Bulli Pass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bulli Pass |
|
|---|---|
Horse and cart in the Bulli Pass before it was paved. Source: State Library of New South Wales
|
|
| Elevation | 283 metres (928 ft) |
| Traversed by | Princes Highway |
| Location | Bulli |
| Range | Illawarra escarpment |
| Coordinates | 34°19′S 150°54′E / 34.317°S 150.900°E |
 Bulli Pass
Location in New South Wales
|
|
Bulli Pass is a famous mountain pass in New South Wales, Australia. It is located near the town of Bulli. A mountain pass is like a natural path through mountains. Bulli Pass helps people travel over the Illawarra escarpment, which is a steep cliff.
This pass is about 283 metres (928 ft) (928 feet) above sea level. It connects the coastal area of Illawarra to the higher land of the Woronora Plateau. The pass is a key part of the Princes Highway, a major road in Australia.
Contents
What is Bulli Pass?
Bulli Pass is a special road that goes up a steep hill. It is located northwest of Bulli, a town in New South Wales, Australia. The pass is part of the Illawarra escarpment, which is a big, steep slope. It helps people travel from the flat coastal area up to the higher land.
The pass climbs more than 300 metres (980 ft) (984 feet) from the coast. It is a very important route for cars and trucks.
Why Was Bulli Pass Built?
In the 1800s, people needed a way to move goods and timber. It was hard to travel between the Illawarra region and Sydney. Before Bulli Pass, the only easy way to travel was by sea.
So, during the 19th century, Bulli Pass was built. It helped loggers (people who cut down trees) and local people. They used it to transport timber and other goods. This made it much easier to connect the two areas.
Early Roads in the Area
Bulli Pass was one of the first major roads out of the Illawarra plain. Before it, there were a few other paths. One was Mount Keira Road, built in 1834 by convicts. Another was O'Briens Road, which was a private road where people had to pay a fee. Bulli Pass became a very important public route.
Driving on Bulli Pass
Bulli Pass is mostly a two-lane road. It does not have a barrier in the middle. The road is very steep and winding. This means it has many curves and goes sharply up and down. The steepest part of the pass is about 14.6 percent. This is very steep for a road!
In 2014, about 12,000 vehicles used the pass every day. This number grows by about 1.4 percent each year. About five percent of these vehicles are large trucks.
Scenic Views and Bushland
At the top of Bulli Mountain, there is a beautiful lookout point. It is near another famous spot called Sublime Point Lookout. From here, you can see amazing views of the coast.
The pass is also surrounded by protected bushland. This area is called the Bulli Pass reserve. There are walking tracks that lead to the lookouts. Some of these tracks have been repaired since 2003.
Keeping Bulli Pass Safe
Because Bulli Pass is so steep and winding, it can have problems. Sometimes, rocks can fall from the cliffs onto the road.
In 2008, a big rockfall happened. The road had to be closed for seven weeks while workers made the slopes safe. Another serious rockfall happened in 2015. A rock landed on a car, which was very dangerous.
To make the pass safer, the Roads & Maritime Services did a lot of work. They closed the road for several weeks in late 2016 and again in 2017. During these times, they installed a special fence. This fence is about 1.1 kilometres (0.68 mi) (0.7 miles) long. It helps to catch falling rocks and keep the road safe for everyone.
