Balmoral, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Balmoral Sydney, New South Wales
Southern end of Balmoral Beach
Balmoral Location in New South Wales
Postcode(s)	2088
Location	8 km (5 mi) north-east of Sydney CBD
LGA(s)	Municipality of Mosman
Suburbs around Balmoral: The Spit Port Jackson Port Jackson Mosman Balmoral Mosman Spit Junction Mosman Georges Heights

Balmoral is a lovely area found in the suburb of Mosman in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the Lower North Shore region. The local council that looks after Balmoral is the Municipality of Mosman.

This area is famous for its beautiful beach. The beach is actually split into two parts: Balmoral Beach and Edwards Beach. Many expensive homes are built on the "Balmoral Slopes" nearby. These homes have amazing views and are very close to the beach. Also, a naval base called HMAS Penguin is located at the eastern end of Balmoral Beach. It has a naval hospital and can be reached from Middle Head Road.

History of Balmoral

Before Europeans arrived, Balmoral was the home of the Cammeraygal clan. These were Indigenous Australians who lived in the area. Balmoral Beach was a special place for them, even used as a burial ground.

Balmoral got its name from Balmoral Castle. This is a large estate house in Scotland and a favourite summer home for the British Royal Family.

The Star Amphitheatre

In the 1920s, a unique open-air temple was built here. It was called the Star Amphitheatre. A group called the Theosophical Society built it. They hoped it would be a place for a "World Teacher" to give talks. This teacher was believed to be Jiddu Krishnamurti. However, the building was taken down in 1951. An apartment building now stands on its old foundations.

Balmoral's Heritage

The Balmoral Beach Conservation Area is a very important historical site. It is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. This area includes both Edwards Beach and Balmoral Beach. It also features the promenade, esplanade, rotunda, and Bather's Pavilion. These parts were built in the 1930s.

As Balmoral grew, many homes were built in the Federation style. This style was popular from 1890 to 1915. You can still see many beautiful examples of these buildings today. One special house is Noonee. It was designed by Alexander Stewart Jolly and built around 1918-1919. It looked a bit like an American hunting lodge.

Old Tram Services

Balmoral used to have a tram line! It opened in May 1922. This was one of the last tram lines built in Sydney. Trams from Balmoral went to places like Wynyard and Taronga Park Zoo. It was a very busy line for North Sydney.

The trams would start at The Esplanade Terminus. They would travel along The Esplanade and then go off-road. They even went through a narrow rock cutting, which is now a public walking path. The tram services stopped running in June 1958.

The Promenade and Its History

The Promenade along The Esplanade was finished in 1926. It was built because many new visitors were coming by tram. The southern part of the promenade was completed in 1927. During the Great Depression, government projects helped finish other parts. These included the bridge to Rocky Point, the Bathers Pavilion, and the Rotunda. All these were ready by 1930.

During the building of the promenade, workers found something interesting. They uncovered several Indigenous Australian skeletons. These were buried in a special way. This showed that Balmoral Beach was used as a burial ground by the original Eora speaking people.

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  Tram travelling along The Esplanade, Balmoral, 29 May 1922

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  Balmoral Beach 1900-1910 prior to construction of the promenade

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  "The Rotunda" built in 1930

Heritage Sites

Balmoral has some important heritage-listed places. One of them is:

• The Esplanade: Balmoral Bathers Pavilion

Fun and Recreation

You can find many places to eat along The Esplanade. There are options from quick takeaways to nice restaurants. The Balmoral Rotunda is a popular spot. It hosts "Shakespeare by the Sea" in summer. This is an outdoor event where plays are performed.

Other fun events include the Mudgee Wine Festival. There's also an annual Carols By Candlelight event in December. The Rotunda and Rocky Point Island are also popular for weddings.

Balmoral has many facilities for sports and activities. These include Balmoral Oval and a large netted swimming area called Balmoral Baths. There's also the Balmoral Sailing Club, a sea scout troop, and two swimming clubs.

The Beaches

Balmoral Beach immediately south of Rocky Point

Balmoral is home to Balmoral Beach and Edwards Beach. Rocky Point separates these two beaches. Most people just call them "Balmoral Beach." From here, you can see amazing views. You can look across the entrance to Middle Harbour towards North Head, Manly, and Clontarf. The beaches face north-east. They are protected from big ocean waves by Middle Head.

The entire beach area is very important. It is listed as the 'Balmoral Beach Conservation Area'. This area includes the promenade, the esplanade, the Rotunda, and the Bathers' Pavilion. These structures were built in the 1930s.

Name Legacy

In February 2021, Transport for NSW announced something cool. One of the new Emerald-class ferries would be named Balmoral. These ferries started service on the Manly ferry route in mid-2021. The ferry was named after Balmoral Beach.