A flour mill, brickworks and pottery works were built to exploit local kaolinite reserves, and facilities were quickly erected to serve the local population, including several churches (two of which are now listed by the National Trust), a school, general store, and from 1862, council offices.

In 1956, the Bulla Shire Council (now part of the City of Hume following amalgamation in 1994) moved to Sunbury,[3] and in 1996, the Kennett Liberal government closed the primary school.

Next to the former Shire's bluestone hall in the main street of Bulla is the Alister Clark Memorial Rose Garden.

[6] The garden, created and maintained by local volunteers, has a nearly complete collection of his surviving roses.

It operates between Westfield Airport West Shopping Centre and Sunbury railway station.