Licensee, Matthew Ryan declared he would meet unions' demands and reduced beer prices by one penny on 17 ounce schooners, 10 ounce mugs, and 6 ounce glasses.

The Bulli pub was the first of 23 in the Illawarra that listened to union strikers who had boycotted hotels for increasing beer prices.

Around 5,000 miners and steelworkers from Port Kembla converged on mass to the Bulli pub by foot, bus, car, or bicycle.

They formed queues, waiting with dry throats as others passed beers back to those waiting outside the pub.

Read more: 'The old gal comes of age': Bulli's Heritage Hotel celebrates 130 years

Historian and journalist Mick Roberts said he had collected that piece of the pub's rich history and many anecdotes during research for his new book.

He has commemorated the Bulli Heritage Hotel and Bellambi Hotel's 130th anniversaries this year with the release of Sister Pubs.

The book details the long history of the Heritage Hotel, which originally opened as the Bulli Family Hotel in 1889.

The book features reminiscences, amusing yarns, and details the pub's development from a coal miners' watering hole to one of the Illawarra's favourite live music venues.

"The Bellambi Hotel and Bulli's Heritage Hotel opened seven months apart in 1889 to service an infant tourism industry, and the social needs of the surrounding communities," Mr Roberts said.

"The two pubs have stood the test of time, have similar histories, and have been sustained for most of their 130 years by the thirsts of hard drinking coal miners, and blue collar workers.

"I wanted to celebrate that fact.

"The pubs were built by the same man, designed by the same architect, catered to the same customer, and opened seven months apart in 1889.

"They have a close bond in that sense."

Mr Roberts said he had a strong connection to the Bulli pub as five generations of his family had called it their "local".

His interest in the pub industry stems back to the 1870s when his ancestor, Jens Peter Orvad opened the Denmark Hotel, which sits as an empty building today on the Prince's Highway, Bulli.

Mr Roberts is a life member of the Black Diamond Heritage Centre at Bulli Railway Station, and over his career, has had several local history books published.

"Now I have the time, I thought I should mark the Bulli and Bellambi pubs' milestones with a commemorative book," he said.

"It will bring-back plenty of memories for older residents, and features yarns and reminiscences I have collected over 30 years of research.

"It is also packed with plenty of rarely seen historic pictures."

Sister Pubs is available from the Black Diamond Heritage Centre at Bulli, and through Mr Roberts website.