THROUGH THE HEADS To Balmoral, Sydney

By Claire Mitchell

Claire Mitchell is a local resident with a passion for her environment, including magnificent Balmoral. ‘Through The Heads To Balmoral, Sydney’ follows and expands on her previous book ‘Mosman Meanders & foreshore flavours’, which takes a walk on the wild side of Sydney’s glorious foreshores. For over 40,000&nbs

• Language: English
• Publisher: Starister Pty Ltd
• Release date: Nov 16, 2015
• ISBN: 9780994471000

Claire Mitchell

With a background of teaching history to Primary School students, I was excited to realise that Mosman could be seen as a microcosm of Australian history and development. First fleet's flagship, HMS Sirius, careened at Mosman Bay, early interaction with the Cammeragal Aboriginal tribe, convicts whose labour forged the development and defences, arrival of the free settlers emigrating from Europe and other places. All of this helped make Australia what it is. I have been involved in a successful community effort to save a heritage site at Middle Head from inappropriate development. I have a love for picnics which I see as an opportunity to enjoy healthy, robust flavours while enjoying our Sydney foreshores.

Book preview

DEDICATION

On our watch today, vigilance is essential to retain the existing public parklands, which are our heritage.

Our responsibility is to pass them on to future generations and actions now will resonate as our legacy.

This is based on the premise that the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust will continue to work to ensure that Trust land is integrated into the life of the city in a way that is consistent with the objects of the Trust.

On 26 January 1832, regattas were held to celebrate the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet. On that day the most popular toast was:–

The land, boys, we live in!

This book is dedicated to all caretakers, past and present, of our magnificent harbour foreshores.

The historical background within this book is not claiming to be a perfect record – simply blending available data from the past, with today.

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PREFACE

For over 40,000 years the indigenous Australians lived and ate along our abundant coastline of beaches and bush. Then these foreshores provided a casual picnic playground for the early Sydney elite as they began to enjoy the freedom of the outdoor life. Today, both locals and visitors embrace these now public parklands as a beautiful, natural environment to be appreciated and enjoyed.

My previous book, ‘Mosman Meanders & foreshore flavours’, published in 2013, features walks around the Mosman foreshores, their rich history and cultural heritage together with cafe destinations, recipes and high quality photos of this beautiful area by Christopher Maait. www.mosmanmeanders.blogspot.com.au/

Since then I have been involved in a successful community campaign to preserve a heritage site at Middle Head.

‘Through The Heads To Balmoral Sydney’

Taking Balmoral as the epitome of it all, I now trace the past and present development of Sydney’s abundant foreshores. This includes the people, the land and the food. I’ve zoomed in, from the perspective of The Heads, which ‘define and defend the entrance to our harbour.’ The gap between The Heads holds compelling prospects, as the massive protective arms stretch out, giving shelter from the direct onslaught of the Tasman Sea.

For over two centuries, the parade of vessels has passed through The Heads, Sydney’s gateway to the world, as they voyaged to and from the distant world.

Sydney Harbour became a ‘container for those condemned by His Majesty’s Court’ when the First Fleet carried the first reluctant immigrants, whose labour would forge the new colony into a nation.

Picnic suggestions are made with the emphasis on simplicity and seasonal, local produce. Shared platters and finger food dominate, reflecting the fusion style of our innovative Australian cuisine today.

Whether you’re at Balmoral Beach or your own special place, I hope you enjoy our harbour foreshores and picnics as much as I do.

Claire 

‘North Head’ Port Jackson 1875

Mitchell Library SLNSW

North Head is a sandstone headland which is part of Sydney Harbour National Park. With South Head, it defines and defends the entrance to our harbour. Middle Head, which is a headland in between, is home to an extensive network of defence fortification.

This timeless view towards North Head and Middle Head leads the eye and imagination to the open sea.

Photo – Christopher Maait

Picnic at Balmoral

Mitchell Library SLNSW

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SECTION 1: PAST & PRESENT

Special acknowledgement to Gavin Souter whose book, ‘Mosman – a History’, has made such a significant contribution to our knowledge of local history.

Balmoral – Somewhere On The Australian Coast

Balmoral

Jill Swart Woodcut

Many of us, in our hearts, claim Balmoral as ‘my beach’ and have connected with it in different layers.

So what makes it so special?

Is it a sense of place? Its evolving history over an immense period of time can be seen as a microcosm of our colonial history and development. The gateway between The Heads to the world holds the significance of all the vessels which passed through.

Or perhaps it’s a sense of wonder at the relentless natural beauty along with the appreciation of our cultural heritage; not only of works created, but the fact that so many artists, writers and photographers over the centuries have found pleasure in its creative expression.

It could simply be the relaxing factor; swimming, strolling along the Promenade, sipping a good cappuccino while reading the weekend papers, enjoying a café meal or sharing a picnic with friends and family.

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Through The Heads – Passing Parade

You've stood guard against the vagaries

of an ocean, heaving fitfully

between your sandstone headlands.

With South Head, you define and defend

the entrance to our harbour.

Ideally placed, your timeless view

leads the eye and imagination

from our harbour to the open sea.

In between, Middle Head

still networks our defence.

Three millennia of human existence

before winged boats and longboats

became agents of long-delayed change.

Destined not to advantage …

but to overwhelm.

The first picnics became the middens

Rock engravings, cave stencils remain

to chronicle the graphics of the past...

Your rocky, timeless heights stand firm

as guardians to us all.

You’ve witnessed Australia’s colonisation

through your great gateway –

You saw the ships that passed through,

voyaging to the distant world and back –

surviving the wild and willful seas.

From Middle Head, the journals tell,

natives pointed Captain Hunter’s party

to the ideal place to land.

It was about Balmoral that Bradley wrote,

These people mixed with ours & all hands danced together.

Claire 2013

Three millennia of human existence

11 Ship Series Gordon Syron – Keeping Place Art Collection

Dancing with Strangers

Antony Symons – Sculptor

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Through The Heads – A Timeline

1788: Sydney; a container for those condemned

For the term of their natural lives.

Irons and lash – conditional pardons;

their labour advanced and

developed the new colony.

1791: Came the rough and bearded whalemen

in ships from the southern seas…

We saw sperm whales in great plenty!

It could be said that the colony rode

to wealth on the whale’s back.

1801: The foe – They come! They come!

Imperial rivalries and wars

brought invasion scares.

Arcs of fire, fortifications –

your cliffs became Fortress Sydney.

1810 – 1821 Macquarie – last autocratic governor,

leading role player in social

and economic development.

Facilitated its transition from penal colony

to budding free society.

1813: Let me see you get rich, said Macquarie

to conditionally pardoned, convict, O’Neil,

who chose Balmoral as farming