Austinmer - Historic buildings

Austinmer Railway Station

In 1887 the Austinmer Railway Station was opened. It is located South of the Rail Line in Austinmer. A second platform with timber railway platform building and corrugated metal roof was added with 1915 track duplication. The Railway Station had an important historical and social link with the township of Austinmer's development and the development of the tourism and the coal industry. (City of Wollongong Heritage study Vol 3/5)

Heritage House
Address: 1 Headlands Avenue, Austinmer

This house is a 1920's Californian bungalow. It was built of brick with a corrugated iron roof - symmetrical façade with leadlight bay windows. It is an excellent example of local interpretation of the Inter-War Californian bungalow style with a high level of integrity. (City of Wollongong Heritage Study Vol 3/5)

Austinmer Public School
Address: 92 - 94 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Austinmer

The first move towards the establishment of a public school at Austinmer - then known by the name North Bulli - was made in 1866. In 1891 the old slab school was demolished. The new building was to be of brick, it had been found that the white ants were destructive to wooden buildings and the Department was adverse to erecting structures of wood. The school at this time was one large room divided by an arch eventually having a partician installed separating the two rooms. In 1927, a third room was added to the original 1891 rooms. In 1958- a modern classroom block was added. In 1963 a classroom, library and brick veneer office were added. It is a fine example of a late Victorian school building and the residence is still in use. (King, Norman S. Story of Austinmer)

Headlands Hotel
Address: Headlands Avenue, Austinmer

This prominent building on the headland, is in the late Federation Bungalow style. A former salt mine once operated from this site. The original building was a guest house which was constructed by Joe Goss for Syms and Company in 1926. It consisted of thirty double bedrooms, spacious landscaped grounds, twelve garages and staff rooms. In 1954, a new accommodation section and bars were added and the guest house became a Hotel.

The older part of the Hotel is set prominently on Brickyard Point, with palms and pine trees forming a landscaped setting. The building had detailed brickwork and lead lighting. (Watering Hole no. 26 ; 24 March 2000)

Various developments have been planned for the site since the late 1980's. Resident and community opposition have ensured the site to date has remained unchanged although concern has been expressed over the state of the building and an application to demolish was submitted to Wollongong City Council in 2000. A new development application is currently unresolved (2003).(Local Cuttings File)

House "Cintra"
Address: 15 Wigram Road, Austinmer

This split level house is rendered brick with curved features of construction highlighted by dark painted edging. It is an uncommon and fine example of the Inter - War Functionalist style in a domestic style. The building is set in a prominent position above Glastonbury Gardens and displays many intact features of this building type.