the peninsula Observer newsletter of Balmain Association Vol. 55 No. 3 Issue 356 Founded November 1965 December 2020

Callan Park Carolyn Allen 50 year vision for greater parklands

The Balmain Association has made a submission to a ‘discussion paper’ for the amalgamation of all major Sydney parks from the State WHAT’S Government. As a Chair has already been appointed to the proposed INSIDE ‘mega’ trust it seems that this big merger will take place regardless of ‘discussions’. Callan Park 1 The issues of great concern to us relate to the future of Callan Park. Following the Callan Park Special Provisions Bill in 2002 we were Fence fi ght 2 promised a trust, and some funding. There is concern the proposal Connecting you now 3 excludes the portion managed by Health and that there will be no Life membership ... 4 consideration for mental health services on the site or the heritage precinct which includes Broughton Hall and should remain intact. The early days of Balmain 6 No commercial activities are allowed under the Act which is different Council from the other parks concerned. Will the State Government change the Act? Quiz 10 The primary worry for the Balmain Association is the lack of local participation in the management and care of Callan Park. Friends of What’s on at the Watch 11 Callan Park, a dedicated group of local residents, has fought tirelessly for House over 21 years to retain this wonderful parkland, the most precious in the Inner West. Our community needs to be a big part of the management of Callan Park and not leave it in the hands of another posse of this Government’s friends. Fence fi ght Carolyn Allen

Inner West Council has proposed to replace and maintenance to the existing wooden picket the fence around Birchgrove Oval with a metal fence and report back at a later date. picket style fence. The Balmain Association was The Inner West Local Planning Panel is the alarmed by this and a number of members approval authority for development applications that submitted objections. Local residents would have a number of objections as well as Council’s certainly not be able to do this on a heritage listed smaller proposals. property and even the heritage offi cer in the report These panels are now mandated by the stated that a ‘wooden fence would be preferable’. Government and remove authority from local Council argued that metal was preferred for cost councillors in planning matters. Each sitting of the and maintenance reasons. We have since then seen a panel selects four members (Chair, two experts and few of these fences around local ovals and they are a community representative) from a group of twelve. very poor quality and deteriorate very badly, with The 12 are comprised of rotating Chairs, six paint seen peeling off in a number of locations. experts (most are planning consultants, a number Several members and heritage architect sitting on numerous panels) and three ‘community Ian Stapleton spoke against this at the Inner West members’. Community members need an awareness Local Planning Panel meeting to no avail and it of the Local Government Act, the planning process was approved. and assessment issues. We were, however, able to gain the support of Two of our community members are actually Balmain Ward Councillor, John Stamolis and he planning consultants, one sits on four such panels. proposed at the August Council meeting ‘that Although they may have knowledge of the LGA, I Council consider a new wooden fence or repairs wonder what ‘hat’ they wear when meeting? 2 Connecting you now

Sue Callanan

As one of three artists, I was The title of the piece, is also intended to invoke the idea invited to submit a proposal to ‘Connecting You Now’, was a of connecting the community we for its new familiar catchphrase of that era live in, here in Balmain and the Telstra Plaza in Balmain. as the telephonists physically Inner West, and, in some way, I was delighted to have this connected calls from one person underline the value of exchange, opportunity to present something to another. however brief, between people on in my local community, and as a There is something very the street. local resident, am grateful to all the appealing, even more so now The work takes account of efforts of the Balmain Association, in the time of Covid, about the the architectural form and will who have sustained a campaign physical connection between appear to be part of it. In this over so many years to secure people in the course of way it highlights the nature of the the plaza. conversation, in this instance, by exchange and the activities that voice. The telephonist becomes the took place inside. In so doing, it conduit, enabling this connection. consciously incorporates it and There are still people, now in neighbouring buildings as a site of their late 60s and 70s, who had communications, both past and experience of those jobs. present- telephone, telegraph and The work is, in part, a homage post offi ce. to all those telephonists, the I hope and trust the work will people that made the boards, nestle into the plaza and become a and those that laid the cables place to pause, enjoy, and imagine connecting us all, before direct the kinds of communications that knowledge of that experience slips might have taken place as the lights out of current memory. come on and off, signalling calls It’s an acknowledgement of the coming in and out. craftsmanship of the equipment The Commission is funded by Inspired by David Field’s of that time. While machine Inner West Council in recognition photos of telephone exchanges, made, there continues to be an of the value of public art and (https://www.profundum.com. order of the handmade and hand placemaking in celebrating au/balmainexchange) around the written. There’s a particular font, heritage and stories that connect countryside, I came up with the often accompanied by a written people to place. idea of creating a large, abstracted instruction or number. For more information visit www. version of an old switchboard. The title, ‘Connecting You Now,’ innerwest.nsw.gov.au/TelstraPlaza. 3 Top left: Di Garder, Duncan MacAuslan and new BA life member, Bill Haesler Top right: New BA life members, Errol and Rose Pickard Bottom right: Errol Pickard and Bill Haesler

member presentations

4 so when an opportunity to move to Sydney came,

Bill Haesler they moved to a rented fl at in Wollstonecraft and The Haesler family (Bill and Jess, Andrew, Roslyn went looking for a house. and Jeffrey) moved from Melbourne to live in As Jess had already fallen in love with Balmain, Sydney in 1966 and fi nished up in East Balmain there was no other choice. in 1967. They eventually found a little terrace house hidden It was probably fate but Bill blames Robert Irving, in Lookes Avenue, East Balmain in November, architect, lecturer, historian, author and founding started restoration and moved in at the beginning member of the Balmain Association in 1965 and of March 1967. its second president in 1968, and a mentor to Bill Bill had already joined the Balmain Association over the years. with its early battles and helped work on the Bob and Bill met when Bill joined Australian Paper Watch House.He was elected to the management Manufacturers as an electrical draftsman in early committee in August 1967 and became the 1955. Bob worked in the adjoining architectural Association’s third president in 1969 to 1971. section and the families became friends. Mention must be made of Bill’s jazz band that When Bob moved to Sydney in the early 60s to we enjoyed on a number of occasions at Balmain teach at the UNSW he bought a large 1880s house in Association fund raising functions – a notable one Donnelly Street, Balmain. The families maintained contact, being in Eve and Guy Kendall’s back garden in staying with Bob, Pat and family in Balmain several times Waterview Street. and swapping houses at Christmas in 1965. Bill regularly travelled to Sydney for work and Words by Di Garder

Joan Chapman, Richard Waterfi eld in Gerry and Dick McGillicuddy’s Rose and and Roy Waterson being there. house in Ballast Point Road. Errol Pickard There were others of course. They And who could forget the cricket In 1964/65 Rose and her decided to have a public meeting matches in Birchgrove Park! neighbour, Jeannette Stevenson at the Town Hall to plan the After the Association acquired met Toni Furness in the park association. Brian McDonald was the Watch House, Errol and opposite their houses in Grove involved by then, also John and Rose were active helpers in the Street. They all had small children Lorraine Power and Alan Harding. work of restoration, spending and became good friends and Toni became the fi rst Secretary hours scutching away at the Rose would drop in on them for and Errol was on the fi rst old stonework, painting, and a coffee and they visited her at Management Committee. gardening, and in Rose’s case, 35-37 Wharf Road where she As Rose had a young baby and supporting the workers with food had bought two old stone houses, a toddler, she was mainly involved and drink. badly in need of TLC. in things like planning social and Later Rose worked with Joan One day Rose mentioned that fundraising events at that stage. Chapman and Julie Campbell her aunt, Sybil Masterman, who Jeannette took the role of social and others to set up a children’s lived in Numa Street down at organiser on the committee. They library in one of the back cells the end of Louisa Road, had had some really great functions, of the Watch House as there suggested to her that some sort of The very fi rst was a Wine and was no library anywhere nearby. an organisation of local residents Cheese Tasting with harbour They gathered donated books could help preserve the historic lights, in the waterfront garden at and opened several afternoons buildings in Balmain that were Richard’s place in William Street, after school for reading stories under threat from developers. where John Mackenzie provided and book borrowing. They also Ever the enthusiast, Toni said the wine and cheese and Pip had a big campaign to try to get something to the effect of “what Porter strolled around the garden Leichhardt Council to start a are we waiting for? Let’s do it” and strumming her guitar and singing municipal library, which fi nally she organised a meeting at Sybil’s, folk songs (very sixties!). Another happened in the Town Hall. asking Rose and Errol to come memorable night was one in mid Rose has also done a number oral along. Errol went to that meeting winter that featured some pretty histories for Leichhardt Council. and remembers Dawn Roche, powerful mulled wine and mead, Words by Di Garder 5 ocal government came with Sydney’s incorporation. slowly and not always Eventually the Municipalities legitimately to the Act of 1858 (Act 22 Vic. 13) Balmain peninsula. was passed that provided for a LIn this article Balmain includes voluntary system of incorporation. Rozelle and Birchgrove and At least 50 householders in an extends to the western boundary urban or rural area could sign a of the original land grant. Access petition requesting incorporation to the peninsula was mainly by as a municipality. If no counter- water as the only road was Balmain petition with more signatures was Road from Leichhardt. received within three months the Most residents lived at the eastern Governor could then proclaim end of the peninsula and roads the municipality. Councils would were dirt tracks, water was stored in have six members if under 1000 wells and sewage non-existent. residents or nine if more. Wards Some residents wanted local were optional and elections would government, but more opposed it. be voted on by adult ratepayers. On 30 June 1855, 19 residents of The Act specifi ed the Council’s Balmain petitioned the Legislative powers, their ability to collect rates Council in support of the Public and appoint staff. Health Bill. Had it passed the The Act was assented to on 29 Bill would have created local October 1858. DuncanMacAuslan boards to provide sewerage and Petitions On 7 December 1858 other services. One hundred and the Colonial Secretary published six Balmain residents signed an a petition from 59 householders opposing petition on 9 August on of a ‘rural district’ who wanted to the grounds that the ‘…creation be declared the Municipality of of petty local offi cials by the Strathean. This was the area of formation of ‘Municipal boards” Balmain bounded by Church Street, would be felt rather an incubus Curtis Road, and Mort Street, in than otherwise…”. which the petitioners estimated At Sydney Municipal Council’s there were between 400 and 500 meeting on 16 August 1858, inhabitants. The fi rst signatory Alderman Thornton introduced was WS Deloitte; others included a petition from 130 Balmain F Lemm and H Toelle. residents ‘praying that their claims The same Gazette included a as ratepayers, and otherwise, should petition, dated 8 December, from be taken into consideration, with a 74 ‘Inhabitant Householders of view to something being done by the Electoral Hamlet of Balmain’ the Corporation for improving that requesting that the whole of the suburb’. Balmain and Birch Grove Estates Municipalities Act 1858 By should become the Municipality 1857 the Government was facing of Balmain. They noted that the pressure from the Sydney Hamlets hamlet’s population in the last and other regional population census was 2,224. The signatories centres for a level of government for this petition included that would provide roads, drainage R Mansfi eld, JH Perdriau, A and other parochial matters that McBeath and James John Glassop. the Colonial Government did not A second petition for have time or resources for. At incorporation from another 41 the time the Legislative Council residents was dated 21 December was reluctant to incorporate these 1858 with Thomas Coates as the BALMAIN BALMAIN COUNCIL Theearly days of centres resulting from the issues lead signatory. 6 Not everyone in Balmain wanted the Governor General, Sir William he was ‘under the infl uence of local government. A meeting Denison, acting on Executive excited feelings’ and nominated in December 1858 chaired by Council advice, proclaimed Mr Reynolds as a possible William Hay presented a counter- Balmain as a municipality under council member. This caused petition specifi cally opposing a the 1858 Act. No explanation was some discussion as to whether municipality for Strathean. The given for his breach of the Act, nominating was the meeting’s reason being that many of the nor were wards were defi ned in the purpose. The meeting believed original petitioners were under the proclamation. that there would be three wards, misapprehension that they were The Governor appointed James each with three councillors. petitioning to be excluded from Shoobert, JP, of Balmain as Resolving this, the meeting went the proposed Balmain municipality. returning offi cer on 8 March with on to nominate 23 residents, two The petition also requested that no a meeting of electors scheduled for nominations were rejected and part of Balmain should become 27 March. three people were nominated as a municipality. Amongst the 261 These were the days before party auditors. The nominees read like a signatories to this petition were politics and individual candidates Balmain street directory: Reynolds, TS Rountree (sic) and Edward were chosen by the people. Mansfi eld, Evans, Rountree, Goodsir. Several, including James A public meeting on 16 March at Palmer, Beattie, Elliott, Cameron. Sullivan, signed against their the Warwick Castle Hotel (Darling A deputation met with the previous Strathean petition. Hay’s and Mort Streets, now a pharmacy) Returning Offi cer to clarify covering letter was counted as a to select ‘fi t and proper persons’ whether there were three wards in petition with one signatory. for nomination. The chair, Perry Balmain or not. Shoobert advised The Empire newspaper Long, suggested the meeting’s that no wards were defi ned and purpose was to defi ne the ward the electors would each vote for commented ‘It has boundaries and then select ‘fi tting’ nine councillors. A third meeting seldom been our lot men to become councillors. Mr was held at the Rob Roy Inn (25 to witness a worse Palmer disagreed suggesting, Adolphus Street) on 26 March to conducted meeting’. incorrectly, that the boundaries had assess this. This caused accusations been defi ned already. Mr McBeath of attendees misleading the In March 1859 a third petition in characterised the situation ‘as an previous meetings and including favour of the Balmain municipality underhand affair – the work of a a long speech on the matter by signed by another 105 residents, led clique who had no one’s good in Mr Fenton. by EW Cameron, was received by view but their own’. Mr Moffat On 27 March, the proclaimed the Governor-General. objected; he was one of the elector meeting was held at Captain October 1859 saw the fourth municipalities advocates but not Rountree’s store. About 200 petition in favour, this time signed from self-interest, he would neither attended and 27 candidates were by 373 householders of the hamlet. stand nor allow himself to be nominated. Shoobert called for a Signatories were led by GW nominated. Mr Fenton wanted to show of hands and declared Messrs Cameron, R Mansfi eld, H Perdriau, see unanimity but would not vote Cameron, Mansfi eld, Burt, Evan, John Booth and many others for anyone who having called the Beattie, Palmer, Ronald, Rountree whose names are now familiar as meeting then discussed the matter and Aiton elected. The meeting street names. The third and fourth ‘like swindlers under the shelter demanded a poll using ballot petitions requested that there be of rocks in the harbour’. The papers and this was held on 3 April, three wards. meeting descended into chaos and again at Rountree’s store. The On 30 November 1859, 416 was adjourned for a few days. The elected Councillors were: electors counter petitioned Empire newspaper commented ‘It Ewen Wallace Cameron, suggesting that converting the has seldom been our lot to witness Owen Spencer Evans, James hamlet to a municipality would a worse conducted meeting’. Beattie, Dr George R. Elliott, ‘tend to be more injurious than The resumed meeting took place James Burt, James Hugh Palmer, otherwise’. Lead signatory on 20 March, at the old Unity Hall Andrew William Reynolds, Rev was James Dempsey, senior. Hotel on the corner of Darling Ralph Mansfi eld and Thomas Proclamation Despite the counter and Nicholson Streets. It was Stephenson Rountree. petitioners having in total 244 much more orderly. Mr Fenton Theodore Jacques and George more names than those in favour, apologised for his comments, Cochrane were elected as auditors. 7 Balmain was not mature enough to be taxed and that the legislature having illegally declared the municipality should grant funding relief. A motion to that effect was proposed by Mr Fenton and seconded by Peter McBeath. A second motion complained about the ‘private’ meetings being held by the Council and to ‘condemn all their actions and proceedings’. Dr Lang presented the petition to the Assembly on 18 April. The issue was brought up in a long complex debate about a similar situation in Nowra but no resolution was made. Wards The issue of wards was quickly resolved. The Colonial Secretary received a letter from a meeting of residents suggesting three wards defi ned as ‘The south ward, bounded on the north by the middle of Darling-street, and extending westerly from the harbour to Booth’s saw mills (on White Bay, east side of Booth Street); the north ward bounded on the south by the middle of Captain TS Rountree Darling-street, extending westerly to the Warwick Castle Tavern The new Council immediately meetings were held in ‘a suitable (Mort Street), then north-easterly held its fi rst meetings at Rountree’s room’ in Mr Loten’s house in to Snail’s Bay; and the west ward store on 5 April 1860 and elected Adolphus Street that council including Happy Valley (the low Ralph Mansfi eld as its Chairman. agreed to rent for 15s a week. This area around Reynold Street), and The Council then had to establish must have been unsatisfactory as all the portions of the municipality many procedural matters such by 17 May they were meeting in to the south and west of the other as banking, legal services and the schoolroom behind St Mary’s wards’. assessing property values and Church in Adolphus Street. From It’s not clear who these residents agreed to meet weekly on Fridays 1862 until 1876 the Council met were as no reference to the meeting at 7pm from 13 April onwards. in the Balmain School of Arts in has been found, perhaps it was Thomas Butterfi eld was appointed, Darling Street. Mansfi eld remained those who took up the suggestion from 10 candidates, as Council Chairman until February 1861 of Palmer and Jacques at the Clerk on a salary of £50 a year. replaced by George Elliott. Rob Roy meeting on 26 March. Butterfi eld issued a tender request Counter-petitioners respond The Colonial Secretary asked for someone to assess the land Thirty counter-petitioners held the new council to comment on and building values for rateable a meeting at the Unity Hotel on them in a letter to the Council purposes. Mr W Bradbridge was 10 April to highlight the anomaly read at this meeting on 11 May. awarded the task for £90 on 4 of numbers in the petitions and The suggested boundaries were May and it was to be completed expose the ‘illegal manner’ by in six weeks. Rountree offered to which incorporation had been proposed for approval by Mr supply the Council with its seal at obtained. 129 people had since Cameron, but Mr Reynolds moved his expense. signed another petition to the an amendment that the east ward From 4 May 1860, Council Executive Council declaring that should be bounded by Adolphus 8 and John Streets and the south Strathean The residents of council. and north wards be the remainder ‘Strathean’ were soon unhappy The Committee met on 27 May of the municipality divided by with the new Council and in and agreed to draft a petition Darling Street. On division, July 1861 a petition signed by 94 to the Governor against the councillors Beattie, Burt, Elliott, householders petitioned to separate separation. The draft was reviewed Evans, Palmer and Reynolds part of the North Ward between on 8 June and contained 12 supported the amendment whilst Thames Street and ‘a street reasons for rejection. It pointed Cameron, Mansfi eld, and Rountree unnamed, leading to Fig Tree Point’ out that the residents of the new the original proposal. At the next from Darling Street. The reason municipality would depend on meeting Mr Cameron gave notice given for separation was that the Balmain maintaining two-thirds that he would propose rescinding estimated £900 in rates levied of Darling Street for access by the approval and recommend that in the area since incorporation carters and residents, use of Balmain remain undivided. had not been spent there but on any proposed pipes for supply Due to illness Cameron was ‘expensive works in Darling Street, of water, and for removal of unable to attend the next meeting near the properties and residences nightsoil. More signifi cantly the and a request to rescind was of the majority of the Councillors’. draft charged that many signatories delayed a month. Elliott then They cited section 5 of the Act were under the misapprehension successfully moved to send and gave the example of the that funds from rates were being the Council’s preferred ward successful separation of Waterloo spent inappropriately, and not boundaries to the Colonial from Redfern. Signatories included spread across all the wards. Other Secretary and Rountree handed WS Deloitte, Henry Toelle, and signatories were under the belief in a protest statement from the Russell Blackett. that the rates would fall from 1s to minority for insertion in the A counter-petition signed by 177 6d in the pound which would be minutes and for sending to the Balmain resident householders, ‘utterly inadequate’ for municipal Colonial Secretary. not surprisingly led by the second purposes. Others were under the Four reasons were given: the Chairman, George Elliott, and the misapprehension that the petition committee’s plan was fair and other councillors, objected to the they had signed was to create a equitable; Darling Street’s east separation but gave no reasons. fourth ward by splitting the eastern end was used by all residents, was Strathean stayed in Balmain. one along Darling Street. The used for drainage of other parts Committee approved the draft Alfred Town Another attempt of Balmain and would thus need with a few revisions and reverted was made to excise parts of the higher maintenance, and fi nally the to a Council meeting that adopted peninsula from Balmain in April unfairness would cause ongoing the new petition and affi xed 1869. A petition signed by 304 dissension and strife. The topic its corporate seal. The Mayor people requested the separation of was not discussed at subsequent Frederick Robinson and aldermen the area east of Ann Street, Queens Council meetings. Booth, Mullens and Elliott were Place and the western boundary of The municipality was divided into appointed to meet the Governor to the properties in Waterview Street. three wards: East, South and North present the petition. They proposed naming the new by proclamation on 28 August The Executive Council’s Under municipality Alfred Town in 1860; Council was notifi ed by letter. Secretary, Mr H Halloran, advised honour of HRH Prince Alfred The East Ward was bounded from Council by 20 August that Robert who visited Sydney in April 1869. White Bay (about where the cruise Cooper Walker had been appointed The reason for separation was that terminal is located) by the centre to inquire into the issues raised ‘the rates of the Eastern Ward lines of Adolphus Street, Darling about signatures on the separation have never been wholly expended Street, St Johns Street and Colgate petition. His report must have therein; that no improvements Avenue (then Broadstairs Street) agreed with Balmain Council’s of a permanent nature have been to Mort Bay (then Waterview Bay). arguments and the Executive effected until recently, and they are The North and South wards were Council disallowed the secession not such as required’. divided by Darling Street to the petition. On 27 April Alderman Elliott western boundary of Balmain. successfully proposed that the The wards were reviewed again in Council create a special committee

1874 when the Municipality was of the full council to take steps divided into four wards. to preserve the integrity of the 9 Send answers to PO Box 57, Balmain, 2041 or email to [email protected]. First correct response received will receive a $35 book voucher from popular Balmain bookstore Roaring Stories. Correct answers will be pubished on the Balmain Association website mid December

1. There are 57 parishes of 8.Who is the only Member for resident who was given the death Cumberland County, New South Balmain ever to be Premier of penalty in 1953 (later reduced to Wales, a cadastral unit for use NSW? life imprisonment) for four mur- on land titles. Which parish is the a. Neville Wran ders and three attempted mur- Balmain peninsular in? b. John Storey ders. All with the same method: c. Thomas Short serving cups of tea infused with 2. Which former prominent d. Jack Renshaw thallium, a common rat resident of Balmain, who died poison at the time. in 1902, has a monument on 9. What was William Balmain’s the nature strip on Macquarie occupation? 15. In what year did the Balmain Terrace? Coal Mine cease operations? 10. Ballast Point Park was 3. What number bus route leaves formerly a fuel depot for which 16. Name the heritage listed Balmain for the city, via Glebe? oil company? Balmain house Sir Henry Parkes, Premier of NSW, lived in from 4. The corner of Cameron and 11. Which Australian actress and 1888 to 1892. Rowntree Streets (135 Rowntree resident of Balmain (Birchgrove Street, Birchgrove) was formerly a actually) has been nominated for 17. True or false: Cockatoo Island hotel. What was its name? two Academy Awards. is managed by the Sydney Waterview Hotel Harbour Foreshore Authority. Rob Roy Hotel 12.Who was the last Mayor of Waterford Arms Hotel Balmain? 18. On Easter Monday, 1908, Union Hotel playing in the fi rst round of the 13. John Birch built Birchgrove newly formed 5. Our Federal Member of House in 1810. He added the Rugby Football League, Balmain Parliament, Anthony Albanese, ‘grove’ because: beat Wests 24-0, at which was fi rst elected to Parliament in a. He grew up in Grove, a town in sporting venue? which year? Dorset, England b. There was a grove of orange 19. In what year was Elkington 6. Which former resident of Grove trees on the site Park Baths renamed the Dawn Street, Birchgrove, was appointed to c. His wife’s maiden name was Fraser Baths? the High Court in 1930? Grove d. He was the Manager of the 20. Travelling from Balmain East 7.The NSW Branch of the Grove Shipwrights Company. ferry wharf, along Darling Street Australian Labor Party was to Victoria Road, name in order, formed in the Unity Hall in what 14. Affectionately known as ‘Aunt the hotels still operating? year? Thally’, name the former Balmain

Questions compiled by former Mayor of Leichhardt and quizmaster at the Unity Hall Hotel (Thursdays 7.30pm) Larry Hand 10 What’s on at the Watch House

Sophie Witter

Amelia Seddon

Kay Hathway MARCH 2021 and present in their works and ler Amelia is excited to weave frag- Bigger Fish to Fry capturing the varied and shared ments of landscapes and still lifes Opening Friday 5 experiences of being a woman in into a shape that is at once familiar 5pm to 9pm our time. They want their art to be and new. All welcome accessible, relatable and engaging The Space Between Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 for the viewer. The work of four photographers is 10am to 4pm Things Take Shape represented in this exhibition - Kay Sophie and Jane's works are Opening Friday 19 Hathway, Fiona Huddleston, Beryl inspired by classic themes around 6pm to 7.30pm Jenkins and Judy Warburton who portraits, still lifes and landscapes All welcome explore what lies within the space and interfacing this with our own Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 between artistic interpretation subjectivities, domestic spaces 9am to 5pm and visual representation. There and ideas. They are both inter- Sunday 28, 10am to 5pm are multiple exposures and single ested in the aesthetic qualities of By photographer Amelia Seddon. images, contemporary processes line, colour and patterns and also Photography connotes a sense of and those that are more traditional. how to work with these with a the real, which makes it more jar- These works consider the freedoms variety of mediums such as fabric, ring when we look at visual forms that can fl ow when a photographer textiles and paint. They are inter- and see something unexpected. An lets go of conformity. See Balmain ested in representing their past avid reader, music lover and travel- Association website for details. 11 Christmas Cheer Join us for Christmas Drinks at the Balmain Watchhouse on Saturday 12 December at 2pm

The Balmain Association Inc. representing Balmain, Birchgrove and Rozelle Since 1965 we aimed to: •Improve the living, working and recreational amenities of our area •maintain all features having natural, architectural and or historical value of the area and keep a permanent collection of historical interest •seek the cooperation of everyone concerned in the realisation of the above.

Members are welcome to attend the Balmain Association meetings at 6pm on the rst Wednesday of each month at the Watch House, 179 Darling Street Balmain. The History Room at the Watch House is open every Saturday from 11:30am to 3pm and every Tuesday from 11am to 1pm. Website: www.balmainassociation.org.au Postal: PO Box 57 Balmain 2041 Material from this newsletter is not to be reproduced without acknowledgement.