the Newssheet of the Balmain Association PO Box 57•Balmain•NSW•2041 www.balmainassociation.org.au Vol 52 No 1 Issue 342 Founded November 1965 March 2017 The Launch of Balmain Peninsula Transport History ay back in 2014, the National Peninsula Transport History was Trust Heritage Festival theme launched on the 10th December, Wwas Journeys and the Balmain 2016 at the Watch House. Association presented an exhibition Over 40 people attended the titled Journeys to and from Balmain, launch and were entertained by see article by Kathleen Hamey in Duncan’s words including from March 2014 edition of The Peninsula his previous statement that you Observer. In this article Kathleen wait ages for a bus and then two talked about the outward spread come at once and in his case of the suburbs and the means of two transport publications came transport that was available starting at once: Balmain Peninsula with the watermen and ferries who Transport History and Ryle’wy could transport people and goods the History of Sydney Horse between “Sydney Town” and the Buses, both available at the Watch new land releases on the Balmain House. peninsula rather than by the toll road He also faced the trials and (we know about these today) that tribulations of going into print, operated from 1811 connecting the always fraught with a degree city to Parramatta. There was also an of anxiety and more so when image of Horse Bus 158 which was managed by a “committee”, with one of several buses operating from Duncan with secretary, Di Garder last minute decisions such as will it be the Balmain Peninsula to convey colour or black and white? as well as Overall 150 people attended the passengers to the city via the Glebe other hiccups. exhibition including 22 in just 2 hours Island Bridge once it had opened in on Thursday 26, Australia Day, when the early 1860s. Balmain’s transport history is fascinating including ferries, trams, entrepreneurial Kathleen Hamey The other image is of the railways, horse and motor buses, thought it would be an opportunity to counterweight, “the dummy”, at the from the early days when watermen show visitors some of our history. bottom of Darling St circa 1940 which rowed residents from Millers Point Balmain Peninsula Transport History $25 many residents will remember, with to wharves at the east end of the 1940s tram waiting to go back up the Ryle’wy the History of Sydney Horse peninsula. There were outrageous hill to head for George St. Buses $59.95 proposals for bridges such as the one “Callan Park: Compassion and Now Duncan MacAuslan has to go from Balmain via Goat Island to Conflict in the Asylum” $15 completed a comprehensive history the North shore. of this evolution of transport on the All available at the Watch House. Throughout December and January peninsula and his book Balmain there was an June Lunsmann. exhibition of photos of ferries, trams and buses of many vintages IN THIS ISSUE with associated P. 1 Launch of Balmain Peninsula Transport paraphernalia. P. 2 Council mergers P. 3 Balmain Telephone Exchange An added bonus Farewell to Andrew West to the exhibition P. 4 & 5 John Colin Watson, Steam Boat was the return of proprietor the popular story P. 6 An interesting story about Elliott St boards “Callan Wharf Park: Compassion P. 7 Planning and Heritage Strategic Refernce and Conflict in the Group Asylum” and the P.8 What’s on at the Watch House, 2017 associated book. Australian Heritage Festival Events - Balmain Association and Friends of Callan Park The attentive audience Inner West merger is the wrong merger - John Stamolis Of all the problems with Council areas. Therefore, we should be doing State Government must lift their fixed mergers we can also add: “Do we have our best to stop them interfering here. cap on the number of Councillors – the right merger?” Just have a look at Mergers cause local representation by a sensible amount because local our Council. One end is on the CBD to fall to lowest levels ever representation will be far too low. We environs with extensive harbour front already have two levels of government Forced amalgamations have slashed and contains the early heritage of our – Federal and State – which have the number of Councillors across city while the other end is bayside. minimal interaction with the average Sydney, reducing local community Over time, these big differences alone person. Most people feel increasingly representation to the lowest level ever. will present significant challenges for irrelevant when it comes influencing Average representation for the Inner Council. When the politics start again or interacting with Federal and State West will plummet from 1 Councillor in September, there may be heated government. for every 5,100 people to 1 Councillor battles about which areas get what per 12,300 people. This comes at a Is it too much to ask that we have funding and both areas may suffer. time when Sydney’s population is set meaningful access to our Councils State Government can force together to grow by around 1.5 million over the and our local representatives? After any Councils that it likes but if we next 15 years – increasing the average all, we spend enough money for three don’t get the right merger, we will end size of Councils by a further 60,000 levels of government in Australia. up with an inefficient and incoherent people each. John Stamolis is former independent Council trying to do too much, costing The number of Councils proposed for councillor for Birrabirragal/Balmain. more than expected and stretching its Sydney (25) is less than Melbourne resources too far. Before we continue (31) and Perth (29). with this merger, let’s see if we have The current situation the right one. In London, 1 Councillor represents on average 4,500. For Sydney it is Communication from Jamie Parker In complete disregard to strong over three times that (16,500)! That’s MP 14/2/17 community opposition, the NSW because the number of Councillors on Business Chamber continues to support All 20 existing mergers will remain in a London Council varies from 46 to 70 the Baird mergers. I wonder what advice place in Sydney - including the merger while in Sydney, the Baird Government they give to their member businesses which created the Inner West Council has arbitrarily capped the number of if they spend money on ventures - while the remaining five merger Councillors at a very low 15. In London, which don’t work or on products that proposals will proceed subject to the our Inner West Council would have customers reject? Do they suggest that decision of the courts. about 60 Councillors – not 15. these businesses should keep ploughing The decision was reached in an money into a bad venture? Do they get Of course, UK doesn’t have State extraordinary meeting of cabinet this onto TV and radio saying how wrong Governments, but would anyone morning, convened for the express the customers are? seriously suggest that a London purpose of resolving the council Council should have 45 extra We are forced to listen to nonsense mergers issue. Councillors just because there is no that a demerger will be expensive. Sadly, it’s one rule for the bush, one State Government? The Inner West In several weeks, we could be rule for the city. Every resident in will have 15 Councillors and 3 State back to where we were, at minimal NSW deserves equal treatment and MPs representing us. In London, we cost, and we will all have forgotten genuinely local democracy. Whether would have 60 Councillors. about this whole merger mess. Our you’re in the city or the bush, the Council has 70 years of experience I am not suggesting that Sydney fact is forced amalgamations are and performance. Several months of Councils should have that many undemocratic and damaging and must a merger can soon be undone if our Councillors. I am simply comparing two be scrapped. community desires. We shouldn’t global cities having similar democratic It’s disappointing that the Liberal/ be asked to pump resources into a fundamentals. London is one of the top Labor majority on our local council merger that we don’t want and may two global cities and has more local voted against proposals from Greens not be best for our future. Do we let government areas and much higher local councillors to take legal action against it continue for the next 50 years or representation than us. the proposed mergers. do we get this right? It’s time that we If you live in the Inner West Council, The Greens are presenting legislation were consulted about this. which has 185,000 people, you here in Parliament to unwind forced Mergers are precisely the sort of thing will have 15 Councillors. If you amalgamations and guarantee that the big political parties keep live in Canterbury-Bankstown or residents the final say through binding forcing on us and they wonder why Blacktown, each with around 340,000 plebiscites. I’m absolutely committed we are so disenchanted with them. people, it is still 15 (the worst local to working with you over the next two Mergers are provocative and grubby representation in the nation). It’s one years to ensure we reverse the damage politics and is exactly the sort of size fits all! What is the reason for of the Baird/Berejiklian government interference that we have had enough this disgracefully low representation? and restore local democracy. Anyone would have expected that of.