Basket Cases
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday October 31, 1996
But today Balmain tends more to Armani than to cheesecloth caftans.
The sign outside Mysteries in Darling Street says: "$50 for 45 minutes. Taped if requested. Come In." The woman offering her services is "Judi Fraser-Bell, Clairvoyant and Tarot Card Reader, one of the most experienced, accurate and positive in Sydney". The shop also sells New Age books, tapes and crystals.
Not the sort of shop one would expect to find in Wahroonga, or in Sylvania Waters, for that matter, but here in Balmain it doesn't seem unusual.
It was Paul Keating in the 1980s who dubbed the locals on the peninsula between Iron Cove and Mort Bay the "Balmain Basket Weavers". Darling Street was in its post-hippie era, but the shops were still a mecca full of organic edibles, Indian clothes and leather sandals, patchouli oil and incense sticks. And the pubs were still simple, local watering holes.
A decade and a half later, Balmain has hit new trendy heights. The main drag, Darling Street, is now one of Sydney's premier foodie heavens, real estate prices have rocketed, and many of the Basket Weavers have traded their cheesecloth caftans for Armani suits. However, they're probably still practising yoga (which has also hit trendy heights recently) to take their minds off their mortgages.
The suburb, some 5km west of the Sydney central business district, is named after William Balmain, who arrived in the colony as an assistant surgeon and rose to become principal surgeon of New South Wales. In 1800, he was granted 202.5 hectares; a year later he sold the land to John Gilchrist for five shillings.
As well as his salaried job, Balmain made money on the side from liquor trading and at one stage had 1,300
gallons of spirits in his possession. Liquor trading is still big business: take a peek at what's happened to the old Sackville Hotel or the Cricketer's Arms, now the Monkey Bar.
Early settlement in the area was very slow, because people were put off
living there because of the poor transport. Once the ferry service started in the 1840s, the peninsula gradually became fashionable.
In 1854, Thomas Sutcliffe Mort built his drydock in Waterview Street, then added engineering shops, coal sheds and shipbuilding yards. Carpenters, boilermakers, shipbuilders and engineers moved into the area and small workers' cottages and terraces sprang up to house them and their families.
The area remained industrial for the next 120 years. But in the '70s, industry started to move away and professionals and business people started moving in.
Back then, unrenovated weatherboard cottages sold for $35,000-$45,000, unrenovated terraces for $45,000-$55,000 and larger colonial homes for $120,000-$150,000. Richardson and Wrench Balmain agent Reg Window says there was virtually nothing available for sale over $150,000.
In the past five years, however, property prices have crept up. In 1990, the average price of houses sold at auction was $322,000; to date this year it is $440,000. New houses have been built in recent years, giving little pockets such as Arthur Street a new lease of life.
Leichhardt Council is keen to preserve Balmain's historic character, while at the same time promoting energy efficiency. New homes must have solar energy panels.
In Arthur Street, half a dozen houses have been built between the weatherboard cottages and Victorian terraces. All have facades in keeping with the streetscape, and solar panels on the roofs.
Garry Braams built a house, which sold for $500,00 last Friday, using recycled timber from a demolished Federation boarding house in Coogee. His agent, Sarah Lorden, sold the property the day before it was due to go to auction. She says that this year the Balmain market has really strengthened. "In the five years I have been selling property in the area, I have never seen so many buyers," says Sarah, who recently opened her own agency. Her sister Kate works with her in property management.
Architect Martin McGrane and Braams work together on projects. They designed and built another house in Arthur Street, on a vacant block purchased for $137,000 three years ago. In August 1994, award-winning photographer Ashley Mackevicius and Wendy Berecry paid $400,000 for the brightly painted house.
McGrane and Braams are building two new terraces further down the street. One sold off-the-plan for $500,000 and the other is nearing completion.
Two doors along is a cream weatherboard cottage bought earlier this year by Marie and Fitzroy Boulting for $337,000. In 1991, Nigel and Sara Green bought the cottage for $237,500. Three years later they sold it to Azusa and Marc Weedon-
Newstead for $320,000; they onsold to the Boultings.
On the other side of the street are another pair of brand new classically designed terraces. Both are due to be auctioned this Saturday by Richardson and Wrench. Window expects them to sell for around $400,000 each.
On the same side of the street are an original pair of Victorian terraces; one belongs to the Callanans, the other is owned by the McMahon family. The old and new houses blend together well. At the far end of this quiet tree-lined street is a particularly cute weatherboard belonging to Louella Bunton which she bought three years ago for $320,000.
Arthur Street runs off Darling Street not far from the main intersection at Rowntree Street. A few local amenities include The Cat and Fiddle Pub, Heavy Petting, for animal needs, Michelle Shennen's for things horticultural, and the Wok on Inn noodle bar for snacks. And, of course, there is Mysteries. Perhaps only Judi Fraser-Bell can tell us what the future holds for Balmain.
Directory
Arthur Street, Balmain
Style: Weatherboard workers'
cottages, single-storey Victorian and Federation terraces, two-storey terraces.
Highest price (past 12 months):
No 2, $500,000. Sold last week.
Lowest Price (past 12 months):
No 5, $337,000. Sold in May.
Transport: Bus to Darling Street wharf, then ferry to city.
Dining out: Oodles of places to eat.
Facilities: Wide variety of shops, from antiques to crystals.
Amusements: Balmain markets, live music pub scene, dining out, yoga.
© 1996 Sydney Morning Herald
