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History of Riley's Island

The Environmental Education association recently printed a brief history of Riley's Island, based on information supplied by Geoff Potter of the Local Studies Section at Gosford Library.

Riley's Island was known as Shell Island originally and was advertised by the Government for sale during the early 1830s. John Riley purchased the island from the Crown in 1855 for £140/17/6.

John Riley may have begun shipbuilding in the 1860s.

An application to Gosford Council for subdivision on the island was made in September 1960, and was refused just over a year later

The Minister for Local Government approved development on the island subject to certain conditions in April 1969.

The proposal for Riley's Island involved the conversion of a mangrove island into a housing estate.

In 1972, architecture students from Sydney University were set an assignment to: evaluate the development of Riley's Island.

They were shocked by their findings, which in turn led to the formation of the Central Coast Environmental Protection Council.

Towards the end of 1973, this organisation held a public meeting which attracted the largest gathering for an environmental matter in Gosford until that time.

In 1975, primary school children took up a petition to save Riley's Island.

Central Coast Trades and Labour Council became involved and placed a green ban on the island and this saved the island from the bulldozers.

The council called a public meeting to again involve the local community and the Save Riley's Island committee was formed.

Proposed subdivision on the island was 400 lots.

This was reduced to 287.

In May 1975, Spike Milligan spoke at Ettalong to make a formal public protest over the proposed housing development.

In July a year later, Gosford Council voted to acquire the island as a nature reserve but the acquisition was unsuccessful.

Around 1979, the Trades and Labour Council agreed to maintain an indefinite green ban on Riley's Island.

Later that year a petition from local residents called for Riley's Island to be preserved as a wilderness area and in the same year Premier Neville Wran announced a public inquiry into the island's future.

In 1980, the State Government negotiated to acquire the island and that same year Minister Eric Bedford announced that it would be acquired for regional open space at a purchase price or $900,000.

Newsletter, December 6 Central Coast Environmental Education Association