Name: Mixed Up History: Balmain to Abbotsford - Wonders of Sydney! 14KM Easy/Medium
Start: 2025-11-02T10:30:00+11:00
End: 2025-11-02T16:00:00+11:00
Location: Circular Quay

**Mixed Up History**

**Balmain to Abbotsford: Wonderful History of Sydney!**

**14KM Easy/Medium**

We catch the ferry from Circular Quay **Wharf 5, Side A to Balmain East Ferry Wharf**. We head into historic backstreet and commence our exploration of the **Balmain/Birchgrove Peninsula** with Mort Bay and **Ballast Poin**t, taking views rarely seen of the CBD.

Points of interest, including **Dawn Fraser Swimming Baths**, pass us by on our way through to **Iron Cove Bay** and Drummoyne where, 7KM in, we stop at the local shopping strip for a 40-minute lunch stop/bathroom break.

Following lunch, we cross Victoria Road into the backstreets of **Drummoyne** and strike out for **Gladesville Bridge**, perhaps the first ever computer designed bridge. Under the bridge we skip past **Russell Lea** and check out **Chiswick**, entering **Abbotsford** at a mansion linked to the poet/novelist **Sir Walter Scott** (d: 1832) and the biggest chocolate factory in the Southern Hemisphere. The chocolate is long gone, unfortunately.

We end our tour of these historic suburbs, spread around the southern harbour, at **Sydney Rowing Club** (has superb harbour views) for a refreshment, or two. **Abbotsford Ferry Wharf** is 50 meters away, with a delightful ferry trip back to Circular Quay departing every 30 minutes.

The **504 bus** also departs for Burwood, from just outside the Club at regular intervals.

**Distance:** 14KM

**Type of Walk:** This Sunday Walk is filled with great variation: Heritage suburbs, great characters, famous houses and stuff like that!

**Difficulty:** Easy, peasy.

**Walking Pace:** We will average 4KM per hour and check all this stuff out.

**Meeting Place and Transport**: We meet at **Wharf 5, Side A**, Circular Quay at 10:30AM, with our Ferry departing at **10:42AM** arriving Balmain East Ferry Wharf 10:54AM. Please, be on time and remember we are going to **Balmain East Ferry Whar**f, which is distinct from Balmain Ferry Wharf!

**What to bring/wear:** Trail runners/good walking shoes; 1.5 litres of water, refill along the way; hydrolytes; lunch; light rain jacket depending on conditions; sunscreen and a cap or hat with a wide brim.

**Plenty of food options at our lunch stop.**

**Suggested Donation:** $10

**Pub:** Sydney Rowing Club

**By RSVPing to this event,** you (and your guests) agree to and are bound by the terms and conditions of SOMG which you can view here:

[Sydney Outdoors Meetup Group Discussions](https://www.meetup.com/sydney-outdoors-meetup-group/discussions/?eventOrigin=home_groups_you_organize)

**Questions?** Leave a comment below. I will post my mobile number closer to the day.

Ted :)

Ted Miller

Sydney Outdoors Meetup Group

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Mixed Up History: Balmain to Abbotsford -  Wonders of Sydney! 14KM Easy/Medium

Circular Quay

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Sydney Outdoors Meetup Group

Mixed Up History: Balmain to Abbotsford - Wonders of Sydney! 14KM Easy/Medium

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