The escarpment swaggies: ‘Bandy’ Sam, ‘Dumby’ Henderson, and Bernard the German

NOT even a reigning monarch could shift old Bandy Sam from his bush humpy at Slacky Flat, Bulli. Although authorities were eventually successful in clearing the shanty town of unemployed men and low income families from the blackberry and weed infested flat named after the coal waste that had been progressively washed down from the…

Death and dust down the mine

SYDNEY: “Yes, I’ve seen my mates killed – 21 at Bellbird – two at Excelsior – two at Old Bulli – two at Wongawilli – one at Catherine Hill Bay,” said Arthur McDonald, a dusted coal miner, last week. “I’ve seen the last messages men, trapped behind a brick seal, chalked on the wall before…

Bulli Lodge takes out 1930 Solidarity Cup

The Solidarity Cup was won by the Old Bulli Miners’ Lodge at the May Day celebrations. In the photo: Messrs. A. Southern (Board of Management representative), J. Harbottle (secretary Old Bulli Lodge), and J . Wallis (president of the lodge). – The Labor Daily May 6 1930  * The Solidarity Cup was presented to the…

Striking Bulli coal miners 1938

Coal miners leaving the pit, Bulli, before going on strike. Miners at Bulli handing in their lamps at the commencement of the coal strike.   Photos: The Australasian (Melbourne) Saturday 17 September 1938 Would you like to make a small donation towards the running of the Looking Back and Bulli & Clifton Times websites? If you would like…

Scenes in South Coast Collieries

IN THE OLD BULLI MINE One of the oldest coal mines on the N.S.W. South Coast. The men are waiting for the skips to move off on their 2½-mile trip underground. STARTING THE DAY’S WORK A miner entering a skip which will take him down to the coal face. AT THE RESCUE STATION Where a team of…

How the billy got its name

THE story goes that the humble “billy can” got its name from the goldfields. In the early days of the diggings in NSW and Victoria, the miners consumed considerable quantities of tinned foods. One particular brand of beef, in big round cans, was known as “Bully Beef”. When the meat had been taken from the…

Striking Bulli coal miners

Miners from the Excelsior and old Bulli collieries photographed at Bulli yesterday. They were reading the latest developments following the Federal Government’s move in serving army call-up notices on many young South Coast miners who have been on strike since February 14. – The Melbourne Age Wednesday 1 March 1944 Would you like to make a small donation towards…

Old Bulli’s not dead yet

OLD Bulli is more alive than the men in other places of mushroom growth think. She can spoil the little ‘game’ of those who want to have great post offices and to burden the country with more taxation. ‘Go to bed !’ say we to you Woonona toilers. You can’t raise a progress committee. We don’t want…