[1] She graduated with a Master’s degree in sociology at the University of Hawaii in 1956; her thesis researched the American Samoan diaspora.

Two archaeologists from the University of Auckland, Jack Golson and Wal Ambrose, were running an excavation in Samoa and Bulmer joined in the dig.

While she was completing her PhD thesis she began doing site recording using students from the university, an initiative stimulated by the implementation of the Historic Places Amendment Act (1975).

[1] From the late 1970s she worked for the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (known as Heritage NZ since 2019) as Northern Regional Archaeologist.

[4] Her work in Papua New Guinea is recognised in three areas: as a pioneer of archaeology in the Highlands; for her classification of a coastal pottery sequence and its cultural associations and trade networks; for her investigations of early agricultural practices.

[5] Bulmer’s wide-ranging research interests included indigenous agriculture in New Zealand[9] and domestic animals such as the New Guinea Singing Dog.

[1][12] In 2005 she received a Living Legend award from Auckland Mayor Dick Hubbard in recognition of her community service.

[1] As a young woman, Bulmer was a keen folksinger, having learned to play guitar while she was a student at the University of Hawaii.

Bulmer sang on several tracks, including her original composition, "Hi Jolly", a humorous ballad about a notorious fossicker who was always one step ahead of the archaeologists.