Terrigal was first settled in 1826 by European Settler John Gray, who
called his property Tarrygal, after the indigenous Aboriginal place
name, signifying 'place of little birds'.
The town's long beach is
highly popular with tourists. Of geographical significance are the
Terrigal lagoons. There are in fact two lagoons at Terrigal, one of
which has been filled in to make way for a traffic oval. A local
landmark is "The Skillion", a promontory which provides a view of all
Terrigal. In recent years the Skillion has undergone rehabilitation by
the local city council.
The Skillion is on a preserved area of land
known as "The Haven". The Haven is centered by a popular public oval
which is home of the "Terrigal Trojans", a Rugby Union club. Their new
club house was provided by Gosford City Council. The Haven also has a
popular boat ramp which is partnered by a diving club, and a small
number of restaurants and cafes (due to tight development restrictions
on the area). In recent years, Gosford City Council has spent
approximately $3 million upgrading Terrigal's CBD with a new multi-level
car park, esplanade walkway and new storm water drainage system. As a
result of improved infrastructure and increased developer interest,
Terrigal has become substantially more urban since the 1970s, when there
was only 1 market, 1 medical centre and orchards in the area.
Terrigals
growth as a tourist destination and investment opportunity for wealthy
individuals, such as holiday homes and small business, has had both
positive and negative effects on the area such as the problem of traffic
congestion and parking
