Illawarra Coal mined the operation from 1937 to the mid-1980s and has spent the past two months returning the 54 hectare site to “open space recreational use”
The mine was set up in the 1860s and a number of interesting artefacts have been uncovered during rehabilitation work. These include coal train wheels, mine waste, a brick retaining wall and an ornate steel pit entry gate.
Illawarra Coal undertook a number of studies before starting rehabilitation work, including heritage flora and fauna studies, and worked with government agencies to preserve both Aboriginal and European heritage at the site.
The Old Bulli work is part of the company’s rehabilitation program for disused mine sites. According to sustainable development general manager Wendy Tyrrell, Illawarra Coal has spent close to $A4 million on three projects: Kemira, Corrimal and power line removal on the Wollongong Escarpment.
