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MURDER?

On September 14th, 1840, Major North applied for 3 grants of land for his sons Joseph, Francis and William. This land was east of the Myall and south of the Crawford to north of Black Camp Creek and west of the ranges. They built their homestead close to the Crawford/Myall Junction and named their horse station "Bulla-dela".

This station was worked by convict labour under an overseer and a white woman housekeeper, the first white woman on the Myall. It is rumoured that she was murdered and buried near the junction of the Crawford and Myall Rivers.

A COMMUNITY

*A small community developed on the lower slopes of the mountain next to the Myall River in the 1850's.

* Timber getting and homesteading was the basis of the local economy, until 1878 when mining began on the mountain.

Bulahdelah's growth and development can be attributed to its central location in the region. Because of this central location Bulahdelah has survived at the expense of many other small settlements in the area.

CASSIDY FAMILY ARRIVES FROM ENGLAND (1876)

After a three-month journey from England, John and Elizabeth Cassidy, and their daughter Sis, landed in Sydney with £1,200 and high hopes of making their fortune in the land of promise.

SOUGHT GOLD BUT LOST EVERYTHING

Whilst on board ship, John and Elizabeth had become friendly with a Mr. Dow, who was an amateur gold prospector, and who believed that gold could be virtually plucked in nuggets from the land around Coolongolook.

With the hope of a fortune within their grasp, they bought a crusher and began the arduous trek to the Cureeki gold mine where they lost everything.

MOVED TO BULAHDELAH TO WORK

With ruin facing them, John with his wife and child was persuaded by a Mr. White to come to Bulahdelah. Mr. White provided them with horses and they rode back to Bulahdelah, where John immediately began work at McSweeney's Mill.

A BURNING LOG REVEALS ALUM

Some time later, John had been showing a geologist the mountain when they came to a large log that had been burning in the stones at the base of the mountain. Here the geologist noted a white powder where the log had burnt away and the heat had affected the stone.

The geologist took a pinch of the white powder and placed it on his tongue. It tasted of Alum. Samples were sent away, tested and proved to be of high grade Alum.

THE MOUNTAIN BECOMES AVAILABLE FOR MINING

*The mountain remained Vacant Crown Land until December 1897, when it was dedicated Crown Land Reserve, No. 27057, for mining purposes and was administrated by the Department of Mines.

*Five mining leases were issued on the mountain for quarrying, extraction and processing. After 1952 when the mining ceased, the mountain once again was quiet.

ALUM MINING COMMENCES

A company was formed and mining of Alunite was started. John left the mill to become a powder monkey and sorter at the mine. John stayed at the mine until he retired, to be followed by one of his sons, Leslie Hall Cassidy, who was to become manager and later caretaker of the workings.

FORESTRY AND NATIONAL PARK INTERESTS

*The Forestry Commission made several requests for dedication to State Forest, as did later the Great Lakes Shire which wanted it for public recreation, and the National Parks and Wildlife Service for preservation. On 26th September 1979 it was dedicated as part of Bulahdelah State Forest.

*The Forestry Commission, with Ministerial approval, set up an Advisory Committee of interested parties to assist in the management of the mountain. The Advisory Committee is made up of representatives from: -