Gosford is a waterfront city at the northern end of Brisbane Water on the Central Coast in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Gosford Waterfront is known for its boating and scenic views on the shores of Brisbane Water. Gosford is the main commercial hub and gateway of the Central Coast. It is situated approximately 77 km (48 mi) north of Sydney and 86 km (53 mi) south of Newcastle. Gosford is located in the local government area of the Central Coast Council.

Gosford, locally nicknamed 'Gossie', is located in the north-eastern part of the Sydney Basin in the traditional Darkinjung Country.

The regional city is one of the two shared administrative hubs of the Central Coast Council, along with Wyong. Gosford is the central business district of the Central Coast region and is the third largest urban area in the state of New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle. Gosford has been deemed a vital CBD spine under the NSW Metropolitan Strategy following the merging of City of Gosford Council and Wyong Shire Council in 2016, forming the current Central Coast Council administration. The population of the Gosford area was 169,053 in 2016.

Until white settlement, the area around Gosford was inhabited by the Guringai peoples, who were principally coastal-dwellers, and the Darkinjung people that inhabited the hinterland. Along with the other land around the Hawkesbury River estuary, the Brisbane Water district was explored during the early stages of the settlement of New South Wales.

Gosford itself was explored by State Governor Arthur Phillip between 1788 and 1789. The area was difficult to access and settlement began around 1823. By the late 19th century the agriculture in the region was diversifying, with market gardens and citrus orchards occupying the rich soil left after the timber harvest. As late as 1850, the road between Hawkesbury (near Pittwater) and Brisbane Water was a cart wheel track.

East Gosford was the first centre of settlement. Gosford was named in 1839 after Archibald Acheson, 2nd Earl of Gosford – a friend of the then Governor of New South Wales George Gipps. Acheson's title derives its name from Gosford, a townland (sub-division) of Markethill in County Armagh in Northern Ireland.

In 1887, the Main Northern railway line to Sydney was completed, requiring a bridge over the Hawkesbury River and a tunnel through the sandstone ridge west of Woy Woy. The introduction of this transport link and then the Pacific Highway in 1930 accelerated the development of the region.^{[citation needed]} Electification of the line reached Gosford on 23 January 1960.

Gosford became a town in 1885 and was declared a municipality in 1886. It was then declared a Shire in 1947, and a City on 1 January 1980.