Issues and Recommendations for Urgent Repairs and Improvements to restore water quality & enhance social amenity
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| Bulli Tidal Pool, looking east from Waniora Point |
Something stinks?!?!!!
There is something wrong with Bulli Tidal Pool. I grew up in Bulli during the 1960s and remember the pool as a clean, fresh and fun facility. I especially remember playing underneath the western and north-western overflow outlets, prior to the installation of the toddlers pool. But something happened to the pool, and its water quality, between then and the 1980s, when I returned to the pool and noticed that it stunk. By the late 1990s and early 2000s the Bulli community was demanding Council fix bad smells at
the pool and address the apparent lack of pool maintenance. A press report from March 1998 noted the following:
Pensioner Mal
Roberts, who organised a 1,000-signature petition, said he'd call in support
from winter swimming groups and the schools, if Council couldn't find the money
to rectify the pool's problems. Residents petitioned Wollongong Council until
the problems were resolved to their satisfaction and using the 50-metre pool
was no longer 'like swimming in sewage' despite Council statements that the
pool was cleaned every three months. Locals worried about the impact the putrid
pool would have on tourism, as most of the people in Bulli's summer crowds were
not local residents. (Press report, March 1998. NSW Heritage Office web site)
However, maintenance was not the problem. The reason for the smell was something more basic - the fact that the circulation of water in and out of the pool had been altered since the 1960s as a result of actions taken by Council - actions which failed to take into consideration the delicate issue of water flow and hydrodynamics. The following document is a copy of one written by the author and submitted to Council's engineering department in 2009. This was followed by an on site discussion with Council staff outlining the arguments presented. As I write - in 2022 - no significant action has been taken to address the problem at is core, as recommended.
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Issue: Bulli tidal pool is subject to ongoing water
quality problems as a result of alterations to the pool structure and its
immediate environs by Wollongong City Council since the late 1970s. These works
have resulted in a decrease in the ability of water to flow into and out of the
pool. Urgent action is needed to restore the tidal seawater flushing regime and
improve the general usability of the pool for locals and tourists alike.
Council should act to restore Bulli tidal pool to its original configuration
and bring a halt to the under-utilisation of this community asset.
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| EAST - Bulli Tidal Pool, May 2017 - WEST |
Introduction
Bulli tidal baths, or pool, is located at Waniora Point,
Bulli, in Wollongong’s northern suburbs. It is a publically owned pool, managed
by Wollongong City Council. Originally constructed in 1938, it sits on a flat
rock platform adjacent to an earlier, much smaller, tidal rock pool to the south which had
been cut out of a rock outcrop known as Floyd’s Rocks.
The image above is of the original 1903-1938 Floyd’s Rocks tidal pool at Bulli.
View looking easterly. This pool was constructed out of a rock outcrop located
to the south of the present Bulli tidal pool. Its walls comprised both natural
rock and concrete. Photograph circa 1910
(Collection: Wollongong City Library). Constructed in 1903 and expanded in 1921, the Floyd’s
Rocks pool was 37 yards long at its final point of development. Evidence of the
pool still remains, though its walls have been partially removed. For more
detail of its construction and subsequent history refer Appendix 1: Historical
Chronology.
Following strong lobbying from the local community and
swimming clubs during the 1920s and 30s, a new, larger Olympic-sized pool 50
metres by 30 metres was constructed on the rock platform north of the old pool.
It opened in 1938 and operated like all Illawarra tidal pools in that it was
totally reliant on the normal ocean tides to bring water into the pool and,
through employment of a natural, gravimetric circulation system, see that water
exit the pool via outlets on the lower, western wall.
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| Bulli Tidal Pool, 1936, looking north east |
This natural flushing mechanism would maintain water
quality for the life of the pool. No artificial pumping mechanism was needed,
unlike the nearby Woonona and Thirroul saltwater pools which required pumps for
both filling and emptying.
The deepest part of the pool was its eastern, sea side,
with a depth of approximately 6 feet or 2 metres. As part of its construction,
a large water valve was located on the lowest part of the south eastern wall,
opposite the deepest part of the pool. This would enable regular emptying
should the pool need cleaning as a result of the natural inflow of sand and
seaweed, or to facilitate repairs due to the impact of the surf and the
elements upon the concrete fabric.
The pool operated successfully from the time of opening
in 1938. It was noted during this period that 75% of beach users also used the
pool. Popular and heavily used through to the sixties and early seventies, the
present under-utilisation of the pool is therefore a matter of concern,
especially as it is the direct result of alterations to the pool fabric and
environs by Wollongong City Council since the late 1970s.
[Image]
Bulli tidal pool circa 1960s. Note the heavy build up of
sand around the south western corner of the pool (Collection: Wollongong City
Library).
[Image]
Bulli tidal pool circa 1960s. Note the popularity of the
pool, with people standing on the western and southern walls (Collection:
Wollongong City Library).
I was born in 1956 and grew up at Sandon Point,
immediately to the north of Waniora Point, Bulli. I well remember as a child
during the early sixties regularly swimming in Bulli pool, along with thousands
of other people - locals and tourists alike. The pool’s water always seemed
clean and refreshing to me. I can only recall it being closed rarely, due to
the need to excavate sand from the western edge. I also distinctly remember
that the water regularly flowed from the large outlets on the western wall, and
as children we would spend a lot of time on hot summer days playing in the sand
under these artificial waterfalls.
As kids we also had a lot of fun standing on the eastern
sea wall of the pool and letting the breaking waves wash us into it during
medium and high seas. This sort of fun is still an everyday occurrence at
Austinmer tidal pool, which is subject to a more active water inflow regime
then Bulli. However what was once common at Bulli is now a very rare
occurrence, due to the recent installation of stainless steel handrails on the
eastern wall which severely limit access and make it dangerous to walk along
that portion of the pool (refer below for further discussion).
There is no doubt that Bulli tidal pool was more heavily
used in the years prior to the 1980s then it is at present, even though the
number of beach users in the Illawarra continues to rise.
In the late seventies a small toddlers pool was
constructed on the western side of the Bulli pool. The new pool was
approximately half the width of the large pool and was built within the area
that was subject to regular sand inundation. Water from the toddlers pool was
obtained via two of the overflow vents from the larger pool.
It appears that as part of the construction of the
toddlers pool, the walkway along the western edge of the main pool was built up
and widened. This altered the water flow dynamics of the pool and severely
restricted the natural flushing mechanism, giving rise to a deterioration in
water quality affecting both the main pool and the new toddlers pool.
Local sentiment was that the toddlers pool should have
been constructed to the south or north of the larger pool (i.e. in a similar
manner to the Austinmer toddlers pool) and be subject to its own independent
water flushing regime, rather then reliant upon irregular overflow from the
main pool.
An unfortunate side effect of the construction of the
toddlers pool was the fact that it also constrained water exit from the large
pool during heavy seas – when the normal flushing mechanism was designed to
operate at its peak. This can be seen in the following photographs which were
taken at Bulli pool during October 2008 when there was a high tide and large
swell. The ocean water was washing around all sides of both pools.
[Image]
Bulli tidal pool, October 2008. Note the high tide and
water flowing over and around the pools. Bulli
tidal pool and toddlers pool, October 2008. Note that the toddlers pool is full
to overflowing.
The toddlers pool was full, and as a result water from
the large pool was not able to completely flush out in a westerly direction due
to the backwash effect from the toddlers pool. The flushing appeared to be
operating below its required and designed capacity.
[Image]
Bulli tidal pool and toddlers pool during high tide and
heavy surf, October 2008. View looking northeast.
Water in the large pool was actually back-washing and
exiting the pool in an easterly, seaward direction. As a result, the water in
the main pool was not being flushed and was trapped due to the constraints
imposed by the high level of the western wall, the small outlets and the full
state of the toddlers pool.
This revealed to the author in a dramatic fashion the
severely constrained flushing mechanism operating at Bulli tidal pool as a
result of engineering works and additions carried out by Wollongong City
Council since the late 1970s. Ideally the large amount of watering entering the
pool at its eastern side during this high tide would have been able to flow
unimpeded through the pool and over a
lower western wall, as happens
regularly at Austinmer tidal pool.
Through this mechanism the pool would have received a good flushing. However
this was not occurring. Further aggravating the problem, dirty water associated
with the high tide was entering the pool and not being flushed out. Therefore
following the abatement of the high tide, the pool water quality very quickly
deteriorated.
Construction of the toddlers pool also altered the sand
movement regimes about the headland, and it was quickly noted by users that the
toddlers pool readily filled with sand, requiring regular intervention by
Council. Slimy water became a problem due to the limited flushing ability of
the structure. The more regular cleaning
of both pools by Council only provided a temporary fix, and did not address the
core problems.
[Image]
Bulli pool being cleaned, 2005. View looking easterly
from the headland. This has become a regular occurrence since the 1980s due to
water quality problems, sand and seaweed inundation, and the inability of the
pool to flush as originally designed.
Local users have, in fact, become so frustrated with the
bad water quality in recent years that they have taken to emptying it out on
their own initiative, through accessing the valve on the south eastern corner.
When the question of bad water quality is discussed, many
locals blame the construction of the toddlers pool. However, what is not
generally understood is the impact of the other major alteration to the pool
structure by Wollongong City Council – namely, the building up of the walls.
At some point during the 1970s, and later, the main pool
was altered by the addition of concreting on top of the original walls,
resulting in their being raised an additional 6-12 inches. This was most
noticeable on the western wall, where large sections of concrete were put in
place to create a wider walkway, and the outflow vents were altered as a
consequence. The northern and southern walls were also affected to a lesser
degree, as was the eastern sea wall.
[Image]
Northern wall of Bulli tidal pool, showing the addition
of concrete over the original 1938 wall, along with the emplacement of
stainless steel handrails. 16 April 2009.
[Image]
North
eastern corner of Bulli tidal pool, showing additional concreting on the
eastern wall, plus recently installed handrails which hinder patron access. 16
April 2009.
These constructions and alterations to the pool fabric
were to have a dramatic impact upon the water quality within the pool as they
resulted in the western wall being made higher than the eastern wall. This
meant that the natural gravimetric flow of water from east to west through the
pool was substantially impaired.
Building up the western wall restricted the ability of
the pool to flush as it was originally designed. Water quality issues then
began to appear regularly, and remain to this day.
It is inconceivable that Wollongong City Council could
have made such basic changes to the fabric of Bulli tidal pool without being
aware of the possible negative impacts on water quality and social amenity. Yet
such is the case.
In order to restore the water quality of Bulli tidal pool
to the consistently acceptable levels formerly enjoyed, the western wall needs
to be made lower than the eastern wall so that water can flow in from the sea
and out on a regular basis. This does not occur at present and as a result the
water quality in the pool quickly deteriorates. The inflow of weed, seabird
excrement, and pollution from normal human use further adds to the problem.
The issue of seabird excrement entering the pool in large
quantities is only a recent one, yet is symptomatic of the mismanagement of the
pool by Wollongong City Council in recent years. It has specifically come about
as the result of the erection of stainless steel handrails along the northern
side of the pool (refer pictures below).
These handrails were supposedly put in place to enhance
safe use of the pool. Yet the result has been the complete opposite, due to the
nature of the work carried out by Council. The handrails have actually been
erected in such a position as to impair the ability of pool patrons to walk
with ease along the pool walkways.
In regards to the northern wall, for example, by placing
the handrails in the very centre of the walkway, it has now become precarious
and in some ways dangerous to walk along this section of the pool. As a result,
people do not do so to the degree they used to. I vividly recall children
running up and down this part of the pool as they played or accessed the
eastern sea wall. However in their place birds now roost at will, rarely
disturbed by those few people using the pool. The nesting birds of course leave
a lot of excrement behind, and this washes into the pool and adds to the
ongoing water quality problems.
[Image]
Northern wall of Bulli tidal pool, with seagulls resting
on the concrete and stainless steel hand-railing. A large amount of seagull
excrement was observed on the pool wall (see picture below). 16 April 2009.
[Image]
Northern wall of Bulli tidal pool, with seagull excrement
visible. Note the placement of the handrails in the very middle of the walkway,
thereby hindering access for adults and children alike. 16 April 2009.
The positioning of the handrails has therefore lead to an
increase in the amount of bird excrement entering the pool. A problem has been
created which never before existed to this degree.
It is also possible that polluted waters from the kiosk
and toilets / changing rooms on the headland to the west enter the pool through
ground water seepage and add to the water quality issue, however this is only
conjecture.
It is unknown if any water flow and engineering studies
were carried out by Wollongong City Council in the past to assess the impact
works such as raising the walls and putting in place handrails would have upon
the flushing ability of the main pool and its social amenity. The author is
unaware of any community consultation concerning these works prior to their
being undertaken.
As outlined above, since the 1980s it has become
noticeable to locals that the water quality in Bulli pool is unacceptable on a
regular basis. The state of the water is more often then not slimy, smelly,
extremely salty and therefore practically unswimable.
Irregular calls by the community to fix the problem –
most notably during 1998 - have resulted in Wollongong City Council regularly
emptying the pool, removing sand and weed, and refilling it. They have also
carried out minor repairs. However these are only temporary measures, and
nothing has been done to address the core issue of ongoing poor water quality
arising out of Council works which have adversely affected the pool’s ability
to flush.
The outcomes of the 2006-7 Waniora Point coastal
processes engineering assessment undertaken by Council are not known to this
author, nor is it clear whether they address or make recommendations in regards
to the large pool and toddlers pool. As it stands, the author is not aware of
any plans by Wollongong City Council to deal with the various issues facing
Bulli tidal pool.
[Image]
Bulli tidal pool, looking south-west towards the eastern,
sea wall. Note the additional concreting on the wall upper surface and the high
level of the western wall, painted in blue. 16 April 2009.
Issues
Bulli tidal pool was originally constructed in 1938 to
take the water flow from the surf swell on the eastern side and circulate it in
a westerly direction through the pool for dispersal via outlets on the western,
north-western and south-western sides. A modern day example of how this
optimally operates can be seen at the Austinmer tidal pool, where on a daily
basis water flows in from the eastern, seaward side and out over the western
wall.
Unfortunately, as has been outlined above, over the years
Wollongong City Council has built up the walls of Bulli pool on all sides,
resulting in the westerly flow of water out of the pool being greatly reduced
and all but cut off. The pool now no longer flushes on a regular basis. Instead,
it fills up with water which quickly stagnates. In the past this water
naturally flowed out of the western exit points and pool water quality was
therefore maintained.
Due to this present day stagnation of the water, slime
builds up quickly and the water becomes greasy, salty, unpleasant to swim in,
and on occasion can give rise to skin irritation requiring medical attention.
As a result, swimmers both local and visiting are turned away from using the
pool. As it stands, the pool is under-utilised, due in large part to the actions
of Wollongong City Council.
As a local resident of 52 years I no longer swim in Bulli
pool due to the bad water quality. I have not done so since the mid 1980s. I
have also observed that on hot summer days the pool is not used by swimmers to
the degree it was in the past. This is primarily due to the state of the water.
In order to restore the pool to its former condition,
there are a number of actions which need to be carried out by Wollongong City
Council:
1. Survey
the pool site
A comprehensive survey of Bulli pool and its surrounds
should be undertaken to determine ground and structure levels. This information
should then be used to assess the amount and degree by which the pool walls
need to be trimmed in order to restore the natural water flushing regime.
2. Lower
the pool walls
At present the western wall is higher than the eastern
wall. As a result, natural water flow from east to west is constrained except
during periods of high tide, and even then optimal flushing does not occur due
to the back flow effect created by the toddlers pool.
Council needs to trim the pool walls by the removal of
concrete, thereby restoring them to their 1938 levels. The degree of removal
will depend upon the surveys of the site which will identify the optimum level
for restoration of the natural flushing regime.
There is an urgent need to cut down the walls on the
western, southern and northern sides so water circulation in the pool is
improved and water can easily flow in and out. There may also be a need to trim
or reconfigure the eastern sea wall so that a greater volume of water can more
easily flow into the pool.
The natural flow of water from east to west, and the
flushing mechanism, needs to be restored. This is the most important change
needing to be made.
Bulli pool should be re-engineered so that it operates in
a manner similar to the tidal pool at Austinmer, which is noted by locals and
residents for its clean water – the result of an active, natural flushing
regime.
It is obvious that the major removal of concrete needs to
occur on the western wall. This will impact up the toddlers pool, however it is
recommended (see below) that the toddlers pool be removed, as this author
considers it vital that the east-west flushing of the big pool be restored as a
priority.
3. Increase
the size of pool outlets
In order to optimise pool water quality, there needs to
be a regular flow of water out of the pool along the western edge. Since
construction in 1938, the size of the pool outlets have been diminished, in
conjunction with the raising of the pool walls. What was once a weir is now a
dam. One of the large outlets on the north-western corner of the pool has
recently been replaced by a small diameter pipe, further constricting the flow
of water out of the pool.
[Image]
Small diameter outlet pipe replacing larger outlet, north
western corner of pool, 16 April 2009 North
western corner of pool showing small diameter outlet pipe (left) and extra
concrete layers added to the western wall. 16 April 2009
The four main outlets on the western wall are also
covered in concrete and encrusted with barnacles, thereby raising their surface
level and impeding outflows.
As part of the lowering of the pool walls, the western
water exit needs to be increased dramatically, by increasing the size of the
pool outlets, or by making the western wall low enough to act as a weir - as
operates with Austinmer pool. This will facilitate egress of water from the
pool during normal tides.
4. Remove
the toddlers pool
The construction of the toddlers pool has given rise to a
blockage of two of the main western water outlets during high seas – at the
very time when the pool is being flushed out to the maximum degree. Its
placement also restricts natural sand movement around the headland and possibly
aggravates deposition of sand in the main pool.
Removal of the toddlers pool and associated trimming down
of the western wall will improve water circulation within the main pool and
also allow for more natural sand movement and water flow around the main pool
structure.
5. Construct
a new pool ramp
This is a practical, cosmetic feature, however
engineering assessment should be made of the optimum size and placement of the
ramp so that it does not impede water flow or increase sand building up
problems along the western and south-western edge of the pool. The new ramp
should have vents to allow water and sand to flow over and through it.
[Image]
“I've lived in Bulli for 20 years and only once swam in
Bulli pool, long long ago. The water stank and I cut my toe on an oyster, so I
thought never again. We use Woonona pool instead. The boys and I used to like
walking around the edge of the pool, when the rail was located along the
'outside' of the wall. But the new rail, (replaced around May 2007 costing
about $50,000), is located along the centre of the wall, so it's much harder to
access. It's fun to stand on the end of the pool at high tide and get washed
back in by the waves, but even that is far more risky now that the rail has
been placed in the middle instead of the outside. As for the baby pool.......it
is pure filth...Jimmy Hobbs calls it the "polio pit". It's only clean
for about a week after the Council empty out the sand and then it either fills
up again with sand or the water just stagnates due to a lack of flow. I have never
let my boys swim or play in the baby pool, never ever, it really is disgusting
and should have been removed ages ago. There's plenty of natural shallow
pools/ponds just north of the main pool anyway.. that's where heaps of kids
swim and play, it's cleaner and probably safer as well. That's where I used to
take my crew when they were small. Council should get rid of the baby pool as
it blocks the south - north sand flows, (starving the Shark bay of sand.....and
we saw the consequences of that in 2007), and limits the water flush of the
main pool. Must cost Council a small fortune to continually clean it out.
“(Local resident, April 2009)
2. Social Amenity
Apart from the major issue of poor water quality and its
impact upon pool usage, the social amenity of Bulli pool has been affected by
other works.
The relatively recent erection of intrusive stainless
steel hand-railings has had a negative effect on the usability of the pool, even
though the community was informed that these handrails would enhance usability
of the pool and improve safety. The opposite is the case.
Since the erection of these hand-railings people are now
no longer able to walk along the eastern edge of the pool with any stability or
safety. As a result, sharp barnacles have begun to appear on the surface of the
wall, due to lack of pedestrian traffic.
These barnacles cut one’s hands and feet, especially when
an attempt is made to use the eastern edge of the pool by climbing out of the
water. These barnacles now further limit the use of this once very popular
section of the pool. A similar regime has been put in place on the northern and
southern walls by the erection of handrails in the middle of the walkways.
[Image]
Stainless steel hand railings on eastern wall of Bulli
tidal pool. Note how the positioning of the handrails has severely limited the
ability of pool patrons to walk safely along the eastern wall. 16 April 2009 View of barnacles on the surface of the
eastern wall of Bulli tidal pool. Prior to the installation of these handrails
there were no barnacles located on the wall surface, due to the regular use of
the eastern wall by pool patrons. 16 April 2009.
The amenity of the Bulli tidal pool can be improved, and
possibly restored to its former state, by carrying out a number of actions:
1. Remove
/ reposition the handrails on the eastern wall
These handrails should be completely removed, or moved to
the far eastern edge of the pool wall so that people can walk along this
section with ease and in safety, as in the past.
The author remains incredulous as to why the handrails
were installed in such a dangerous position in the first place, with no obvious
consideration of their impact upon pool users.
2. Move
the handrails on the northern and southern sides of the pools further away from
the water’s edge.
At present these hand rails have been placed in the
middle of the pool wall surfaces, thereby severely constricting movement and
making more dangerous the task of walking along the pool edges. This is made
more problematic when the water of the pool is slimy, as it often is, or when
bird excrement makes the concrete surface slippery, as now happens regularly on
the northern wall.
[Image]
Stainless steel hand railings on northern wall of Bulli
tidal pool, 2005. This positioning allowed pool patrons to walk along the pool
edge in safety.
[Image]
Northern pool wall
– handrail in middle of walkway. 16 April 2009.
Summary Recommendations
In order to provide a permanent solution to the poor
water quality problem at Bulli tidal pool and thereby enhance its usability for
the local community and visitors alike, it is recommended that the following
actions arising out this report be implemented as a matter of urgency by
Wollongong City Council:
1. Carry
out a comprehensive survey of the pool and its environs, with a view to
reinstalling the Bulli tidal pool to its original 1938 configuration.
2. Cut
down the walls on the western, southern and northern sides. The height of the walls should be restored to
their original 1938 levels. The level of the western wall should be lowered to
enable natural flow of water out of the pool.
3. Cut
down the eastern wall to enable a greater amount of water to flow into the
pool.
4. Remove
or reposition the handrails on the eastern wall of the pool. These are severely
constraining usability of the sea wall by pool patrons and are in fact
dangerous.
5. Move
the hand rails on the northern and southern sides of the pools further away
from the waters edge, thereby enabling full use of the pool wall upper surface
walkways.
6. Remove
the toddlers pool on the western side. This will assist in restoring the
original flushing regime and facilitate movement of sand around Waniora Point.
7. Ensure
that natural sand flow around the western edges of the pool is able to occur,
to minimise sand build up. This may require reconfiguration of the pool ramp
and removal of old concrete walls and structures beyond that associated with
the toddlers pool.
[Image]
View of the eastern wall of Bulli tidal pool, looking
north, with the stainless steel hand-railing located in the centre of the
walkway, close to the water’s edge and restricting access. Note the barnacles
on the lower right of the picture. This section of the pool is now unsafe due
to the installation of the handrail. 16 April 2009.
---------------------------------
Appendix 1: Bulli Tidal Pool
Historical Chronology
Compiled from the New South Wales Heritage Office web
site & local newspapers
1894
A meeting at Dickson's Hotel, Bulli, sought funds to
construct suitable baths for Bulli and Woonona. The local MP suggested
applying for a lease of the foreshore. The enthusiastic meeting decided to form
a swimming club and school clubs after the baths were erected.
1897
A sub-committee of the Bulli Progress Association meeting
at Dickson's Hotel sought funds for public baths for Bulli through the efforts
of friendly societies, staging a concert on a grand scale, as well as
soliciting for subscriptions throughout the district.
1902
A total of £23 was collected and £30 subscribed at a meeting at Stokes Hotel in Bulli towards construction of a baths at Floyds Rocks, Waniora Point, 'where with little expense, nice baths can be erected close to all'.
By March 1902, 'the sea baths which Bulli was to have for
this season and for which some 10 pound was collected is still all to make'.
1903
Baths at Floyds Rocks, south of the present baths, were
in use and 'crowded nearly all day' on the Sunday in March, when a collection
was taken up for a bathing shed. Certain hours at the baths were set aside for
ladies and others for gentlemen.
[Image]
1903-38 Bulli tidal pool on Floyds Rocks, looking south
towards Woonona Point.
[Image]
1903-38 Bulli tidal pool on Floyds Rocks, looking north
towards rocks at Waniora Point.
1905
Time-segregated bathing was still in force at the Bulli
Baths.
1906
Bulli Shire Council was formed.
1910
A gale washed away the change shed at the Bulli Baths.
1916
Work on the rock pool began. By November, the contractor
Mr T. W. Evans had finished enlarging the Bulli Baths. The Bulli Surf Bathers
and Life Saving Club was praised for the way it had worked to secure the money
from an Easter Monday carnival, members'
subscriptions and donations, when other clubs had tried for the previous four
years to raise sufficient funds.
While the new baths were 35 yards long and considered 'as
good as any outside of the city', the surf club hoped to widen them if the
support was forthcoming.
1921
Bulli Beach and its Baths were transformed thanks to the
beach improvement committee. New baths twice the size of the original were
built adjoining the old baths.
1927
Electric light was installed and used at the baths.
A Sydney team gave a fine exhibition at a February Sunday
carnival at the Bulli Baths attended by 1,500 people.
1928
The Baths had been in excellent condition and much
patronised during the holidays. The annual meeting of the Bulli Progress
Association entrusted its secretary with attending to repairs, enlarging and
cleaning of the Bulli Baths.
Bulli Shire Council agreed to supply Bulli Amateur
Swimming Club with a medicine chest and allowed the Club to have sole use of
the baths for a carnival on Easter Monday. That carnival included events for
males and females as well as novelty events such as a barrel race, egg and
spoon race and tightrope walking.
The Bulli Amateur Swimming Club also wanted to extend the
baths and enclose the verandah on the lower part of the dressing sheds to form
a club room. Council allowed the Bulli Swimming Club to use timbers from the
old dressing-shed at Bulli Point to build seats around the baths and a club
room and provide electric light poles for night carnivals at the baths. Bulli
Swimming Club supplied Council with names of people to act as beach inspectors
and argued that the pavilion was dangerous and should be demolished.
Members of a Tramway Swimming Club competed with the
Bulli club at the Bulli Baths. The Bulli club's lady members put on a swimming
exhibition, the diving troupe performed and the Tramway team gave an exhibition
of water-polo. Ignoring the history of water-polo at Kiama, the Illawarra
Mercury, referred to the water polo exhibition at Bulli as 'the first game
played on the South Coast'.
In September 1928, the Bulli Progress Association asked
Council to pay 10 pounds to the Swimming Club for additions and repairs to the
baths.
December 1928 saw another demonstration organised by the
Bulli Amateur Swimming Club, featuring the Bulli Diving troupe and exhibitions
of diving and swimming by the lady members.
1933
The Bulli Progress Association was suggesting Council
increase the size of the Bulli Baths.
1936
The Bulli Surf Club asked Council to budget for
enlargement of the Bulli Baths, which were patronised by 75% of the people who
visited the beach. The headmaster of the Bulli School also suggested
improvements to the bath that would remove the need to taken school children to
Austinmer for swimming lessons. Council refused the school's request for a
subsidy to address the cost of transporting school children to the baths.
1938
Bulli Council accepted a tender for £1,871/12/6 from a Sydney firm to construct the new Bulli Baths,
an Olympic-sized pool with a children's
pool. These new baths were intended to add to the attraction of Bulli Beach and
stimulate still-water swimming competitions.
A large crowd attended the opening of the 50-metre by
30-metre pool by Cr Thompson, a man who
would have liked it made compulsory for every boy and girl to learn to swim.
The NSW ASA swimming stars at the opening carnival included four Empire Games
representatives, as well as the female state diving and junior breast stroke
champions. The carnival included an old buffers race, a schoolboys race and
music from the Wollongong Steelworks Band.
Bulli Shire was close to achieving its stated desire of
having baths along the coast from Woonona to Clifton and was spending 1,000
pounds a year on baths.
1939
The ramp leading to the baths was to be removed and an
opening made in the north end of the kiosk to give access to the ladies
dressing shed. Construction of a children's baths was 'to be proceeded with
when conditions permit'.
1940
The Bulli Local Committee wanted the baths emptied and
the sand and seaweed removed.
1942
No funds were available to clear a fair amount of seaweed
from the Bulli Baths.
1945
The Bulli Local Committee wanted alterations to the valve
at the Bulli Baths.
1947
The Bulli Shire Council was amalgamated with other
Illawarra councils to form the City of Greater Wollongong.
1955
Founding of the Bulli High School, which used the pool
for school sports and learn-to-swim classes.
Australian champion swimmer, Jon Henricks, swam in front
of a crowd of over a thousand people at a carnival at the Bulli baths. Henricks
later swam for Australia at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.
1959
Formation of the Brass Monkeys winter swimming club.
1962
Winter swimming club renamed the Bulli Park Sea Lions.
1973
Wollongong Council's town planner advised that
development of the indoor pool complex proposed by Bulli Surf Club was neither
legal nor desirable and would restrict access to the rock baths. Council
assented to development of the project which was later ruled out until changes
were made to the Local Government Act to permit surf clubs to build swimming
pools as well as gymnasiums.
1982
Bulli Park Sea Lions winter swimming club admitted its
first female members.
1993
A bike path behind the beach linked Bulli with Woonona
Beach.
1998
6 February 1998 - Report (Illawarra Mercury) on problems with
Bulli pool: Bulli residents claim their local swimming hole is nothing more
than a big cesspool. Mal Roberts believes swimming in Bulli pool is making
people sick. At a meeting held at Bulli Workers Club yesterday, a petition was
launched to try to force Wollongong City Council to sit up and take notice of
the pool's potential health risks. Mr Roberts said the pool needed more
attention than monthly draining and refilling. The area of concern is a deeper
section at the ocean end of the pool where a mixture of seaweed and other ocean
rubbish has collected. Because of the hole, the rubbish remained, even after
the pool was drained and refilled, he claimed. "You have to see the pool
empty to find out just how bad the hole is. It's just indescribable what it's
full of," Mr Roberts said. Other residents share Mr Roberts' concerns. Bob
Townsend, of Woonona, took his grandsons for a swim at Christmas and claimed he
suffered a rash that needed medical attention. He believed the rash was caused
by the state of the pool water. While the pool continues to attract up to 300
visitors a day, Bulli Beach Kiosk owner Mike Knight believes the majority are
tourists. He says the number of locals using the pool has decreased
dramatically in recent times. "When I first came to the kiosk three years
ago, there was twice the number of people swimming here of a morning. And every
month, you see it dropping off even more," Mr Knight said. "People
come up and ask me if the pool is safe to swim in, and what can I say? I tell
them that the pool was last drained three weeks ago, but to go down and decide
for themselves." Bulli High School
students use the pool regularly for school sports and learn-to-swim classes.
School principal Bill Kennedy said that although he and many of the parents
were concerned about the possible health risks, he knew of no cases where
students had been affected directly. The council's environment and recreation
officer Greg Fisher said the standards of cleaning at Bulli Pool had not
slipped. The pool was cleaned about twice a month on average. "We are
re-assessing the quotes we've had to fix the pool and we are looking at
possible alternatives as well," he said.
19 February 1998 - Report (Illawarra Mercury) on problems with
Bulli pool: Northern suburbs residents lobbying Wollongong City Council to
repair a deep hole in the Bulli rock pool have threatened to escalate their
campaign. Yesterday pensioner Mal Roberts delivered a 1000-signature petition
to the council's acting general manager, Tony Roach. But he warned if the
council couldn't find the money needed to rectify ongoing problems at the pool,
he'd be calling in support from winter swimming groups and schools. "They
say it could cost as much as $200,000 to put in a concrete floor, but residents
have been paying rates for years. Surely they have enough in the kitty to fix
the problem." Mr Roberts, who used to regularly use the pool, said he
hadn't been near the water lately because he believed it posed a real health
hazard. He said seepage from the hole formed a smelly, dirty sludge and a
proper concrete base was the only way to fix the problem. "You wouldn't
believe the smell of it," said Bulli Workers' Club president Neville
Sweeney, who accompanied Mr Roberts to the council offices yesterday to deliver
the petition. "It's just like swimming in sewage." Mr Roberts said
despite Mr Roach's assurances that the council was investigating the cost of
options for rectifying the problem, he was anything but hopeful. "Three
engineers who were out at the pool last week told me we're not even on the
agenda for this year, next year, or the year after that." He said he had
been fighting to have something done for three years, and it was at least 30
years since anything had been done to the pool.
14 March 1998 - Report (Illawarra Mercury) that Council had
agreed to spend $20,000 to clean up Bulli pool: Authorities have agreed to
spend up to $20,000 on ridding Bulli Pool of sludge. Residents met Wollongong
City Council yesterday and reached an agreement to fill in a hole that has been
collecting rubbish and polluting the pool. A full renovation at the pool, at a
cost of more than $120,000, could be done within two years. Resident spokesman
Mal Roberts said he was happy with the agreement which would alleviate poor
swimming conditions at the pool. "The council has come to the party and
agreed to fill in the hole within five to six weeks," Mr Roberts said.
"I believe it's a win-win situation for the residents and the
council." A 1000-signature petition was handed to the council last month
complaining about the state of the pool, one resident describing it as
"like swimming in sewage". The hole, at the deeper end of the rock pool,
had collected seaweed and other ocean refuse. Seepage from the hole was forming
a smelly sludge on the pool's surface. Mr Roberts said he had been fighting to
have something done to the pool for three years and it was at least 30 years
since anything had been done. Mr Roberts said the council had indicated they
would consider a full refurbishment of the pool within two years.
1999
Bulli's Olympic-size ocean pool remained an attraction
for weekend visitors and those not confident in the surf.
The council-run caravan park on Bulli Beach mainly
attracted tourists from western and southern Sydney, with its 160 permanent
sites for regular weekend visitors and 120 tourist sites that filled quickly
each school holidays.
2003
The rock pool was an attraction for visitors to the
area's B&Bs (Bed and breakfast establishments), despite local complaints
that the main pool was full of algae and slime and the toddlers pool was full
of sand.
2004
20 December - Report (Illawarra Mercury) on problems with
the children’s pool at Bulli filling up with sand all the time and making it
unusable.
2006
24 August Press Release - Wollongong City Council is
commissioning a study to find ways to protect Waniora Point at Bulli from
headland erosion and sand build up.. The Coastal Processes and Restoration
Study will explore human activity and
natural processes in the area to determine reasons for the erosion and the
build up of sand at the children’s rock pool below. The Lord Mayor, Councillor
Alex Darling, said due to the sensitive location and frequent use of Waniora
Point, it was imperative Council commission a study to identify all issues
before any restoration work commenced. “We are inviting quotes from consultants
this week and look forward to beginning investigations in late September. The
study will involve analysis of the area as well as consultation with
residents,” Councillor Darling said. “The process is expected to take three
months and when finalised, Council will approach the state government for
funding under the Coastal Management Program.” Interested residents will have
the opportunity to share their views on Waniora Point throughout the study.
23 November Press Release - A study is underway to help
solve the problem of erosion and sand build up at the popular Waniora Point
headland at Bulli. Through a competitive quotation process, Wollongong City
Council has selected engineering company Patterson Britton and Partners to
undertake the significant three month investigation. The consultants will
explore human activity and natural processes at Waniora Point to determine
reasons for headland erosion and sand build up in the children’s rock pool
below. The Sydney based company has extensive experience in coastal studies and
was recently commissioned by the Department of Natural Resources to assess
headland erosion along the entire New South Wales coast line. The Lord Mayor,
Councillor Alex Darling, said in order to develop a suitable solution for the
Waniora headland, the community will be called on to share their views on
future management of the site. “Patterson Britton and Partners will complete a
range of studies, taking into account coastal, geotechnical, environmental,
recreational, aesthetic and heritage issues,” the Lord Mayor said. “The company
will then present a comprehensive report to Council in February, including a
range of prioritised solutions that take into account the results of these studies and
consultation with the community.”
Heritage
Significance
The Bulli Baths are historically significant because they
demonstrate the evolution of simple pools on rock platforms into formalised
ocean baths, offering time-segregated bathing for males and females into a
50-metre sport and recreation facility complete with wading pool.
The development of this site coincided with the growth of
amateur swimming, the pursuit of aquatic sports, the move to mixed bathing on
beaches and baths and the use of ocean pools as training facilities for
lifesavers and others and acceptance of the 50 metre Olympic pool as the
desirable competition/training pool.
Assessed significance: Local.
Current heritage status: Not yet given heritage status.
References
Australia’s modern swimmers and ocean baths [web site].
Australian Government Cultural and Recreation Portal, Canberra. Accessed 14
April 2009.
Bulli Ocean Pool [web site]. New South Wales Heritage
Office, Sydney. Accessed 14 April 2009.
New South Wales Ocean Baths [web site], NSW Heritage
Office, Sydney. Accessed 14 April 2009.
Oliver Merrington, Tidal salt-water open air swimming
pools [web site], Waterbeach, Cambridge, UK. Accessed 14 April 2009.
[Image]
Children playing on the eastern sea wall of Bulli tidal
pool during a big swell, January 2009. Note the water flowing out over the
southern wall, indicating the high energy level of the sea at this time.
Michael Organ
Last updated: 3 January 2022
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