The traditional custodians of the peninsula now known as Balmain are the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora language group.
There is archaeological evidence of human occupation in the Sydney area dated at least 20,000 years ago.
Being among the first to encounter the British the Wangal population was also one of the first to be highly impacted by disease and dispossession.
Following the Second World War Aboriginal people began to move back to the cities and settled in the suburbs of Redfern, Alexandria and Balmain.

Prior to 1835 the landscape of Balmain was rocky, with dense tea tree scrub spotted with eucalypts and abundant flora and fauna.
The Sydney Gazette of 1818 shows a grant to William Balmain: an estate consisting of 550 acres at the Northern Boundary known by the name of Balmain's Farm.
Prior to returning to England, Balmain transferred the land to John Gilchrist.
Gilchrist subsequently subdivided the land and in 1836 auctioneer George William Paul purchased Lot 4 and Lot 6 of the first portion to be divided into 22 lots located on the Balmain East end of the peninsula.
In 1855 Mort's Dock opened in Waterview Bay and was indicative of the intense maritime industrial expansion on the edges of the peninsula.

The suburban development of Balmain commenced from 1836 and grew slowly until the new industrial development of the 1850s onwards drew an influx of workers and their families to live on the peninsula.
A ferry service commenced about this time connecting the suburb to the city bringing workers for the shipyards along the harbour foreshores.
As the population increased so did the demand for services - houses, shops, churches, schools, police, a hospital and local government with Balmain Council being formed in 1860.
Social institutions also arose at this time and many clubs were formed including rowing, swimming, bowling and cricket.
Institutes such as the Balmain Literary Institute, the Balmain Working Men's Institute and Balmain School of Arts were also established.

The lots between Peacock Point and Darling Street and Weston Street which had been laid out in 1836 had a number of owners.
Immediately adjacent to Illoura Reserve was 2-8 Weston Street which was purchased in 1840 by shipwright John Bell and on which he built a stone wharf and shipwright's yard.
Bell died in 1847 and the shipwright's yard was run by his sons until 1883 when it was sold to J. Fenwick and Co.
The southern end of the peninsula is named after Captain John Jenkins Peacock who purchased the land in 1836.
Peacock was the son of a convict and started his days as a farmer with a grant of 250 acres on the Hawkesbury.
In 1834 he moved to Market Wharf after a time trading between the Hawkesbury River and Sydney.
Peacock was a merchant and owner of ships: he owned the barque Sir William Wallace and other vessels and he traded in New Zealand where he bought wharves and land, he also had land on the Parramatta River and in the Hunter Valley.
He was a licensee of the Dundee Arms in Gloucester Street, Sydney in 1840 and in 1842 he was appointed a director of the Union Assurance Co. He was an Alderman on City of Sydney Council from 1842 to 1843.
In 1836 Peacock purchased four acres of the first sub-division of Balmain, opposite his Miller's Point wharf.
By the 1840s it became evident he had spread his business empire too thin and by September 1843 he was facing insolvency.
He sold off his 38 Balmain lots in 1841.

The 1888 map of Peacock Point shows that there had been land reclamation and a large amount of building construction by this time.
The natural shore line is indicated on the map set well back from the reclaimed land edge in all but two locations, the largest of which is opposite William Street.
By 1943 the whole foreshore of the site had all been reshaped and extended out into the bay.
1943 aerial photography clearly indicates that the maritime industrial use of the site continued well into the 20th century.
Ships can be seen tied up to wharfs, one of which appears to have a crane for loading and unloading ships.

The first Harbour Master
The traditional custodians of the peninsula now known as Balmain are the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora language group. There is archaeological evidence of human occupation in the Sydney area dated at least 20,000 years ago. Being among the first to encounter the British the Wangal population was also one of the first to be highly impacted by disease and dispossession. Following the Second World War Aboriginal people began to move back to the cities and settled in the suburbs of Redfern, Alexandria and Balmain.
Prior to 1835 the landscape of Balmain was rocky, with dense tea tree scrub spotted with eucalypts and abundant flora and fauna. The Sydney Gazette of 1818 shows a grant to William Balmain: an estate consisting of 550 acres at the Northern Boundary known by the name of Balmain's Farm. Prior to returning to England, Balmain transferred the land to John Gilchrist. Gilchrist subsequently subdivided the land and in 1836 auctioneer George William Paul purchased Lot 4 and Lot 6 of the first portion to be divided into 22 lots located on the Balmain East end of the peninsula. In 1855 Mort's Dock opened in Waterview Bay and was indicative of the intense maritime industrial expansion on the edges of the peninsula.
The suburban development of Balmain commenced from 1836 and grew slowly until the new industrial development of the 1850s onwards drew an influx of workers and their families to live on the peninsula. A ferry service commenced about this time connecting the suburb to the city bringing workers for the shipyards along the harbour foreshores. As the population increased so did the demand for services - houses, shops, churches, schools, police, a hospital and local government with Balmain Council being formed in 1860. Social institutions also arose at this time and many clubs were formed including rowing, swimming, bowling and cricket. Institutes such as the Balmain Literary Institute, the Balmain Working Men's Institute and Balmain School of Arts were also established.
The lots between Peacock Point and Darling Street and Weston Street which had been laid out in 1836 had a number of owners. Immediately adjacent to Illoura Reserve was 2-8 Weston Street which was purchased in 1840 by shipwright John Bell and on which he built a stone wharf and shipwright's yard. Bell died in 1847 and the shipwright's yard was run by his sons until 1883 when it was sold to J. Fenwick and Co.
The southern end of the peninsula is named after Captain John Jenkins Peacock who purchased the land in 1836. Peacock was the son of a convict and started his days as a farmer with a grant of 250 acres on the Hawkesbury. In 1834 he moved to Market Wharf after a time trading between the Hawkesbury River and Sydney. Peacock was a merchant and owner of ships: he owned the barque Sir William Wallace and other vessels and he traded in New Zealand where he bought wharves and land, he also had land on the Parramatta River and in the Hunter Valley. He was a licensee of the Dundee Arms in Gloucester Street, Sydney in 1840 and in 1842 he was appointed a director of the Union Assurance Co. He was an Alderman on City of Sydney Council from 1842 to 1843. In 1836 Peacock purchased four acres of the first sub-division of Balmain, opposite his Miller's Point wharf. By the 1840s it became evident he had spread his business empire too thin and by September 1843 he was facing insolvency. He sold off his 38 Balmain lots in 1841.
The 1888 map of Peacock Point shows that there had been land reclamation and a large amount of building construction by this time. The natural shore line is indicated on the map set well back from the reclaimed land edge in all but two locations, the largest of which is opposite William Street. By 1943 the whole foreshore of the site had all been reshaped and extended out into the bay. 1943 aerial photography clearly indicates that the maritime industrial use of the site continued well into the 20th century. Ships can be seen tied up to wharfs, one of which appears to have a crane for loading and unloading ships.
The first Harbour Master
Iloura Reserve