the balmainassociationincorporatednews sheet

T h e P e n i n s u l a

Vol 45 No I Issue 314 F o u n d e d N o v e m b e r 1 9 6 5 M a r c h 2 0 1 0

John Doyle's observations about changes he has seen in Balmain over thepast 27 years shared at the opening of Balmain Favourites exhibition at

the Balmain Watch House in December 2009The most obvious thing to say aboutBalmain is that it is a true village.Being a true village means there isautomatically interconneciedncss - andtherefore for its residents a chosen ratioof anonymity with familiarity. You canchoose to leave the front door open orclosed, choose to engage or withdraw,choose a hundred friends or choosenone. But if you choose to leave thedoor open and engage, the rewards arer i c h .

We arr ived in Balmain in1982.1 taught for a time at BalmainHigh School, some of the students I metthere 1 still see employed in variousoccupations around the place carryingon the continuum, the intergencrationalrhythms of village life. Certainly I'vewitnessed change in the last twentyseven years; there is more investmentput into houses, there arc fewer dogdroppings on the pavements, and whilethere are more dogs of the small whiteand exotic variety, sadly there are fewergreyhounds on leashes, and friendlyfamiliar figures have disappeared andare missed. 1 miss Guy and Amanda'sVideo Shift, which opened the year wearrived. 1 miss the elegant Peter in theMilk Bar on the comer of Rowntrecand Darling Streets. Miss Bill's Garage.Miss seeing the hunched black figure ofthe grim faced Faddy McGuiness in theUnity Hall mulling over left wingconspiracies; miss the strong stalearoma of flat beer belching out of theCricketer's Arms before, with the pokermachines and the TAB, becoming TheMonkey Bar; miss big John mixingpaints at Brown's; miss his blindlyoptimistic sister; miss Mister Tongracking up another order on the abacusat Danius Hardware; miss the vaguedistracted smile of Arthur Pillingerwho, while surrounded by broken anddiscarded pieces of furniture, proudlysunned himself on winter morningsbeneath his sign 'The Specialist. Miss

Stimson's where you could purchasepowders for making your own woodstains and varnishes and they wouldn'ttake a cheque. Or a credit card. Orbetray a trade secret. Miss seeing DonRocavert, rollie in mouth, racquet inhand with his buggered kneesbellowing 'finish your game' to socialtennis players on the Rose Street courts.

W '

Phoio by Leigh GemmcllWhile some things arc missed,

some things feel like they should stayforever - Victoria Road Smash Repairs;the Town Band; Ralph's Deli; Bray'sBooks; TJ's Meats [1 still miss MarkO'Neil]; the Rowing Club; the sight ofthe peninsula's oldest living monumentto bravery Tom Urcn walking boltupright, hat on head, on his way to thebus stop charming all with his gentle

car; the constant queue in the PostOffice; jazz and boisterous dancersspilling out of the Unity Hall onSunday afternoons; people sippingcoffee sitting on milk crates; PeterKenny and Pater Cairus exploringopportunities over a sandwich on atable outside Le Bich; Georgie Parker

jogging along Birchgrove Road; RachelWard power walking in the oppositedirection; Judy Davis hiding her geniusunder a floral hat languidly wanderingon the pitch upon which the first gameof Rugby League was ever played;former Mayor Carolyn Allendaydreaming with her dog with thefloppy ear in Elkington Park; DawnFraser baths; Dawn herself runningabout with an energetic grandchild;Peter Cashman broadcasting the arcanemysteries of the Yanmar 2GM20inboard dicsel engine at the opening ofan exhibition here at the Watch House;

Gary Stavrou driving by the PoliceStation towing his boat while in hismind he's conducting the LondonSymphony Orchestra; MargaretThrosby sharing a joke at Ballast PointPark; the summer sun sparkling off thewater in most directions; and people ofall hues, all beliefs, all ages taking inthe wonder of the walks through alandscape whose history is told insandstone and toil and hardship. Andwhile the old Balmain died, it went toHeaven. This is no ordinary suburb; it'sa space that tells the story of the nation- the kangaroo hunting of the Borapeople, the birth of the Labor Party - anindustrious suburb and at all times asuburb that surprises, held together bythe glue that is its history and itspeople.

D a v i d L i d d l e a n d B a r b a r a

Hamilton are now adding to that historywith this exhibition of its people.

J o e

i n I N T H I S I S S U Eh i s Page

I John Doyle's address2 & 3 B a l m a i n F a v o u r i t e s4 G o o d P l a c e s

5 & 6 B a l l a s t P o i n t P a r k L i k e s a n dD i s l i k e s

7 Development Update & NewE d i t o r f o r t h e N e w s l e t t e r

8 W h a t ' s o n a t t h e W a t c h H o u s e

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B A L M A I N F A V O U R I T E SAn exhibition of photographs by David Liddle and Barbara Hamilton of Balmain people and

places. Held in the Watch House, 9 December 2009 to 23 January 2010

T^his photographic exhibition observed and

recorded the current l i fe and environment ofBalmain residents for the interest and enjoyment

of the present and future generations. It was inspired byDavid Liddlc's 1986 The Balmain Book (a collection ofphotographs of a fast disappearing group of Balmainresidents) and the encouragement given to the BalmainAssociation by the National Trust to continue to recordBalniain's life and times now and not just research itspast. It is remarkable just how much Balmain haschanged in a couple of decades.

Helen Jackson: Punch Gallery. Photo by David Liddle

The subjects in this exhibition do not "bareall" but then portraits tend not to (It is worth notingthat there are no nudes in the National Portrait Galleryin Canberra!). They do however reveal much of theirinner selves and Balmain by being photographed intheir favourite environment. It seems clothing makelhthe man (or woman) but that the environment reveaieihhim (or her).

What is surprising is the environment thateach subject has chosen to be photographed in. 1 hadimagined that subjects would make choices basedlargely on aesthetics (parks, stone cottages, harbourviews, cafes rather than pubs, churches, streetscapesand the like) and 1 was concerned that too many wouldchoose the Dawn Fraser Pool. However it was often theinvolvement in, intimacy of, or familiarity with anenvironment that appealed when choosing their home,garden or workplace. To others it was a place thatbrought back memories, a place shared with friends ora sanctuary. Couldn't this happen anywhere? What isso different about these environments in Balmain?

Smallness, compactness, human scale, use of availablespace, creativity and limited resources were used inmany of these favourites, and sometimes a scroungingmake-do personality rather than a willingness to buyoff-the-shelf perfection. These were very commonBalmain characteristics but this is changing.

How was a representative group of Balmainresidents found to participate? The short answer is theyweren't. The participants are more representative ofpeople (and their now adult children) who moved toBalmain in the 60s, 70s, and 80s than it is of otherresidents. These people were part of Balmain's changefrom a working class industrial suburb to a middleclass residential one.

Balmain has again moved on and is becominghome to a more affluent demographic as, for instance,university students, teachers and artists move to moreaffordable accommodation (40% of Balmain residentsare renting) and property owner retirees look for a seaor tree change, or succumb to the inevitabilities oftime. What is being recorded here is a passinggeneration, an altered lifestyle, a disappearing valuesystem and a changing phase in Balmain's continuingevolution. The temporary custodians of the localenvironment, having influenced and modified it in theway they saw fit are, in turn, passing it on to others tocontinue the process. The changes in Darling Street arean obvious indicator of this. Gone are the greengrocers,second-hand fumiturc stores, butcheries and milk barsand in their stead are frock shops, restaurants andcafes .

Peter Hicks: Glass House. Photo by Barbara Hamilton

G o n e t o o a r e t h e s t u d e n t s w h o c a m e t o

Balmain for cheap accommodation. Going arc theidealists who sought to save Balmain from the worstravages of development and political intrigue, whosaved the Watch House, lost Birchgrove House, sawoff the ANL container terminal at Mort Bay, thechemical tank farm and coal loader at White Bay andformed organizations such as the Balmain TheatreGroup, Music 2041 and the Balmain Association.

What is clearly evident is a love of Balmainbut sometimes also a sadness to see some of the

changes that are taking place.Fergus Frlcke

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B A L M A I N FAV O U R I T E SDavid Liddle adds

While cottage industries and butchers are gone, there arcfeatures we don't miss. These include the corrugatediron fronts of empty shops from the early 60's; and therelentless tedium of palings, iron and bitumen without asingle blade of grass. These have given way to trees,shrubs, a variety of tree canopies and even designergardens.

Former rubbish filled pavilions of posters andlitter that sat on Victoria Road opposite Robert Street, isnow a grand, green parade of magnificent Celtis trees.On the opposite comer, a formerly overgrown patch ofdirt is now a green and quirky little park where you cansit and watch the traffic zip by.

And even though the "them & us' still applieswhen comparing Balmain dwellers to "Rest-Of-Sydncy"there is a noticeable community spirit.

Perhaps it is the isolating peninsular geographyor even just a legacy from blue-collar days, butcommunity spirit does struggle on even today, strangledas it is by sky-high house prices or middle classpretension.

Photos can be purchased in t̂ ^̂ o sizes by phoning Davidon 9810 8552.David's next project is to incorporate the iconicphotographs into a book on Balmain now. Ed

I r e n e W a l l s : s t u d i o

Garry Clubley: Yurulbin PointJ a m i e P a r k e r : W a t c h H o u s e

Photos by David Liddle

Balmain postcards, in colour, featuring Balmainentrances ($5) and a Balmain panorama from thePO Tower ($7), are available from the Watch House

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G O O D P L A C E SThe four cornerstones of a good place areuses & activities, access & linkage, comfort& image and sociability.

Recently there is talk about theimportance of rediscovering asense of community that we

somehow lost when we gave up time-honored habits and stopped frequentingthe vital meeting places, the "good places,"in our neighborhoods. People arediscovering that unique places, onceintegral to people's everyday lives, areslowly but surely disappearing. Parks areno exception. Many parks no longerfunction as important places that capturet h e h e a r t s o f r e s i d e n t s .

It was not always like this, in thepast city residents, on their days off, lefttheir "noisy, dirty day-to-day world insearch of nature", but it was nature bothconnected to a recreational destinationand with social activities. For example inEurope, many city-dwellers headed out forcountry walks on their day off to the"people's garden" which was a path linedwith boisterous entertainment, includingmerry-go-rounds, dance music, andrefreshment booths, leading to a largerrecreational destination at the end. Artistsof that period, like Impressionist painterGeorges Seurat, showed people swimmingwhile others walked along the promenadeon the Grand Jatte, an island outsideP a r i s .

In the United States, thepromenades of seaside resorts andbeaches such as Coney Island inBrooklyn, New York and Hoboken,New Jersey were lined with popularattractions such as food sellers,

shooting matches, and horseshoepitching. This focus on social andr e c r e a t i o n a l a c t i v i t i e s a n d a m u s e m e n tin parks was supplanted by the greatpicturesque parks designed byF r e d e r i c k O l m s t e d a n d o t h e r s . P a r kofficials discouraged loud activities infavor of leisurely strolls and appreciationo f t h e b e a u t i e s o f n a t u r e i n o r d e r t o

elevate people of 'lower classes' to imitatethe behavior of'middle class' park users.

Unfortunately, many of these sameparks and their descendants are not wellused today. In addition to the obvious lackof maintenance and funding, parks oftenlack the right combination of physicala m e n i t i e s a n d a c t i v i t i e s t h a t m a k e t h e

park a magnet and an important placewithin a particular community. As peoplespend more and more time at work, atindoor health spas, and at malls they alsos h a r e l e s s t i m e a n d f e w e r a c t i v i t i e s w i t htheir fellow residents and neighbors;resulting in the loss ofa sense ofcommunity. With more people seekingrecreational activities in malls and sports

arenas - self-contained structures, largelyprivately owned with ties only to theirneighboring parking lots - parks haveb e e n l e f t b e h i n d .

How can today's parks once againbecome important places in communities?Can, or should, the vitality of parks of thepast be revived? We know that parks canprovide serenity, calm vistas and anexperience of nature, but shouldn't theyalso provide places for social activities?New York's Central Park and SanFrancisco's Golden Gate Park, bothexamples of the 19th century picturesquepark, have evolved into very actively usedparks and continue to attract peopletoday, Last these two parks hostedroughly 30 million visitors whoparticipated in a variety of activitiesranging from jogging on trails, to bird-watching, to eating lunch and having a cupof coffee, to just doing nothing. Parks suchas these have by no means stoppedoffering opportunities to contemplatenatural beauty, but passive uses arebalanced with areas that buzz with socialactivity.

"Project for Public Spaces" hasfound that a good place provides a rangeof things to do, is easy to get to andconnected to the surrounding community,is safe, clean, and attractive, and, perhapsmost important, is a place to meet otherpeople. This model also provides a usefulframework for evaluating parks as places.

A c t i v i t i e s a n d U s e sWhat types of activities make parkscommunity magnets? When a parkprovides a place for people to ice skateand also an area nearby where people cansit and talk, get warm and get somethingto eat or drink, its chances of becoming agood place are increased, simply becausethere are numerous things to do,attracting many different people. A goodplace should be regularly available so thatpeople can rely on it when the chattingwhim strikes. The Great Good Place by RayOldenburg identifies neighborhood spotsthat act as the glue of their communities,drawing people to them forcompanionship and relaxation. Examplesmight be a neighborhood bocce court in apark, a corner bar, a coffeehouse or a

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playground; all are places characterizedby popular informality. Their users cananticipate lively conversations with the'regulars,' 'characters,' and otherneighbors. According to Oldenburg, ingood places every person is known fortheir social self, not as an employee orfamily member; roles, he says, that canmake people feel like they are instraightjackets from which they long toescape. A good place also encouragespeople to 'sit and set a spell.' Being able tosit, converse or just look at passersby isthe key.

Comfort and ImageGood details can tantalize; they signal thatsomeone took the time and energy todesign amenities that welcome, intrigue,or help. Design ideas include communitybulletin boards, restrooms, shade trees,child-friendly niches, moveable seatingand bike racks. Two thousand movablechairs are scattered on the lawn of BryantPark in New York, transforming the parkfrom a drug infested public space to apopular mid-town haven.

Access and LinkageA good place is easy to see and easy to getto; people want to see that there issomething to do, that others have beensuccessfully enticed to enter. On the otherhand, ifa park is not visible from thestreet or the street is too dangerous forolder people and children to cross, thepark won't be used. The more successful aplace is, the more the success will feedupon itself. Sometimes, ifa place is really

good, people will walk through it evenif they were headed somewhere else.

Sociabil i tyA sociable place is one where peoplewant to go to observe the passingscene, meet friends, and celebrateinteraction with a wide range of peoplet h a t a r e d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h e m s e l v e s .

Have you ever noticed how manyenjoyable conversations you can havea t a f a r m e r s ' m a r k e t o r a fl e a m a r k e t ?

People tend to have four and a halftimes more sociable talks with peoplein a market versus a supermarket. How

can the builders and managers of today'sparks learn more from other places sucha s m a r k e t s a b o u t w h e r e a n d h o w s o c i a l

activity occurs?I n C o n c l u s i o n

A good place is refreshing andrejuvenating; after you leave it, you feelbetter for having been there. Sometimesyou can't miss a good place when youstumble upon it, for it has great beauty tobeguile and recharge you. At other times, agood place works well not because of anaesthetic appeal but because it isneighbourly; it draws people in andenables them to relax companionably eventhough it might not look like much.

Reproduced in an abbreviatedform from the website Projects for PublicSpaces http://www.pps.org

a scorecard on user likes and dislikesBallast Point Park -

If you go to Ballast Point Park early mornings andevenings, there are picnickers, walkers, runners, dogwalkers, cyclists, barbequers, parents with strollers and

young children and people just taking in the view. In themorning part of it is used by a fitball group. As yet there is noboot camp activity. Give the boot campers time and no doubtthey will find the park for drill sessions.

During week days, especially in summer, park usetends to be sparse. On weekends the usage rises again, butdepends largely on the heat.

The park was opened just over six months ago andThe Observer considered it time to ask users what they likedand disliked about the park. An interesting range of responseswere given.

to when it was an industrial site and there was no park access,and no one said they would have preferred to see residentialbuildings on the site.

Many commented on the choice of water wiseplantings which arc growing well on the western side of thepark, but requiring more protection near the park entrance,particularly near the BBQ area, where they tend to gettrampled.

Disl ikes and cr i t ic isms

Originally residents living near the park expected to encounterparking problems on the weekend. Apart from New Year'seve and Australia day, parking has not turned out to be theproblem that had been expected in Ballast Point Road, VecndStreet, Lcmm Street and Wharf Road, with the exception ofresidents whose homes abutt the park and find they can't parktheir cars on weekends.

But noise and rubbish left behind picnickers areidentified as negatives by several users. As is graffiti andbroken glass.

Some residents living very near the park report thatthere is considerable noise from groups of young peoplepartying and barbequing in the evenings and on weekends.The noise often goes into the night. There is also a build up ofused paper plates and plastic cups thrown over the side of theBBQ area, although where rubbish is accessible, it tends to bepicked up by other considerate park users and placed in bins.

Another criticism is that while there are ramps, thereare not enough of them, leaving women with strollers andwheelchair users to struggle with steps in some areas.

L i k e s

Most people cite the view and the breezes as what they mostlike about the park, with its uninterrupted 270 degree viewand a direct north facing outlook directly onto the SydneyHarbour bridge.

Women pushing strollers say they like the stroller-friendly paths and that young children could ride theirtricycles on them.

They like the picnic areas, but were looking forwardto the trees growing to provide more shade in summer.

People like the tiered headland replicating the bow ofa ship, the exposed sandstone and that the rock surface is nottotally covered with soil and turned into grassed parkland.There are other parks in the Balmain area - Elkington,Peacock Point and Mort Bay - which arc predominantlygrassy. They like that BPP is different.

They like the caged stones broken down fromreclaimed rock which form walls in the park.

And they like that the surface is punctuated byreminders of the site's past industrial history, the grassedcylinder bases on the lower western level of the park and therotunda and metal fuel tanks on the upper level.Several people said they like the history wall recalling the preindustrial residential history of the site.

Others point to the unique design of the park, itsvarious levels and linked stairs and pathways that provide asurprise around every comer. The view from almost everyangle and level is unbeatable. All said there is no comparison

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The positioning of the toilet block near Wharf Roadis seen as too visually prominent and an eye sore to immediater e s i d e n t .

There are no incremental ferry services to Thames Stto allow public transport options.

One local resident says his garden hose is losinglength every week as bits appear to be chopped off it forbongs. The hose didn't lose length before the park wasopened.

Local residents also report a rise in hoon traffic onsome nights and weekends as souped up car drivers see howfast they can do the Ballast Point Road/Wharf Road/LemmStreet loop.

Some parents with young children say they wouldlike a playground area for young children or a sandpit toamuse their offspring while they picnic.

Several say the park looked a bit raw, exposed, bareand hot at present, but they expect plant maturation will softenit and the park to settle in as the trees grow. Local residentsremember when Mort Bay Park was a sea of brown grass andtrees struggling for foothold.

Some say they would have preferred a moretraditional, grassed, flatter park.

On balance, there were more people with positivecomments about the park than negative comments. But thereis clearly room for improvement, particularly in relation to thelate night noise and the planting of more mature trees so thatshade will be available more quickly, protection of immediateresident parking and more frequent ferry services to ThamesStreet.

Update on Lang Walker's claim forcompensation for being prevented from

developing the site into a high-density residentialarea or as an industrial park.

Walker, through his company McRoss Developments in 1997entered into an option agreement with Caltex to purchase thes i te f o r$16 .5 m i l l i on .

The company paid a deposit which was refundedwhen the contract for sale was frustrated by the compulsoryacquisition by the state government. Caltex received $14,375million in compensation and Walker turned down $10.1m i l l i o n .

Walker claimed that the site, based on obtainingresidential rezoning, was worth $60 million. This was basedon the arithmetic of 138 units on the site, each valued ataround $600,000. Alternatively, he said it was worth at least$33 million if it were redeveloped as an industrial site.

The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHEA)reckoned the site was worth $15.5 million, based on its worthfor industrial use, arguing that there was never a residentialzoning likely for the site.

A number of other valuations were offered to thecourt by SHEA ranging from $ 11.3 million to a maximum of$30 million if the court accepted that there was a chance forresidential development to occur, but taking into accountlower density and a discount for risk.

The battle over the Walker compensation hasinvolved long and active court proceedings journeying twiceto the NSW Land and Environment Court, twice to the Courtof Appeal and once to the High Court before being returned tothe NSW Land and Environment Court again last year.

Last Christmas eve, Judge Biscoc in that courtdetermined that the value of the land was $33.5 million anddetermined that compensation of $ 17,055,138.50 be paid toWalker. This was based on $33.5 million less $16.5 millionrepresenting the cost of completing the contract ot sale, andadding $55,138.50 as compensation for disturbance costsincurred by Walker, who might be bemused that the judge gotthe figure right down to the last 50 cents. It's more thanenough to pay for another luxury yacht in any case, not thatWalker needs another.

But the residents say that the park is now there to beenjoyed by the community and visitors, instead of being aseries of high-rise buildings gated, producing a lot of trafficeveryday.

Hopefully, the compensation judgement will markthe end of court fights over compensation for a battle that thecommunity fought for 20 years.

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D E V E L O P M E N T U P D A T E

Planning as it impacts on theBalmain area appears to bedisarray to the extent that one

could label it 'unplanning'.

1. The Balmain Leagues Club hassubmitted a Development Application(Reference D/2009352) to theLeichhardt Council. It calls for thedemolition of all existing buildings, theconstruct ion of three resident ial

apartment buildings of 6, 8 and 13storeys and six basement levels whichwill provide, amongst other things, a carparking capacity for 594 cars.

There is no mention of theMETRO terminus. The 600 cars wi l lflow in and out of an area already atclose to saturation level. Lululand

planning.2. The Metro - is it or isn't it going tohappen? On TV on 18'̂ January, theState Opposition leader said he wouldnot go ahead with it. Premier Keneallysaid she would not comment unti lmatters had been advanced. Apparently$100 million has already beencommitted to preliminary works on whatwill be a S5-S6 billion undertaking.3. Bays Precinct - no master plan hascommenced, but the Bailey's re-fuellingsite has been approved. But no work hascommenced. No news has been releasedon the workings of the Taskforce andCruise Passenger Terminal SteeringC o m m i t t e e . T h e P r e m i e r a n n o u n c e d o n

20 December that a permanent cruise

passenger terminal will be builtat White Bay Wharf 5 with asecondary berthing capability atWharf 4. Good old style pubicconsultation at work again.

If the Metro goesahead, it is envisaged that it willhave administ rat ive andmaintenance faci l i t ies in thearea. No news again. Nomention of the access road to James

Craig Drive.4. Light Rail - the extension to theCircular Quay and the one to DulwichHill is going to be part of a widertransport review according to this Stategovernment. Don't hold your breath.5. Callan Park - on the 20 January, theAustralian reported on the front pagethat 25% of all Australian troops servingoverseas suffered some mental i l lness.Non- governmental community groupsformed to help the mentally impaired(OUR PLACE and WHO to name two)are crying out for Callan Park hospitaltype facilities. What docs the Stategovernment do about it? Nothing.6 . Goat I s land -The commi t tee fo rmedto determine what is to be done on - andto -Goat Island has split on action to bet a k e n .

One approach, championed by PaulKeating, wants most of the 20'̂ centurybuilt structures removed as well as someof the 19"̂ century ones too.

Shedding light on Goat IslandThe other approach is to leave

the island much as it is. John Morris isof this view and after his havingdiscussed i t with Counci lor JohnStamol is of Leichhardt Counci l thesubmission from Council has supportedthis view.

The Ba lma in Assoc ia t i on

supports the council's view as we wouldlike it to be a working site as well as arecreational one.

For people who want to readmore, the Management Plan is availableon the NSW National Parks website at

http://www.cnvironment.nsw.gov.au/conscrvation/goatisland.htm

Roger Parkes

Should you wish to be sent a fullc o l o u r e l e c t r o n i c v e r s i o n o f t h i sn e w s l e t t e r a n d / o r f u t u r e

newsletters please contact June atspeal@zipworld.com.au

A N e w E d i t o r f o r T h e O b s e r v e rAfter a year as editor of the Observer, Christina Ritchie hasdecided to step down to concentrate on her many otherinterests and activities. Christina has done a wonderful job ofrecording the activities of the Association and the history ofBalmain, keeping members informed and setting agendas forthe Association to address. Thank you Christina for your timeand energy.

As the new editor 1 intend to build on Christina's

strengths and ensure that the Observer continues to remainengaged with the local community and to keep it up to dateon issues of interest and importance to members. The bestpublications are built on input from their readers and so Iinvite you to send your ideas and articles on topics of localinterest, be they heritage and planning issues, architecture,gardens, local community events, community welfare, artists'exhibitions, park usage and improvements, car parkingchanges, pets, indeed any items of interest that you, asreaders, think that the Balmain Association should engage.

Please email me on your thoughts, ideas,contributions to annclicsefeozcmail.com.au 1 look forwardto working with you.

Anne l iese Parkes

Biennial Balmain Association Spring GardenWalks on Saturday 18 September 2010

Arc you interested in looking over the back fence at localgardens? Join our Spring Garden Walks and you will be ableto come through the front gate! Once again some of thegardens in Balmain and Birchgrove are being opened to thepublic. A varied collection of gardens will be showcased.Maps and information about the gardens and interestingstreetscapes along the way will be provided.

Members' MeetingDate: Wednesday 7 AprilTime: 6:00pmPlace : Ba lma in Watch HouseAgenda: Association members are invited to attendto discuss issues of interest and concern with theCommittee and to view videos held by theAssociation including one of an interview with Philip^xan, the designer of Ballast Point P

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W h a t ' s o n a t t h e Wa t c h H o u s eFor fu r the r in fo rmat ion see h t tp : , ,1 ) i i l nu i in : i ss i i c ia t i i>n .» rL ' , i i u

M A R C H

Saturday 20 and Sunday 21, 10am - 4pm" C o m m o n G r o u n d "

A collaborative exhibition that gives voice to our collectiveexperience as women - the experiences we share regardless ofcreed, race or culture. Many women chart similar patterns in life.Although the works range from abstract to representational, theviewer will experience a sense of recognition - " I understandt h i s " . " I ' v e b e e n t h e r e " .

Opening Fri 19th March. 6-8 pmSaturday 27 and Sunday 28,10.00 am to 4J0 pm"Ways of seeing"Af ter a recent successfu l exh ib i t ion in Roze l le . Kr is t ine Ped ler.

Margie Carew-Reid and Lynne Sung have come together onceagain for this exhibition. There will be a variety of small andlarger works including landscapes, still life and botanical works.Opening 6 - 8pm on Friday 26 and all are welcome.

A P R I LNational Trust Heritage Festival

The Making of Our Nation"... our fiiture is not as a penal colony ...but a free settlement"Governor Macquarie2010 will mark the 200th anniversary of Governor LachlanMacquarie's 12 year tenure as the 5th Governor of the colony ofNew South Wales. He was sworn in on 1 January I8I0.

Governor Macquarie made an outstanding and extensivecontribution to the growth of the State of New South Wales andhis many legacies endure. He is widely recognised as beingresponsible for transforming the new colony from a penalsettlement to a flourishing society. This was ultimately achievedthrough his visionary leadership and a public works program: thebuilding of churches, schools, hospitals, roads and banks. He alsoinitiated newspapers, agricultural developments, racing andsporting carnivals, festivals, celebrations and institutions.Saturdays 3,10,17 & 24 April 11.30am - 4pm^Balmain Workers Help Make Our Nation"An exhibition of Balmain workers, past and present, helping tomake our nat ion.

Sunday 11 April 10am - 2pm"Balmain Workers Help Make Our Nation"Cruise the sites where Balmain Workers (past and present) helpedmake our nation. Enjoy lunch on one of our former workingislands. Wheelchair access limited. $35 per person includes lightlunch and refreshments. Bookings Essential 9810 6885 (see alsobooking form enclosed)Saturday 17th April 1:30 to 3:30pmCoach tour of the former industrial sites of Mori's Dock, Caltex, 'National Box Co., Balmain Power Station and Unilever. Return to'the Watch House for afternoon tea and to view photographic ̂exhibition. Meet at the Watch House at I.30pm. Cost $10. ;Bookings essential Kathleen 9818 4954 (see also form enclosed) •W e d n e s d a y 1 4 A p r i l 6 : 0 0 f o r 6 : 3 0 p m 'H e r i t a g e G r o u p o f L e i c h h a r d t D i s t r i c t :Book Launch of "Heritage Walks in the Leichhardt Shire"Leichhardt Library, 23 Norton StHGOLD has published the book with a grant from the LeichhardtCouncil and has a comprehensive set of walks over the entiremunicipality. Wheelchair access. Parking available. ;Free but bookings essential 9519 3268

2010 National Trust Heritage FestivalThe theme of this year's festival is The Making of Our Nation andit will be celebrated with events across metropolitan and regionalNSW from Friday 9 April to Saturday 24 April. The BalmainAssociation has participated in each festival, now in its 30'*' year.M o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a t w w w. n a t i o n a l t r u s t . c o m . a u

M A Y

Saturday I and Sunday 2, !0am-5pm"Wall by Wall"The OKAPI group presents their most recent work. The artists arepursuing their own themes and styles which will create aninteresting and diverse range of artworks for viewing. Allar tworks wi l l be for sa le .

Opening Friday 30 April 2010 6pm-8.30pm with refreshmentsEveryone is welcome.Saturday 8 and Sunday 9.10.00am - 5.00pmT h e l l l a w a r r a C o l l e c t i v eA collection of Paintings. Prints and Drawings by local artistsi n t he l l l awa r ra .

Opening Friday 5,30pm-8.30pm all welcomeSaturday 15 and Sunday 16,10.00am - 5.00pmExhibition by 6+Diane O'Dwyer, Roma Devjak, Heather Kepski, HarrietLoneragan, Carlie Lopez, Wendy Lowe, Michael O'Keeffe andLynne Sung return for another exciting art opening. This group ofartists, known as 6+. are well known for creating diverse,contemporary image.s and they will be displaying their latestpaintings, prints, drawings and sculptures in this exhibition.Opening Friday 14 from 6pm to 9pm All welcomeSaturday 22 and Sunday 23, 10.00am - 4.00pm"To Watch from Umbra"Working to understand the contradictions and differentperceptions of beauty and life evident in our inconsistent .society.Opening night Friday 21 6-9pmEveryone is welcome for canapes and champagne for the openingnightSaturday 29 and Sunday 30, 10.00am - 4.00pmRobyn Ross Exhibition: No information available

J U N ESaturday 5 and Sunday 6 (Long weekend)Watch House ava i lab le fo r h i re

History Room will be open 11.30am to 3pm

Photo by Penny Alexander2010 Balmain A.ssociati()n Committee Members from left: Val Hamey,Roger Parkes, Kathleen Hamey, .lohn Symonds (Treasurer),Christina Ritchie. June Lunsmann (Secretary), Jane Ward(President), Diana Carder (Vice President), Carolyn Allen and FergusFricke. Ab.scnlees: Rita Ellis, George Cooper. Anne Bastock.

The Balmain Association Inc Representing Baimain, Birchgrove and RozelleOur aims are to:

Improve the living, working and recreationalamenities of our area; maintain all featureshaving natural, architectural and or historicalvalue of the area and keep a permanentcollection of historical interest; seek thecooperation of everyone concerned in therealization of the above.

The Balmain Association meetson the first Wednesday of each month at5:00pm in the Watch House, 179 DarlingStreet Balmain. The Watch House is openevery Saturday from 11:30am - 3:00pm.

O u r e d i t o r i a l c o n t a c t s :

phonc/fax is 02 9810 8978Email annolicsctV/ ozcmail.com.au

Postal: PC Box 57 Balmain 2041Our Web site:

hltp://balmainassociation.org.auAnnual subscriptions:

Household S20, Concession SIO,

Organizations $30Material from this newsletter is not to bereproduced without acknowledgement

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