Fast facts
- Former coal-mining village with reminders of its colourful history
- Coastal town at the foot of the steep coastal escarpment
- 70 km south of Sydney, population 5,400
Why go there
At the northern extremity of suburban Wollongong, Bulli is a proud working town with many buildings and monuments that bear witness to the hardships and heroism of Australia’s early mining history.
In its pubs, churches, houses and public buildings, Bulli recaptures much of the flavour of a mining village of the 19th century.
The completion of the 665-m Sea Cliff Bridge, a masterpiece of engineering on the Grand Pacific Drive, is a great reason to take the slow road between Bulli and Sydney. Stop and walk along the bridge and revel in the coastal scenery.
History
Established in the 1860s as a coal-mining village, Bulli was the original settlement from which the city of Wollongong grew.
Things to do
- Experience Bulli Scenic Reserve, which commands a spectacular panorama of Wollongong and Port Kembla from an altitude of 340 m.
- Inspect Bulli Miner’s Cottage, a simple slab hut typical of the area’s pioneering days. Despite its modest size, it once housed a family of nine.
- Drive along Lawrence Hargrave Drive north from Bulli and experience the Sea Cliff Bridge, Australia’s latest coastal sensation.
Events
- Illawarra Folk Festival in January is the region’s premier folk music event, held in Bulli Showground.
- Bulli Show in September is a celebration of rural produce, skills, art and crafts.
Don’t miss
- Bulli Mining Disaster Memorial, paying tribute to 81 men and boys who died in an 1887 explosion at a local mine.
- Bulli Family Hotel, a majestic Victorian-era pub.
- The spectacular ‘Zig-Zag’ drive up Bulli Pass.
- The historic precinct along Park Street East.
- Illawarra Grevillea Park on the Princes Highway at Bulli.
