Access to toilet/change facilities Actively maintained Disabled Access

Men Women Children

Current Use: Ocean baths.
Condition:  By 2003, the pool's concrete wall had almost completely disintegrated. But the pool was still in occasional use, despite containing a lot of sand and suffering a lack of effective maintenance. No facilities.

1927
In April, Bulli Shire Council considered an engineer's report that recommended a  children's bathing pool at North Austinmer Beach 'designed to fill in any weather when the sea was sufficiently heavy to break over the cliff', 'be partly excavated and partly built on rocks under the Headland'.

The North Austinmer baths cost a little over 257 pounds. Those costs were covered by over 110 pounds from a local Council rate at North Austinmer and around 147 pounds from general Council funds. The North Austinmer Progress Association had recommended construction of the Baths.

The pool originally consisted of a concrete wall stretching almost 25 metres across the rock platform, blocking a modified basin in the rock shelf that provided a shared swimming hole. Rocks removed during construction are now associated with the boat ramp structure on the northern side of the headland.

Wollongong City Council Library holds a Broadhurst photograph of 'Children's baths at Austinmer' around 1927.

1928
The NSW Lands Department granted Bulli Council a special lease for baths at North Austinmer at a fee of one pound per year. The North Austinmer Ratepayers Association appealed to Council to clean out the Baths.

1929
North Austinmer Progress Association requested Bulli Council get quotes for an additional door at the Baths.

1930s
Tourism peaked at Austinmer. This pool was often used by children.

1950s
Austinmer Progress Association holds a map showing the pool.
Problems with seaweed and pollution from septic tanks later discouraged its use.

Late 1980s
A rock fall further reduced use of this pool.

2003
The pool's concrete wall was almost completely disintegrated. But the pool was still in occasional use, despite containing a lot of sand and a lack of effective maintenance. It is now far less popular than the baths near the Austinmer surf club.

Little Austinmer Pool was one of four in the Illawarra to be considered of 'high local heritage significance' in a report to Wollongong Council by Stedinger Heritage and Archaeology.
 

An 1880s saltworks, a sawmill and a brickyard were once located near the headland.

1906
Bulli Shire Council was formed.

1947
The Bulli Shire Council was amalgamated with other Illawarra councils to form the City of Greater Wollongong.

2003
The contentious closure of a stretch of the coast road between Coalcliff and Clifton forced visitors from Sydney to head south on the F6 freeway and descend to the coast via the Bulli Pass.

2005
Completion of the Sea Cliff Bridge re-opened the coast road between Coalcliff and Clifton. 

To be added.

The children's bathing pool at North Austinmer Beach created by Bulli Shire Council in 1927, after lobbying by the North Austinmer Progress Association. Now far less useable and popular than the baths near the Austinmer surf club.

Assessed significance: High local heritage significance.
Current heritage status: Not yet given heritage status.
 

Related Topics Children Council involvement Seaweed Tourism Waste management Water quality

Studies& References Stedinger Associates, A Heritage Study of Five Tidal Rock Pools along the Wollongong Coast. Prepared for Wollongong City Council, 2003.