Balls Head Turns 100

2026 marks 100 years since Balls Head was restored to bushland. Look out for celebrations later in the year

Ball’s Head is our special place and many of us enjoy it frequently, if not every day. But since European settlers arrived, it has not always been a delightful bush reserve. Here is a brief history of how it came about.

Pre-1788: Aboriginal Heritage
The area, known as Yerroulbine to the Cammeraygal people, is a site of deep spiritual and cultural significance. Ancient rock engravings, art sites, and shell middens remain as physical evidence of thousands of years of Aboriginal occupation.
1788: European Arrival
Following the arrival of the First Fleet, the headland was named after Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball, commander of the HMS Supply.
1818–1820: Colonial Land Grants
Governor Macquarie granted 200 hectares of the area to Edward Wollstonecraft, which was later inherited by his business partner, Alexander Berry. Much of the headland remained relatively undisturbed during this period as part of the Berry estate.
1916–1921: Industrial Expansion
The government reacquired the land, and in 1921, leased it to the Sydney Coal Bunkering Company. Construction began on a massive coal loader to service industrial steamships.
Early 1920s: The Lawson Protest
Horrified by the industrialisation of the forest, famed poet Henry Lawson protested through his writing. His "protest in poetry" is today commemorated on the Coal Loader platform.
1926: Public Dedication
Premier Jack Lang officially proclaimed Balls Head as a public reserve, dedicating it to the people of NSW. During this same year, Berry Island—previously connected only by a stone causeway—was in-filled and joined to the mainland to become a public park.
1931–1938: Restoration and Beautification
After being stripped of timber during the Great Depression, a Beautification Committee led by conservationist Walter Froggatt began a massive restoration effort. Native trees, many sourced from the Royal Botanic Gardens, were reintroduced. A stone tablet unveiled in 1938 near the southern car park still honours Froggatt's work.
1992–1990s: Transformation to Sustainability
The Coal Loader ceased operations in 1992. Ownership was transferred to North Sydney Council in the mid-1990s, leading to the establishment of the Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability.
2026: Centenary Celebrations
North Sydney Council marks 100 years of these reserves being dedicated to the public. Celebrations in late 2026 will include guided walks, community festivals, and educational events showcasing the work of Bushcare volunteers

Photo: Waverton Bay from Ivycliff House, which once stood where Waverton Park is now

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