Sherbrooke

Shifting Sherbrooke’s church

BACK in 1992, a team of volunteers relocated the former Sherbrooke Union Church from number 8 High Street Woonona to the Illawarra Grevillea Park (Behind Slacky Flat, Bulli) to save it from the bulldozer. The old church, which was being used as a private residence at the time, was earmarked for demolition for home…

July 2, 2017 in Sherbrooke.

The Bulli Tiger Mystery

By MICK ROBERTS © DURING the early part of the first half of last century, reports were circulating that a tiger was wandering the ruggered bushland on Bulli Mountain. Was it the famed extinct Tasmania Tiger, or thylacine, or perhaps an escaped big cat from a travelling circus or was it an exotic pet that had…

September 24, 2015 in Bulli Pass, Sherbrooke.

Lost village

By MICK ROBERTS © A FEW rusted corrugated water tanks scattered amongst the leftovers of English ornamental gardens, stone walls and twisted barbed wire are all that remain of the pretty little village of Sherbrooke on Bulli Mountain. The settlement, a couple of kilometres west of the summit of Bulli Pass, is no more –…

November 26, 2014 in Sherbrooke.

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PUB BOOK – IDEAL GIFT

THE LOCAL, A History of Hotels and the Liquor Industry in the Far Northern Illawarra of NSW, by Mick Roberts is selling fast with less than 20 copies available. The 115 page glossy page book features histories of pubs in Helensburgh, Clifton, Scarborough and Austinmer. The book has now SOLD OUT. Copies may be found at Wollongong Library.

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BULLI BRIEFS

UNUSUAL FALL

SYDNEY. January 3. Mr. T. Freeman, electrical engineer for the Bulli Shire, while staying at a hotel at Moss Vale, mistook French window for a doorway at night, stepped out, and he fell 20 feet to the paved yard below. His thigh was fractured in five places. His condition is serious. - The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA) Wednesday 4 January 1933

MISSING DUNNY

In these days of fuel scarcity, food and clothing rationing, many things are stolen, but probably one of the strangest thefts was the one reported to the Bulli Shire Council on Monday night by the South Thirroul Surf Life Saving Club, who reported that the lavatories at the beach had been pulled down and stolen during the winter."
- Illawarra Mercury Friday 10 December 1943.

SOMEBODY’S BLUNDER

A colossal stack of coal, estimated to contain 65,000 tons has been lying at Bulli since 1917. It is deteriorating and has probably lost 65 per cent of its value. No one definitely knows who owns it, but it is believed to have been bought by Mr. Hughes for the Commonwealth, at a cost of £100,000.
- Geraldton Guardian (WA) Thursday 24 January 1924.

BELLAMBI COAL

BULLI, Friday - The shipments of coal from Port Bellambi last week totalled 3750 tons. Of this quantity 550 tons went to Victoria, 250 tons to New Zealand, and the balance to Sydney.
- Sydney Evening News Saturday 5 December 1896.

BULLI NEW HALL

Bulli, Tuesday.
The splendid new hall recently erected by the Odd fellows was opened, last evening, by the Lynch Family of Bellringers, who afforded a musical treat. The building was densely packed, fully 700 persons being present. The hall is a very fine one, and quite a credit to the district.
- Sydney Evening News Wednesday 20 January 1886.

BULLI SOIL

Over 160 bags of Bulli soil was shipped at the [Bulli] jetty on Monday last to be used for
the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch. This soil was selected out of many samples forwarded from other parts of the State.
- Illawarra Mercury Saturday 21 March 1903

TELEGRAPH ARRIVES

BULLI. Wednesday.
The telegraph to Clifton village, at Coal Cliff, was completed last night, and a message sent through this morning to Electric Telegraph Department in Sydney.
- The Maitland Mercury Saturday 27 April 1878.

PROGRESSIVE BULLI

A record building year was experienced in the Shire during 1927, when 125 new buildings,
valued at £60,496, were erected, and additions numbering 97, with a value of £39,344, were also constructed. In addition to these amounts Public school buildings are being built at a cost of £18,000.
- The Sydney Morning Herald Tuesday 17 January 1928

FLOWER PICKING FINES

At Bulli Court today 19 persons, all from the metropolitian area,were fined for picking Christmas bells on Crown land, near top of Bulli Pass during Christmas week. Evidence was given that defendants were caught with from 12 to 100 bells in their possession. The fines ranged from £1 to £2. Many of the defendants stated that they did not know they were offending. Mr. Hardwick, S.M., advised them to read the newspapers. - The Sydney Morning Herald Saturday 29 January 1938.

BOYS BRAVERY

A verdict of accidental death was returned by the Bulli Coroner, Mr. Keegan, to-day, at the inquiry into the death of Mrs. Florence Angwin, and her son and daughter, Francis, 8, and Lola, 6, who were drowned at Helensburgh on Boxing Day. The Coroner congratulated Hugh and Alexander Blair for the bravery they displayed in going to the rescue. He expressed the opinion that their action should be recognised by the Royal Humane Society. - Daily Examiner (Grafton, NSW) Friday 17 January 1936.

1932 BULLI STATS

Mr. Hicks, C.P.S., has kindly supplied us with the following vital statistics, as recorded at Bulli Court House, for the quarter ended 30th September :- Births, 50 (28 males, 22 females) ; Deaths (10 males, 4 females); Marriages 14. - llawarra Mercury Friday 14 October 1932

HEALTHY BULLI

INFECTIOUS DISEASED Lowest On Record IN BULLI SHIRE With only nine cases of infectious disease during the year the Bulli Shire has constituted a record for the thirty six years of Its existence. Two cases of scarlet fever were reported last month, making five case for the year; there were two cases' of diphtheria, one of which was a visitor from the metropolitan area, and had been contracted before the sufferer visited the Shire. There was one case of meningitis' and one of puerperal fever. The report was received with satisfaction. - Illawarra Mercury Thursday 24 December 1942.

HURLED 20 FEET

After receiving, a shock from a high-tension wire, Herbert Ashford, of Bulli, was hurled 20 feet. He suffered only severe shock, Ashford took shelter in an iron shed while men digging a pipe line fired; a charge of explosive. A stone from the charge brought down a high-tension wire, which fell against the shed. Ashford, who was leaning against the shed, was thrown out of the door on to the road. - Albury Banner Friday 23 December 1938.

Gaming Raids

Members of the CIB vice squad, under Inspector Crothers, raided billiard saloons at Coledale, Thirroul, Bulli, and Austinmer on Friday night and arrested five men on charges of managing and conducting common gaming houses. The police seized 17 poker machines. The men will appear at the Bulli Court next Friday. - Sunday Herald (Sydney) Sunday 3 June 1951.

Bulli Pass Pavilion

'Traveller' writes: The pavilion recently erected at the "Look-out", instead of answering the purpose intended is the common resort of tramps, whose ideas of tidiness are very small, consequently what was intended as a public boon to sightseers is now neither use nor ornament. - Illawarra Mercury Saturday 21 March 1903.

Dirty Deed

RECENTLY it was stated that one of the new doors at the lavatories at Wentworth Oval, Portland, had been taken away by some un-authorised person. At South Thirroul, on the Illawarra Line, they go even further. Probably one of the strangest thefts was the one reported at last meeting of Bulli Shire Council by the Thirroul Life Saving Club that the lavatories at the beach had been pulled down, and stolen during the winter. - Mudgee Guardian Thursday 6 January 1944.

Unusual Operation

THE Sydney Hospital dealt with an unusual case yesterday, when half a set of false teeth was removed from the stomach of Samuel Fielding, of Woonona, near Bulli. Fielding went to sleep with his false teeth in his mouth on Saturday night, and during the night the plate cracked, and half the set slipped down his throat. Fielding does not know whether he will risk settlng another set. - Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld) Thursday 17 February 1927

Feathered Patient

OFFICERS of Bulli Ambulance Station recently had an unusual "patient" when a champion pigeon was brought to them by its owner, Mr L. Strachan of Bulli, for treatment. The unfortunate bird was badly gashed when it dived at high speed into a prong of the television aerial on Mr. Strachan's home. The owner, wishing to save his champion, took it to Bulli Ambulance Station, where officers inserted 22 stitches in the wound. After stitching, the bird seemed to be doing quite well but unfortantely later died, probaly from shock. - Western Herald (Bourke, NSW) Friday 29 October 1965

Big Bullocky at Bulli

ANOTHER big bullock, purchased as a prize winner at Sydney Show, was this week served up to customers at Floyd's butcher shop (corner Park Road and Main Road), Bulli. Mr. Jack Floyd surprised several by carrying from the cart to the block a forequarter, which weighed 440 lbs. - Illawarra Mercury Friday 1 May 1925.

Drunk & Disorderly

Elwyn Hale Broad, Joseph Cassidy and Edward Laughlin were each charged with being drunk and disorderly in main road, Bulli, on October 26th. They pleaded guilty. Sergeant Newland said the men were arrested on the verandah of the Bulli Family Hotel. They were wrestling with one another. Cassidy and Laughlin were each fined 10/- or 24 hours, and Broad £1 or two days. - South Coast Times Friday 1 November 1935.

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Imperial Hotel, North Sydney

IN SHADOW OF PYLON AVOIDS AXE Standing in the shadow of the northern pylon of the Bridge is an old building, now known as the Imperial Hotel, which has a romantic as well as an historic connection with the great… Read More ›

Commercial Hotel, Morpeth

By MICK ROBERTS © CONTINUING our road trip to the Upper Hunter, our next port of call was the Commercial Hotel at Morpeth. There seems to have been two Commercial Hotels in Morpeth, the first licensed by Moses Murphy in April… Read More ›

Kalgoorlie’s many pubs

LEGEND has it that at one stage you couldn’t throw a stone in Kalgoorlie without hitting a hotel. Here’s a list of pubs that traded in the Western Australian gold mining town, put together by Perth newspaper, the Western… Read More ›

Charcoal Inn, Casino

THERE’S a pub at Casino, in the Northern Rivers of NSW, about 30kms from Lismore that has an intriguing sign. The Charcoal Inn looks like a fairly new type of pub, and you would be right in saying so. Like… Read More ›

Covent Gardens Hotel, Haymarket

A BURIED FENCE. The old Covent Gardens Hotel, at the corner of Dixon and Hay-streets, Sydney, is being rebuilt. Yesterday the workmen engaged in digging the foundations came across an old three-railed open fence, at a distance of nine feet… Read More ›

Wedderburn Hotel, Wedderburn

By MICK ROBERTS © THERE was little chance of getting a beer, let alone a room, in Wedderburn’s two pubs when gold fever gripped the sleepy farming township in March 1950. A resident unearthed a 175-ounce nugget of gold in… Read More ›

Tabulam Hotel, Tabulam

JIM Jordan was known as “The Prince of Hotelkeepers”. He had the Tabulam Hotel, in the far north-east of NSW, between Tenterfield and Casino, on the Clarence River from 1909 until his death in 1925. Jim’s reputation for giving free accommodation… Read More ›

Victoria Inn, East Maitland

By MICK ROBERTS © THE Victoria Inn, sometimes known as the Queen Victoria, traded as a pub for just over 25 years at East Maitland, before its taps ran dry in 1863. Although the historic pub reopened as the Old… Read More ›

Station Hotel, Kurri Kurri

IN a confusing administrative error, two pubs in the fledging colliery town of Kurri Kurri NSW officially were known by the same name for a short time in 1904. Robert Robertson, an experience hotelier, was 53 when he applied for… Read More ›

Charles Hotel, Fairy Meadow

THE misfortunes of a landmark pub in a town on the central-western plains of NSW enabled the Charles Hotel at Fairy Meadow to open for business on September 15 1955. The Charles was built and established by the Waterhouse family, well-known… Read More ›

	Mick Roberts on About
	Debbiel Royles on About
	Woonona Industrial C… on The co-operative stores
	Simon Dodd on History of the Bulli Rifle Clu…
	David Eirth on Fishing the Cataract