| Wamberal Central Coast, New South Wales |
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| Population: | 6,412 (2006 census) | ||||||||||||
| Postcode: | 2260 | ||||||||||||
| Area: | 6.5 km² (2.5 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Location: | |||||||||||||
| LGA: | City of Gosford | ||||||||||||
| Parish: | Kincumber | ||||||||||||
| State District: | Terrigal | ||||||||||||
| Federal Division: | Dobell | ||||||||||||
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Wamberal /ˈwɒmbərəl/ is an affluent coastal suburb of the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, located just north of Terrigal. It is part of the City of Gosford local government area.
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The suburb has 2 distinct areas; there is a coastal strip which includes Wamberal Beach and the Lagoon estuary which houses medium to high density residential properties, as well as a semi-rural area, slightly west of the beach. The latter of which contains coastal acreages and ridges of bushland which are legislated non-development areas in order to retain the area's ecosystem.
The main thoroughfare through the suburb is via the Central Coast Highway through the north and south, previously known as The Entrance Road. Since 2008, the roadway has undergone an 100 million dollar redevelopment into a four lane dual carriageway from Matcham to the north end of the suburb. Servicing the suburb from the south east is Ocean View Drive, linking Wamberal to Terrigal.
Wamberal has small clusters of high-end cafes, restaurants and boutique stores dotted along the beach front strip, Ocean View Drive, and on nearby streets. In 2009 the Wamberal Surf Life Saving Club was redeveloped to accommodate a cafe and award winning restaurant, in addition to new function rooms and surf life saving amenities.
Wamberal also has a Country Club, "Breakers", commemorating ANZAC efforts; its amenities include a golf course, bowling green and tennis facilities in addition to a brasserie and various bars with gambling outlets, all overlooking the lagoon front. It is scheduled for a redevelopment from 2011 onwards.
There is a Government Primary School in the rural sector of the suburb, teaching Kindergarten through Grade 6. The school is well renowned for its bushland setting and comprehensive learning environment.
According to 2006 census material, the population of Wamberal was 6,412. Employed persons usually resident in Wamberal were; Professionals 23.5%, Technicians and Trades Workers 14.9%, Clerical and Administrative Workers 13.8%, Managers 13.6% and Sales Workers 12.4%.
80.0% of persons usually resident in Wamberal stated they were born in Australia. Other common responses within Wamberal were: England 4.4%, New Zealand 1.8%, Scotland 0.6%, South Africa 0.5% and Italy 0.3%.
The median weekly individual income for persons aged 15 years and over who were usual residents was $678, compared with $466 in Australia overall. The median weekly household income was $1,783, compared with $1,027 in Australia. The median weekly family income was $2,086, compared with $1,171 in Australia.
The prestige among Wamberal's property has increased dramatically in recent years largely credited to leafy, family friendly streets, shrinking availability of land and its proximity to local amenities including public transport, commercial and industrial areas and education whilst still remaining distant.
This motif was heralded in 2008 by the passing in at auction of a 1940's bungalow on a double block of beach front land at $7.2 million, the property has recently been redeveloped, believed to be worth in excess of $10 million, which would make it the most valuable home on the Central Coast.
This practice of redevelopment of property within Wamberal is seeing a shift further upmarket in property prices and moving the suburb further into the limelight with wealthier home buyers. This shift may also be credited to the redevelopment of local amenities, such as playgrounds, and community spaces such as parks of which some were initiated under the Nation Building Scheme of the Rudd Government's Economic Stimulus Policy. In September 2010, the median house price for Wamberal was $1,100,000 [1]
Wamberal is the next suburb from Terrigal, with the two suburbs being separated by the Terrigal Lagoon Estuary, Wamberal is far less commercialised than its neighbour, a reason for the large proportion of families residing in the suburb, who favour the amenities and the attractive lifestyle that Wamberal offers.