Coogee Media

The term Jacob's Ladder is a biblical allusion mentioned in Genesis 28:12 of the Bible where Jacob has a vision of a ladder ascending to heaven.

Bombora
Bombora is an indigenous Australian term for a spot where sea waves break over a shallow area such as a submerged rock shelf, reef, or sand bank some distance away from the shoreline and the breaking waves of a beach. In slang it is also called a "bommie". As the wave passes over the shallow area its shape is raised and steepened creating a localised wave formation that attracts surfers. Because they are located offshore and can create dangerous conditions, "bommie" surfing is usually restricted to experienced, expert surfers.

Aerial view of Gordons Bay looking south.
The Bombora and Jacobs Ladder are marked

There is a bombora located off the northern headland of Coogee, almost in the mouth of Gordon's Bay. Once down Jacobs Ladder, it is an easy paddle on a surfboard across to the Bombora.

The Atlantics and Bombora
Interestingly, the surfing rock classic Bombora was written by Jim Skiathitis and Peter Hood from The Atlantics, two Coogee lads in a house that Skiathitis lived with his parents in Oberon Street Coogee in 1963. Bombora, now a rock standard and surfing anthem, shot to number one for a record eight weeks in 1963 and chartered around the world. In 2000 Bombora was given the accolade of being used in the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympic games. (See Note No.1)

No Official Listings
Googling the term "Jacob's Ladder" only brings up information about a set of steep stairs in Perth, known locally there as Jacobs's Ladder. These concrete and steel stairs wind about 250 steps up from the Swan River riverfront to the heights of Mt Eliza near Kings Park. They were built in 1960 to replace a set of 1902 wooden stairs. I visited Perth's Jacobs Ladder recently and noted the many joggers running up and down the stairs for exercise - they certainly give a good work-out!

Looking Down from Mt Eliza on Jacobs Ladder

When we searched Randwick and District Historical Society's online database, Jacobs Ladder is not mentioned, nor is it mentioned on the Randwick City Council's website. The Geographical Names' Board of NSW shows two sites in New South Wales called Jacobs Ladder. The first is a hill about 3 km east of Jacobs Mount and 4 km SSW of Mount Pleasant, near Grafton and was assigned in 1971. The second is in nearby in Woollahra Municipality on Sydney Heads, assigned in 1976. But nothing officially in Coogee.

Searching for Jacob's Ladder
We enlisted the aid of an "old" surfer who said he remembered as a youth climbing down Jacob's Ladder to surf in the 1970s. We couldn't locate an opening to the stairs on the top of the headland because of the dense bush, so we scrambled along the rock shelf on the southern side of Gordons Bay. Eventually, half way along the rock shelf, he located rough, high sandstone steps of the Ladder. They seem to be partly naturally formed and partly man-made. Stretching up, I was able to feel grooves cut into the rock steps as hand holds. He then pointed out a number of shiny, stainless steel handles on the ladder. They had been installed obviously to provide secure hand-holds for the 25 metre or so climb to the top, recently. It looks like a perilous climb and I declined his invitation to try. At that point, two teenage boys with bare feet wearing wet suits and each carrying a surfboard, appeared at the top of the "ladder". With perfect balance, they hurried down the "ladder" without needing to use the hand holds. "Is that dangerous?" I asked. "Nah!" they replied and they scurried off to throw themselves in the surf. I, however, was not so sure climbing the stairs was without danger.

Jacobs Ladder at Gordons Bay near Coogee

Old Newspapers Shed Light on Location: Danger!
The National Library of Australia's Trove database of digitised Australian newspapers records the tragic death of a young man on 22 January 1912, as JACOB'S LADDER: WHAT BOYS FOUND AT THE FOOT. ANOTHER FATAL FALL OVER COOGEE CLIFFS - which seems to imply there had been other falls at the spot. Frederick Birmingham of Chatham Street Coogee was discovered at the foot of the cliffs by three young boys after he had told others he intended to descend the cliffs and fossick along the rock face.

This is the earliest reference I could find, but it does indicate that the name has been in circulation for over 100 years.

Then from December 1914, there is a report of another tragic accident, this one involving a young boy falling to his death at Jacob's Ladder :

David Lynch, 15, blacksmiths striker, went to Coogee on Sunday week with four other lads, and was In the act ot descending 'Jacob's Ladder' when he fell down the cliff. He was fatally injured, and died shortly afterwards. At the inquest, held at the City Coroner's Court, a verdict of accidental death was returned. Charles Daniel Spiver said he, with four other youths, including Lynch, went to Coogee on Sunday week. About half-past five in the afternoon they attempted to go down Jacob's Ladder Norman Diverty went first, followed by his brother, while Lynch was last of the party. Witness was about 9 feet down the cliffs when Lynch attempted to descend. He either tripped on his boot lace or some other obstruction. In falling he attempted to grab the witness. His hand slipped over his shoulder and disappeared over the cliffs, a distance of about 150 feet. Constable McDonald of the Randwick police, stated that on getting down to the bottom of the cliffs he fonnd Lynch was badly knocked about, he was still alive, but succumbed later.

Other Incidents
Since this article was first published, others have told us of incidents over the years. John of Coogee, for instance, said that as a teenage surfer in the 1980s, he and his mates regularly used Jacobs Ladder to reach the bommie when the surf was big. He recalls many "near misses" including one incident involving his friend Dave. He saw a surf board fall from the top of the cliff followed by Dave flying through the air in a spread-eagle position. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they found that luckily Dave had fallen directly on top of his surf board which had taken the impact of the fall. The board was finished, but Dave survived.

Katrina wrote to us about an incident in 1955 when as a year 5 schoolgirl, her friend Elaine fell from the cliffs which resulted in broken bones, including a leg. On 2nd July 2021, I witnessed a young walker being winched to safety by a rescue helicopter after she had fallen onto the rock below Jacobs Ladder.

Rescue Route
Jacobs Ladder has also be used over the decades a route for rescuers to reach those who have fallen from nearby cliffs, including from what used to be known as Suicide Point. In 1913, the widow Mrs Agnes Read of "Marger" Arcadia Street, Coogee fell off the cliff. Three St John's Ambulance staff used Jacobs Ladder to reach her, unfortunately she was dead. In 1952, a 15 year old school boy, Brian O'Dywer from Woodland Street Coogee, accidentally fell from the cliffs. His friends, fishermen and police used Jacobs Ladder to reach him. Luckily he survived though with broken ankles and was able to be winched to safety.

Conclusion
So "Jacob's Ladder" is located on the northern Coogee headland overlooking Gordons Bay and used frequently by many to gain access to the rock shelf and the surf on the Bombora. Though not officially recorded, it has been called that locally for over 100 years - and its use is not without considerable danger.

References