Many people consider Terrigal to be the capital of the Central Coast, but ultramarathon runner Pat Farmer begs to differ.
"Gosford is the capital," said Mr Farmer, of Copacabana, while discussing the region's forthcoming local election.
"But it doesn't have the vibrancy of a major city, which tells you something isn't right.
"To be honest, if you get off the train at Gosford at night you're fearful."
He said Gosford needed to be greatly improved.
It had progressed with a spate of medium- to high-rise buildings and there were plans for a major waterfront development on Brisbane Water.
Central Coast Council's latest update on the waterfront plan, released last July, said "a revitalised waterfront precinct will form an anchor of a revitalised Gosford CBD".
It would also be "a catalyst for local education and employment opportunities".
"Council is doing the early work, but the intention is to hand this project over to an experienced government agency to take the lead as soon as practicable."
Many coast residents felt the city centre's cafe and restaurant culture was nowhere near its potential.
"It also needs to better support night life and entertainment," said Mr Farmer, who was a federal Liberal MP for almost a decade.
Mr Farmer is second to Lawrie McKinna on the Team Central Coast ticket for Gosford East in the Central Coast Council election on September 14.
Gosford is, of course, where the Central Coast Mariners play.
Mr McKinna, a former Mariners coach, previously served as Gosford mayor for three years before the amalgamation with Wyong council.
"I will have another tilt at mayor if elected," said Mr McKinna, a former Newcastle Jets chief executive.
"My vision for Gosford is to transform it into a vibrant and bustling city centre."
The first Central Coast Council mayor, Jane Smith, will also stand for election.
The soccer theme is evident on Ms Smith's "Central Coast Independents" website. Its display photo shows Ms Smith with Mariners and Jets players.
This group promised in its campaign material to give "communities an effective voice".
The region's people effectively lost their voice when a $500 million debt led the NSW government to sack the council's CEO and elected councillors.
So the forthcoming election will mark the first time in four years that the Coast has elected officials at the grassroots level.
Almost 80 candidates will context the election across five wards. Those elected as the city's 15 councillors will choose the mayor among them.
Mr Farmer said local councillors were needed to "understand what's really needed in the area, instead of relying on big departments like they do with state and federal governments".
"The problem with these departments is they're switched on to do the least amount of work they can," he said.
"We need local people as councillors who genuinely care about the community to talk about what's needed.
"Under the administration, it's become too much of a machine."
He said the council had "put up everybody's rates, then patted themselves on the back because they were able to solve the debt".
"That's an easy fix. A more sensible way to go about it is to look at creating a more efficient council."
He said DA approvals for ordinary people's various projects, especially simpler applications, need to be approved faster.
"People want action, they don't want a whole lot of waffle and excuses of why things can't be done."
