robe.htm|title=Robertson (Key Seat) - Green Guide|author=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=21 December 2007|accessdate=2008-02-11] [cite web|url=http://results.aec.gov.au/13745/website/HousePollingPlaceFirstPrefs-13745-2586.htm|title=Polling Place - Avoca Beach|author=Australian Electoral Commission|date=27 November 2007|accessdate=2008-02-11]

In the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Avoca Beach is within the electorate of Terrigal, currently held by Chris Hartcher of the Liberal Party.

Polling place statistics are presented below from the "Avoca Beach" polling place in the federal and state elections as indicated.

References

Further reading

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Clubs

*Avoca Beach Surf Life Saving Club http://www.avocabeachslsc.asn.au/
*Avoca Beach Rugby Club http://www.avocasharks.rugbynet.com.au/
*1st Avoca Beach Scouts http://www.avocascouts.com/
*Avoca Boardriders Club http://avocaboardriders.com/

chool

Avoca Beach Primary School http://www.avocabeach.ps.education.nsw.gov.au/

External links

* [http://www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/council/policies/dcp_register/dcp-159-statements/Avoca.pdf/view DCP 159 - Character Statement for Avoca] (Gosford City Council)