American and Australasian Photographic Company. north. The Balls Head Reserve is a forested headland nature reserve situated on Balls Head in Sydney. 2023 Getty Images. This area was gazetted as a public recreation reserve to be managed by North Sydney Council in 1907. TITLE : Balls Head Reserve . It is North Sydney Councils most prominent reserve, with nearly 10 ha of beautiful bushland on Waverton Peninsula, the first piece of bush seen looking west from the Harbour Bridge. Pure joy as you wake to the sunrise. Architecture Media acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waters of Australia. If youve had enough, continue up the hill to return to Waverton Station or take a left into Horace Street to continue the walk. David Whitworth, Diagonally opposite lies Balls Head Reserves sister headland, Barangaroo Reserve, re-moulded to reference an imagined past while erasing another.1 Ballast Point Park2 occupies the closest headland on Sydneys southern shore, where the relics of industry acquire the romance of ruins.3 The site itself is backed by two recent projects, The Coal Loader4 and Carradah Park5, both inviting public access after being excluded by decades of industry, curating stories of the working harbour within parkland settings. Once a significantly degraded site, impacted by coal dust that caused the soil to become hydrophobic, it has been regenerated and revegetated with local provenance native plantings. 420818). Mortlock Reserve sits on the Long Bay foreshore and is named after the late Bryce Mortlock who together with family and neighbours protected the then Vernon Street Reserve until it was included in the Bushcare program in 1996. It is certainly an oasis in North Sydney. Trip Date (mm/dd/yy) Boasting 9 hectares of scenic bushland, Balls Head Reserve is still a hidden gem, located only 1.5 kilometres from the Sydney CBD. Balls Head Reserve 4.5 65 #6 of 34 things to do in North Sydney Nature & Wildlife Areas Visit website Write a review About Features animals Learn more about animal welfare in tourism Suggest edits to improve what we show. Balls Head Bushland Reserve has several short bush walking tracks. Nearest public toilet: The Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability (directly opposite Balls Head Bushcare site). Tunks Park West is a strip of bushland sitting on top of the gully. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Fishing spots, fishing reports and regulations in Balls Head Bay New South Wales, Australia Anyone interested in fishing Balls Head Bay or waters within the wider area in New South Wales, Australia should consult with local resources before heading out to fish. Even though the different tracks are well sign-posted, it can be a bit confusing or you can have the feeling that you are getting lost. Awe as you make it to the snowy peak. Selected areas were sprayed, mulched, and planted with local native species, while other areas were hand-weeded to encourage native regeneration. Or fastest delivery Wed, Feb 15 . Perspectives from a practicing landscape architect. From there, follow the Isabella Brierly track heading further west. Genia McCaffery Centre for Sustainability. Know what's happening. For this reason, itis a well-known vantage point to watch the Sydneys New Years Eve fireworks, although it doesnt appear on the official web page of Sydney New Years Eve. Walking up the hill from the Qauarntine Depot youll soon find yourself on the Coal Loader platform which sits on top of that tunnel. If you have older children, it is possible to walk from McMahons Pt Wharf to Balls Head Reserve. To start exploring, starting from the car park, its best to follow the path towards the north and go clockwise around the reserve. There is car parking in the reserve and on Balls Head Road. At low tide you can pretty much skirt around the whole island at water level and once youve explored the bush track above, I recommend scrambling down to the sandy beach if the tide allows. You will find majestic life-like limbs on trees and amazing rock formations. Come along and help protect our precious bushland reserves. Turn right and follow the path along Oyster Bay. It is home to significant Aboriginal sites, Badangi is an Aboriginal word meaning Sydney Rock Oyster. Mark Cocquio, Harry Howard Bushcare Group formed in February 1999 following the suggestion of Councillors at an on-site residential meeting regarding a nearby controversial development the previous year. Bandicoots were recorded by the Bushland Teamin Badangi Reserve for the first time in April 2020,a testament to the work of the Bushcare volunteers. The platform and adjacent buildings serve as a model of sustainability where visitors can learn not only about growing plants but also how to incorporate sustainable design into their own projects through energy and water-saving technology, stormwater harvesting, solar technology and recycling. Brea Reservoir is a reservoir located just 1.3 miles from Fullerton, in Orange County, in the state of California, United States, near Anaheim Royal Mobile Home Park, CA. If those times won't work for you, 12:00AM to 12:00AM looks promising. Wildlife Watch volunteer sightings indicate that there is a diversity of owl species in thisarea. To read more about myself, my family and this website, just click here. In this context, the humble Balls Head Reserve sits at an unexpected nexus, quietly yet strategically centred, occupying a prime position from which to observe the ever-evolving surrounding foreshores. During the Depression, lots of people were forced to abandon their homes because they couldnt pay the rent or the mortgage repayments. Whether you're fly fishing, spinning or baitcasting your chances of getting a bite here are good. . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In 1916, Henry Lawson penned a lament entitled The Sacrifice of Balls Head, decrying that The State is cutting down Balls Head To make a wharf for coal. Substitute coal for casinos or apartments and his protest becomes current, one voice in a long chorus contesting the citys northern foreshore in its endless tousle between public and private interests. Nearly a century on from these plantings, its hard to imagine that anybody ferrying by the site now would consider what they see the result of concerted action, rather than preservation the act of erosion applying as equally to civic memory as to the foreshores themselves. The northside of the y shaped- gully extends from Flat Rock Gully in Willoughby Council, the northside is in North Sydney Council. At Balls Head Reserve, well-used concrete walkways follow the original paths laid down in the 1930s on this hybrid (both natural and designed)site. Mark Cocquio. Locations:The group works at two sites on the peninsular,the Playground at Robinsons Point and Bogota Avenue entrance to Cremorne Reserve (locations of meetings are noted in table below). The walk along the Gaydan Track affords great views, especially at the point, and though the oil tanks around Greenwich arent exactly pretty, they are a reminder that Sydney still has a very active working harbour. Exit the coal loader and head up past HMAS Waterhen. Sydney bus network: Routes 263 and 201 Grafton St opp Fall St, Cremorne (Stop ID 209011) and Grafton St at Fall St. Cremorne (Stop ID 209025), Meet:Sunday of the third full weekend of themonth and the following Wednesday (see dates in table below). 2 reviews of Balls Head Reserve "I have to say that the views from here are simply outstanding - you get great views of the bridge and the city, and all from a natural bushland in the heart of the city. Your email address will not be published. Balls Head Reserve 4.5 65 #6 of 34 things to do in North Sydney Nature & Wildlife Areas Visit website Write a review About Features animals Learn more about animal welfare in tourism Suggest edits to improve what we show. Is There a Future for the Sydney Harbour Highline? Rees was known for his artistic license, often adding a scenic bough to strengthen a composition, so the images are striking for what they lack. Organise, control, distribute, and measure all of your digital content. Find best hotel deals and discounts. Balls Head Bushland Reserve suits active families that are willing to spend a day out exploring the different tracks and discovering some history of Sydney. Best Fishing Times: 12:00AM to 12:00AM, and 12:00AM to 12:00AM. Many areas are bouncing backwith a variety of native species reclaiming their homes,including endangered species, the Sunshine Wattle (Acacia terminalis) and breeding Powerful Owls. Directory of North Sydney's parks, reserves, playgrounds, sports grounds and outdoor facilities. Australia hotels, motels, resorts and inns. Tunks Park bushland is an important wildlife corridor between Mortlock Reserve and Flat Rock Gully in Willoughby. Waterhole at Balls Head, probably created or enlarged by Aborigines. Sydney.com is the official tourism site for Destination NSW. It doesnt really matter which track or trail you take for its hard to get lost. 4. fishing rods, blanks, gaffs, harpoons, coolers, cooler racks, large rod racks, beach carts. courtesy Stanton Library Historical Services. The habitat value of the site is now much improved evidenced by the return swamp wallabies in 2017 absent for many decades. I'm Seana and I'm delighted you have found Hello Sydney Kids. It is thought that Balls Head Reserve was a site where men came to perform sacred ceremonies to honour their Dreamtime ancestors. Image: Disabled access available, contact operator for details. We always need extra support, come lend a hand! Anglers who are familiar with Balls Head Bay are asked to suggest changes using the link above. With breathtaking views of the Harbour Bridge and Sydneys CBD skyline, Balls Head Reserve is a great spot to spend the day out in the nature, without leaving the city. Balls Head Reserve is a great day out for the family with excellent facilities to enjoy. It is a popular picnic and bushwalking site, with views of the city skyline and harbour. Description:Smoothey Park was named after Cr S Smoothey, a North Sydney Council alderman from 1911 to 1920. All the insider news, tips and inspiration you need to plan your next trip, delivered straight to your inbox. One of the tracks, the Habour View Walk is suitable for wheelchairs and offers scenic views of the Sydney Harbour and the CBD. We reserve the right to refuse any return at anytime . Cremorne Reserve became degraded by years of rubbish dumping, sewage overflows, nutrient rich drainage, and residential encroachment. The remnant Blackbutt Gully Forest sweeps under the sandstone arches of Cammeray's Suspension Bridge above Quarry Creek hugging the many sports fields and dramatic sandstone cliffs of Tunks Park. These two areas have tables, barbecues and water taps. But, children learn, grow and improve from curiosity. You might want to make use of the facilities here before you make your way over to Berry Island. The reserve is made conspicuous by contrast with its neighbours. In 1926, along with Berry Island, Balls Head Reserve was declared a public parkland area. North Sydney Council acknowledges the Cammeraygal People as the traditional custodians of our local area. A conversation able to continue beyond the duration of a singular project and one that may forget the names of those who initiated it time erasing the individual act, but bequeathing a collective legacy. Bushland management strategies used to rehabilitate the park included pile burns, broad area burns, crushed sandstone capping, community tree planting days and bush regeneration. The headland is in Port Jackson, 1.5 kilometres (0.93mi) west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, between Berrys Bay to the east and Balls Head Bay to the west. Bandicoots were recorded in Badangi Reserve for the first time in April 2020, a testament to the work of the volunteers. Weed infestation was a problem. The track is longer than the Harbour View Walk, but it is very rewarding because the nature is truly spectacular. There are two options for this walk: The short (ish) one, or the long one. Unlike many though, this one feels like a real bushwalk. The northside of the y shaped- gully extends from Flat Rock Gully in Willoughby Council, the southside is in North Sydney Council. Other wildlife observed include here; Green Tree Snakes, Red Browed Finches and Eastern Toadlets. The platform, once covered in a large stockpile of coal, is now home to one of Sydneys largest publicly accessible green roof spaces. Mortlock Reserve is part of middle Harbour cluster of bushland reserves, an important wildlife corridor for North Sydney Council. Artists eyes have always watched the peninsula, with some 150 works dating from the fledgling settlement to the twentieth century documenting and responding to its transformation. The dominant vegetation . Tunks WestBushcare Group formed in 1999 propelled by the concern for the health of the bushfrom a single neighbour. If you purchase an item using these links I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. I think I could. How different it looks today! Wollstonecraft Station is straight up the hill on Shirley Rd or take the pathway to your right just before Tryon Rd to get back to to the gas works and rejoin the path on which you came. Turn into Balls Head Drive from Balls Head Road, and follow until you reach the small car park. Balls Head Reserve in Waverton, Sydney has a rich history and was frequently used by the local Aboriginal community prior to 1916 and still has historic art sites and rock engravings to this day. 3. End of Balls Head Drive, Waverton, NSW 2060. 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