The story of this place
In 1886, a coal jetty was built at Hicks Point in Austinmer to ship coal from the South Bulli mine, extending 200 metres out to sea to reach deeper water for steam colliers. The jetty operated for nearly 30 years until 1915, when it was destroyed by fire — burnt to the waterline and never rebuilt. The stone footings remain visible at low tide. Austinmer's other claim to fame is the Headland Hotel, perched on the cliff overlooking the ocean rock pool, which featured prominently in the Australian television drama 'headLand' (2005-2006). Glastonbury Gardens, a peaceful park behind the beach, sits on the site of a former colliery dam that once supplied water to the mining operations. The twin ocean rock pools at Austinmer, built in the early 1900s, are among the most photographed on the NSW coast.