Boundary Re-establishment of Bulla Bulling Rock Tavern

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Kimmy Benton

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Bulla Bulling is an abandoned town located 530km east of Perth on the Great Eastern Highway in the Goldfields. Water is scarce in this region, but an 1893 survey shows a man-made soak on Bulla Bulling Rock, so in 1894 a dam was built to catch the water.

 

The water supply was a valuable resource to the steam locomotives that ran through the town. Reserve 2919 covering the Bulla Bulling Rock catchment, channels and dam were gazetted in 1895.

 

The town was gazetted in 1898, with a population of 160 made up of 140 men and 20 women and mostly comprising of railway workers and Goldfields Water Supply Line workers. The Rock Hotel was built by 1896.

 

In 1902 a Railway Department plan shows a 25,000 gallon water tank on a 4 metre high stand connected to the pumphouse and caretakers dwelling. Post Office listing has fallen to thirteen by 1920. No postmaster was present after 1907 and Post Office facilities were provided by the Hotel.

 

During WWII due to a shortage of labour, the proprietor became responsible for filling the railway tank with water, and he and his family were the only residents of the town. By 1956 diesel engines were in use and Bulla Bulling Rock water was no longer needed. The Rock Hotel continued to serve refreshments to travellers until its closure in 2015.

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Thomas Beasley surveyed the town in 1897. The Rock Hotel Tavern on lots 40 and 41 will be surveyed for boundary re-establishment. This includes re-establishing original survey alignments and finding original cadastral marks. Finding and inspecting old survey plans and field books will be necessary to locate boundary pegs.