Central to Balmain
Thursday, 3rd August 2023
The group met at a Central station at about 9.30am.
Participants- Chris, Peter, Yvonne, Helen, Colin and Natalie.
Beautiful weather all the way as we walked up a hill to Callan Park from the Lilyfield tram stop, waked around the complex and then headed towards Balmain for a lunch stop.
Along the way-
*Coffee stop at the Eternity café then headed for the Light Rail to Lilyfield.
*Viewed the tram sheds at Lilyfield.
*Gawped at the lovely renovated houses with many original features still intact.
*Walked around the self-guided exhibition around the perimeter of Kirkbride in Callan Park.
*The sandstone was quarried on site and the start of building was in 1881.
*Thanks to the Friends of Callan Park (FOCP) the area did not get sold to developers. However, we were not sure what it is actually used for or what the plans are for the future.
*Gazed at the beautiful sandstone buildings looked glorious in the sunshine.
*The panels of information (34 altogether) told many stories, some with humour and others reminding us of past practices in dealing with mental illness.
*Walked along the main road leading to Balmain before turning left to go downhill past the old Balmain Leagues Club with a litany of problems around the redevelopment of the site.
*Continued along a quieter street before turning up the road to walk past the home that Colin lived in during the 1970s with his mother.
*Found a lovely café in Rozelle with excellent service and great food.
*Some left to catch buses back to the city to go home, Nat and Col walked down Victoria Road to get home via the Light Rail from the Rozelle Bay tram stop.
Time taken 9.30 to 1.30-
Distance-somewhere between 4km and 5.5km.
PS Here is a link with some info from the FOCP-
https://www.callanpark.com/
Thursday, 3rd August 2023
The group met at a Central station at about 9.30am.
Participants- Chris, Peter, Yvonne, Helen, Colin and Natalie.
Beautiful weather all the way as we walked up a hill to Callan Park from the Lilyfield tram stop, waked around the complex and then headed towards Balmain for a lunch stop.
Along the way-
*Coffee stop at the Eternity café then headed for the Light Rail to Lilyfield.
*Viewed the tram sheds at Lilyfield.
*Gawped at the lovely renovated houses with many original features still intact.
*Walked around the self-guided exhibition around the perimeter of Kirkbride in Callan Park.
*The sandstone was quarried on site and the start of building was in 1881.
*Thanks to the Friends of Callan Park (FOCP) the area did not get sold to developers. However, we were not sure what it is actually used for or what the plans are for the future.
*Gazed at the beautiful sandstone buildings looked glorious in the sunshine.
*The panels of information (34 altogether) told many stories, some with humour and others reminding us of past practices in dealing with mental illness.
*Walked along the main road leading to Balmain before turning left to go downhill past the old Balmain Leagues Club with a litany of problems around the redevelopment of the site.
*Continued along a quieter street before turning up the road to walk past the home that Colin lived in during the 1970s with his mother.
*Found a lovely café in Rozelle with excellent service and great food.
*Some left to catch buses back to the city to go home, Nat and Col walked down Victoria Road to get home via the Light Rail from the Rozelle Bay tram stop.
Time taken 9.30 to 1.30-
Distance-somewhere between 4km and 5.5km.
PS Here is a link with some info from the FOCP-
https://www.callanpark.com/