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Tree Chair in Alum Mountain Park. MOUNTAIN PARK ESTABLISHED* The Bulahdelah Mountain Advisory Committee helped the Forestry Commission to establish the 'Mountain Park'. The park provides recreational and educational needs and has proven very popular with the local residents being used for many picnics, birthday parties, school excursions and even wedding ceremonies.
Exploring and Learning at Alum Mountain Park. The Mountain Park facilities were further upgraded with funding from the N. S. W. Bicentenary Council in 1988 with improved signs, walking trails and construction of the lookout platforms, one near the trig point to the north and the other as the Ted Baker lookout to the south. The Mountain Park was awarded a Tidy Towns Award in 1986 for provision of such excellent facilities to help preserve our local cultural heritage. The Mountain Park continues to be a tranquil forested setting only 600 metres from the center of town. The Country Women's' Association planted a time capsule in the park on 31 August 1988 to be opened in 50 years.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE CEASES* The Advisory Committee ceased to function in 1991.
IN REGISTER OF THE NATIONAL ESTATE* The Mountain itself was entered into the Register of National Estate by the Australian Heritage Commission on 30 May 1995, (being an area of 50 hectares above 180M above sea level) and is considered significant for its mining history, alunite outcrops, and geology relationships.
Despite major transfer of lands from State Forest to National Park in March 1999, the Mountain Park remains under State Forest of N. S. W. management - largely due to its significant mineralogical wealth.
ALUM MOUNTAIN PARK UNDER THREAT* The Alum Mountain Picnic & Park area is currently under threat by the Pacific Highway Upgrade at Bulahdelah. The area is known as Option E, and would run through the centre of the Alum Mountain Picnic & Park area. This would destroy a beautiful, unique attraction to our town and heritage. Once a area such as this is destroyed, it can never be replaced, there are four other possible Options available without destroying this beautiful setting beneath our Alum Mountain. The other Options are known as A, B, C & D. Options A & B being to the West of the town, taking the noise and pollution away, but still giving good access to people wishing to visit. Options C & D are upgrades of the current highway, though Option D would still encroach upon on the base of the Alum Mountain behind the Catholic Church & School. *Source: Mr Kevin Carter District Forester, 1984 - 1997.
PLEASE HELP US TO PROTECT THE PARK Your support would be greatly appreciated to help protect the only above ground Alum Mountain in the world. The State Government has announced that it proposes to proceed with OPTION E to reroute the Pacific Highway at Bulahdelah. Please help us keep this unique and precious site as natural as it is today.
Thousands of motorists each year marvel at the richly coloured and starkly serene mountain range which stands sentinel over the township of Bulahdelah. Most of these motorists would also be unaware of a decision made by Hon. Carl Scully, Minister for Roads, Minister for Transport, to use the base of this unique mountain for the Pacific Highway Upgrade – Bulahdelah, known as ‘Option E’. ‘Option E’, the label given to this option of madness is: -
A danger also exists with the construction of ‘Option E’ - a danger that should be taken very seriously. If ‘Option E’ were to be constructed the dust caused from the alum is highly dangerous. Research into the dangers of alum dust has revealed: -
There have been two recorded adult deaths caused from the ingestion of 30 grams of alum powder. A label hazard warning states: -
Label Precautions: -
Label First Aid: -
After reading these facts about alum, why would anyone wish to proceed with placing a four lane, over 100 metre wide highway in an area that entirely consists of alum. The Hazards Identification Fact Sheets can be viewed at: -
Bulahdelah had five options that could be used for the Pacific Highway Upgrade – Bulahdelah bypass. With over 550 individual complaint forms signed and many preferred option forms collected by the Say NO to ‘Option E’ group, a large majority of these forms stated that the most preferred option was ‘Option A’, an option that passes to the west of the town, an option that was quoted in a PPK/RTA report – "Pacific Highway, Bulahdelah Upgrade – Route Options, Non-Indigenous Heritage Report as: -
‘Option E’ is also not the safest option for the Pacific Highway Upgrade – Bulahdelah. A Geotechnical Report for Community Information states: - "Boulders on Alum Mountain: -
You can still object to ‘Option E’ being used, its not too late. Your objections to the use of this dangerous option can be e-mailed to the following: -
A BlogSpot containing the latest information for the Pacific Highway Upgrade – Bulahdelah Upgrade can be visited at http://bulahdelah-upgrade.blogspot.com Say NO! to ‘Option E’
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Copyright © 2000, Malcolm Carrall, Archives Officer, The Bulahdelah & Districts Historical Society Inc., 20 Ann Street, Bulahdelah, New South Wales, Australia, 2423. Original content in these Web pages is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be produced by any process or any other exclusive right exercised without written permission from the copyright holder. Published by Malcolm Carrall. |
The Mountain Park was officially
opened on 11 February 1984, with the provision of tables,
fireplaces, toilets, children's playground, historical display and tourist
information board.
