Central Coast total solar eclipse, 22 July 2028

Central Coast eclipse times (AEST)

Gosford: eclipse begins 12:40:46 pm · totality 1:59:59 pm to 2:03:15 pm · eclipse ends 3:14:51 pm. See the town table for everywhere else.

North or south of Tuggerah Lake?

The northern edge of the path runs just past the top of the Coast, so duration drops steadily as you head north. Patonga, Umina and Ettalong get 3 min 25 to 33 s; Gosford, Kincumber and Terrigal about 3 min 07 to 16 s; The Entrance, Wyong and Tuggerah about 2 min 43 to 49 s; Toukley and Norah Head about 2 min 16 to 19 s; and Budgewoi about 2 min 06 s, falling to about 1 min 20 s at Gwandalan. If you're in the north, a 20-minute drive south can add a minute or more.

Expect Hunter visitors

Newcastle, Maitland and most of Lake Macquarie are outside the path, so many Hunter residents will drive south on the M1 on Saturday morning. The Central Coast is the nearest place to them with two-plus minutes of totality. Locals should get to their spot early, and anyone driving in should leave before 9 am.

Getting around

The Central Coast & Newcastle Line stops at Woy Woy, Gosford, Tuggerah and Wyong, all close to viewing spots. Gosford's waterfront is a short walk from the station. Terrigal and The Entrance are busier to reach by car, so arrive early or use local buses.

What you'll see in Central Coast, minute by minute

Times are AEST for Gosford Leagues Club Field.

1. 12:40:46 pmfirst contact. On the Gosford waterfront, with Brisbane Water behind you, the first small bite shows on the Sun's right-hand edge. Glasses on.
2. About 1:29 pmthe Sun is about 53% covered. Light on the water dulls and looks faintly metallic, and where sunlight passes through leaves, the shadows become small crescents.
3. About 1:44 pmabout 77% covered. Even on a mild July afternoon you will feel the air cool. The waterfront looks as if it is late afternoon, and birds may go quiet.
4. About 1:54 pmabout 93% covered. Look north-west over the Gosford CBD. The sky there darkens as the Moon's shadow comes in at more than 4,000 km/h.
5. 1:59:59 pmthe diamond ring flashes, and Gosford is in totality. Glasses stay on. The sky above the CBD goes dark and the horizon over Brisbane Water glows like sunset.
6. 2:03:15 pmthe diamond ring returns on the opposite side of the Moon. Glasses stay on. At The Entrance and Norah Head, totality has already ended.
7. 3:14:51 pmlast contact. The Moon moves off the Sun and the eclipse over the Coast ends.

Where to look

Wherever you are on the Coast, the totality Sun is about 29° up in the north-north-west, on a bearing of 327° true, so you do not need a sea horizon. At Gosford it sits over the low-to-mid-rise CBD. At Patonga it is behind you, above the Brisbane Water NP ridges. At The Entrance it hangs over open water across the channel. In each case, what matters is the nearby skyline on your north-north-west side: a tree or building there blocks the Sun if you are closer to it than about 1.8 times its height. That means at least 18 m from a 10 m tree, and at least 110 m from a 20-storey (60 m) tower.

On the Skillion or Norah Head there is little in the way. In town, check your NNW side: anything closer than about 1.8× its own height blocks the Sun. Allow 18 m for a 10 m tree and 110 m for a 20-storey tower.

Crowds

On NYE about 15,000 people pack The Entrance waterfront. Expect at least that, plus thousands of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie residents driving south on the M1 to get into the path.

Eclipse times near the Central Coast

Times AEST, computed from JPL DE421 lunar ephemeris and cross-checked against NASA/Espenak Besselian elements. That matters on the Coast: the northern lakes are close to the path edge, where durations can vary by 10 s or more, so treat the Budgewoi, Gwandalan and Mannering Park figures as approximate.

July weather in the Central Coast

There are no July cloud-day statistics for Gosford (Narara), but Sydney (12.0 clear / 8.7 cloudy) and Williamtown (11.3 / 9.1) bracket it. Onshore south-easterlies bring coastal cloud, so a westerly day is best. The mean July 3 pm temperature at Narara is 16.1°C.

Proven event crowds: about 15,000 at The Entrance and about 6,000 at Gosford's Leagues Club Park on NYE (Central Coast Council). Expect similar or larger numbers, plus Hunter residents driving south into the path on the M1.

Where to watch in Central Coast

Quick answers

Keeping your eyes safe

Every second of the eclipse, totality included, needs ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses, whether you are at Patonga with 3 min 33 s of totality or Gwandalan with 1 min 20 s. Sunglasses, smoked glass and homemade filters are never safe, and a camera, binoculars or a telescope must have a proper solar filter on the front before you look through it.

For schools, clubs and venues

The eclipse is on a Saturday, so Central Coast schools, from Woy Woy and Umina up to Wyong and Toukley, will need to give out glasses and run safety lessons by Friday 21 July 2028. The Coast has 346,596 residents, and Hunter visitors will be driving down the M1 as well. Central Coast Council, clubs, venues and accommodation hosts running viewing events should allow one certified pair per person and expect demand to peak in the final weeks. We supply bulk cartons, fundraising boxes of 20 to 250 pairs, and custom-branded glasses from 500 units with an artwork proof before printing.

• Bulk & wholesale
• Custom-branded glasses
• School & club fundraising
• Eclipse safety plan for schools

Guides for nearby towns

• Lake Macquarie eclipse guide
• Newcastle eclipse guide
• Sydney eclipse guide
• The Hawkesbury eclipse guide
• 2028 eclipse times across Australia
• Interactive eclipse map

← Back to the 2028 eclipse guide