Aboriginal study for Bulli Tops

A STUDY of indigenous heritage on the site of the Southern Gateway tourism complex at Bulli Tops will be undertaken by Wollongong City Council as the processing of the development application (DA) for the facility continues.

The study forms part of the statutory requirements for developments on Crown land where there is the possibility of indigenous heritage. The site takes in a portion of Crown land.

Extensive consultation on the possibility of items of indigenous heritage significance was conducted in conjunction with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) prior to the lodgement of the DA in October last year.

However, Council has been working with the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) on the process for the study and a consultant will now be engaged, with the study results to be used in finalising the DA.

Lord Mayor Alex Darling said the study would mean the originally predicted deadline for completion of December 2006 would be adjusted by several months.

"It should be noted that on complex projects such as this which involves a portion of land with a number of unique geotechnical, environmental and possible heritage issues, forecasting a definitive deadline is quite difficult," the Lord Mayor said.

"However, we are anticipating there will only be a few months delay which given the significance of the study required is something we are prepared to endure."

Once open, the Southern Gateway will act as a major point of tourist information for Wollongong and the Illawarra, incorporating a visitor's centre, restaurant and indigenous interpretive centre representing the region's Aboriginal heritage.

The project is a joint initiative of Council, Mid-Link Australia Pty Ltd and the Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation.