DK Travel : Sydney : Balmain & Leichhardt

Balmain & Leichhardt : Overview & Top 10

William Balmain , a surgeon on the First Fleet, was granted 223 ha (550 acres) west of the city in 1800, perhaps in gratitude for having tended to Governor Phillip following his 1790 spearing (see Collins Beach). The area was subdivided in the mid-1800s, and grand harbourside residences were erected alongside working-class stone and timber cottages and a multitude of pubs that catered to the employees of the local timber, mining and maritime industries. By the 1960s, Balmain had become a haven for writers, artists and actors, a reputation it still retains today. Leichhardt’s cultural connections are more tenuous. The suburb was named after the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt (see A Walk from Circular Quay to the QVB) who disappeared without a trace while crossing the continent in 1848; Patrick White (see Patrick White (1912–90)) immortalized Leichhardt in his 1957 novel, Voss. Now Leichhardt is home to two diverse populations – Sydney’s colourful “Little Italy” and a prominent lesbian community.

A café-junkshop in Balmain

Balmain war memorial

Saturday Balmain Markets at St. Andrew’s

The Leichhardt area once belonged to the Wangal tribe of indigenous people. There isn’t much accommodation in Leichhardt, but if you’re keen to stay in the area, try the Pensione Italia at 73 Renwick Street. The annual Italian Festa on Norton Street draws thousands of visitors every March for food, music and rides.