Balls Head Reserve

Item details


Name of item:	Balls Head Reserve
Type of item:	Landscape
Group/Collection:	Landscape - Natural
Category:	Coastal environment
Primary address:	Balls Head Drive, Waverton, NSW 2060
Parish:	Willoughby
County:	Cumberland
Local govt. area:	North Sydney
Local Aboriginal Land Council:	Metropolitan

Property description

Lot/Volume Code	Lot/Volume Number	Section Number	Plan/Folio Code	Plan/Folio Number
PART LOT	106		DP	1162898
Road Reserve				Balls Head Drive

Boundary:

The SHR curtilage contains all the land within the southern section of lot 106, DP 1162898 (that which lies to the east and south of the Balls Head Coal Loader site), the section of the Balls Head Drive road reserve south of the junction where the loop road begins, and a 100m section of the surrounding Sydney Harbour.

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Balls Head Drive	Waverton	North Sydney	Willoughby	Cumberland	Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
North Sydney Council	Local Government
Transport for NSW	State Government

Statement of significance:


	Balls Head Reserve is of State heritage significance for its historical, associative, aesthetic, rarity, and representativeness values. As a natural headland with an intertwined Aboriginal cultural landscape, Balls Head Reserve has rarity and representative value as a unique survivor within the inner harbour, broader Sydney Harbour, and the greater context of a highly urban city. This headland is a distinctive remnant 'natural' element of the inner harbour that has aesthetic value for its landmark qualities. Its intactness as a natural, rocky headland, its prominent bushland appearance and the associated Aboriginal cultural landscape is evocative of the past and contributes to reimagining the harbour as it was prior to European colonisation. The headland provides commanding panoramic views, of exceptional and dramatic quality, of the inner harbour from along its elevated edges and highpoints. These extensive vistas, up and down the inner harbour and across to its southern shores, including to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney city skyline, demonstrate the picturesqueness of this maritime landscape. These natural qualities of the reserve make it an inspirational landscape which has encouraged a high degree of creative expression in the work of a range of prominent Australian artists including Conrad Martens, Lloyd Rees, and Roland Wakelin. It also served as an inspiration to the eminent Australian landscape architect Bruce Mackenzie. Balls Head Reserve has historical value as a tangible demonstration of early 20th century environmental activism in NSW. The environmental campaign over the 1920s and 1930s to have Balls Head dedicated as a public reserve and replanted with native trees was one of the earliest in NSW. It allowed the natural regeneration process to begin across the headland from the remnant seed bank, resulting in the recolonisation of the headland by endemic species and its restoration to its former natural state. The reserve is strongly associated with the early 20th century naturalists and conservationists Annie Wyatt, Walter W. Froggatt, and David Stead who were actively involved in this campaign and revegetation project.
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	Balls Head Beautification sub-committee.
Construction years:	1926-
Physical description:	Balls Head Reserve is a precinct that comprises: -The land and native vegetation of the headland of Balls Head. -The waters of a 100m section of the surrounding Sydney Harbour and Berry's Bay. -The surviving 1930s native (a mix of endemic and non-endemic) tree plantings from the reforestation program. -Works associated with the establishment of Balls Head Reserve and the reforestation campaign in the 1920s-1930s including Balls Head Drive, walking tracks, picnic areas, Annie Wyatt lookout, Froggart's lookout, associated plaques, etc. The following description has been summarised from a detailed analysis prepared by Christine Hay (2018). LANDFORM The 8.9ha Balls Head Reserve is located on the northern foreshores of Sydney Harbour, 2.5km northeast of the City of Sydney. Balls Head is a club-shape headland which forms the tip of Waverton Peninsula and rises to 30m AHD. The headland is of Hawkesbury Sandstone and features a rugged, exposed crest with steeply cut and rolling slopes, rocky terraces, broken scarps, cliffs, rock overhangs, and boulders. The tree covered crest and slopes of Balls Head connect to parkland on the peninsula and those of adjacent bays and headlands. Collectively they form a distinctive, natural, vegetative harbourside fringe which significantly contributes to the overarching 'landscape beauty' of Sydney Harbour and its view catchment. As it is largely intact as a natural landmark, Balls Head is one of the most recognisable geographical features within Sydney harbour. This is due to its physical scale, mass, and height, especially when it is contrasted with the nearby headlands, bays and islands. Its widest, most prominent, southern edge, which is covered in cliffs and rocky slopes, fronts the harbour, accentuating its distinctiveness in the surrounding harbour landscape. Along its sheltered eastern and northern sides, stretches of beach link exposed sandstone and cliff foreshore. The western and southern foreshores have a sharper distinction, its bushland extending to the water edge. The waters encircling Balls Head are some of the deepest in Sydney Harbour and are part of a large Intertidal Protection Area for Sydney Harbour, which is rich in marine life. LANDSCAPE CHARACTER The reserve has a naturalistic appearance. From the harbour, its sandstone cliffs, flat crest, steep slopes, large rock outcrops, rock terraces, fallen stone floaters and slabs, and rock overhangs, convey a rustic impression of the landform's pre-1788 state. Although exotic trees penetrate its native tree-line, its remnant regrowth forest and headland heath dominate and are integral to the illusion that it is unspoilt. A dense canopied bushland envelops the place upon entering Balls Head Drive from the east. Its enclosed forested loop-road (1930/1931), its apex which contains the elevated Annie Wyatt Lookout (1935), channels visitors towards an isolated spine of amenities. A simple layout from the 1930s, this hub consists of a shaded picnic area, strip carparking, interpretative signage, a (circular) toilet block and a vantage point to the north - Froggart's Lookout (1938), with plaque, now enclosed by a forest of Smooth Bark Apple (Angophora costata). The nuances of the reserve include; cultural tree plantings of exotic and native species (planted in the 1930s) which are now surrounded by native (but not endemic) Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii), Plum Pine (Podocarpus spp.), and a line of Hoop Pines (Araucaria cunninghamii); a picnic area clearing which comprises a covered BBQ, picnic tables and seats and a river pebble bubbler; and along its steep coastal edge Depression-era trails with decorative castellated stone-edges and fences. Paths, stone steps, some hewn from rock, weave through-out the bushland skirting enormous boulders and crags. These routes, and more recent insertions, criss-cross the place. They connect open terraces, rock platforms, lawn clearings and rock shelters which open out onto exceptional panoramic views across the harbour's waterway. The Balusters Track provides access to the southern lower cliff slopes and rocky shore including the 'fishing rock.' Introduced specimens, native and exotic from the 1930s, are likely those on the upper levels and crest near the flagpole (removed) terrace where trees such as Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) and Native Cypress (Callitris spp.), occur. They include the non-endemic species SE & NE Qld. Bunya pines (Araucaria bidwillii), NE NSW / SE Qld., NE Qld. & Papua New Guinean hoop pines (A. cunninghamii), Illawarra plum pine / brown pine (Podocarpus elatus), and Canary Island dragon's blood tree (Dracaena draco), as well as the endemic Port Jackson or rusty figs (Ficus rubiginosa); blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis); tree ferns (Cyathea and / or Dicksonia spp.), and Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum) (Stuart Read pers. Comm. 15 April 2025). VIEWS Views of a high aesthetic quality are gained from numerous superior positions along the elevated edges of Balls Head Reserve. This includes vistas from -its south-western point; -its southern-eastern upper terraces; -water level on its eastern side; and -its highest south-western edge where western harbour views, including sunsets, can be appreciated. In general, these expansive views extend in a 270 degree sweep across the harbour landscape from the east to the northwest and are contained by the southern and northern ridgelines of the harbour's catchment. Notable features that are visible include Blues Point, Fort Denison, Vaucluse ridgeline, Garden Island, the Harbour Bridge, Sydney city skyline, Walsh Bay Wharves, Darling Harbour, Me-mel (Goat Island), Ballast Point, Yululbin, Cockatoo Island, Parramatta River, Manns Point, Berry Island, and Balls Head Bay. From the waterways of the harbour the promontory is highly visible as a geographical feature and is distinctive as a landmark. Its aesthetic qualities are evident from adjacent southern and northern headlands, peninsulas and islands, particularly Me-mel Goat Island, and from the Harbour Bridge. It forms a distinctive contrast with the Sydney Harbour bridge and Sydney CBD in views from Carradah Park. VEGETATION The exposed headland supports three main vegetation communities (Smith and Smith 2010:16; North Sydney Council 2019:40): -Angophora Foreshore Forest on its moderate upper slopes characterised by sandstone outcrops. This features tall Smooth Bark Apple (Angophora costata) as its dominant tree species; -Sandstone Foreshore Scrub on its steep lower slopes adjacent to the harbour, which are interspersed with sandstone outcrops and cliffs; and -Kunzea Scrub on its south-western flat ridgetop over an extensive, level sandstone outcrop with shallow soils. This community is dominated by tall shrubs of Tick-Bush (Kunzea ambigua). This bushland remains in good condition and is subject to regular bush regeneration and management activities. HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY A number of historical archaeological sites are present around the foreshore of Balls Head Reserve that relate to early industrialisation on the North Shore, boat building on the waterfront, and Depression Era occupation. These sites include mooring rings, an iron screen/panel, steps to a harbour pool (now removed), a windlass spindle, and a Depression-era cabin constructed within a cave (Tom's cabin).
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	The bushland at Balls Head is generally in good condition due to ongoing bushland rehabilitation and conservation management. The path systems, its picnic area and grassed terrace viewing areas show signs of regular usage and are in fair condition.
	Date condition updated:16 Jan 25
Modifications and dates:	1910-1920s: mature forest vegetation impacted by industry leaving remnants. 1926: access tracks formed, and areas cleared of lantana in preparation for dedication of the Reserve. Flagstaff believed to date to this event. August 1930 - February 1931: loop road, picnic area, paths and steps, and feature stone fences constructed. 1931-1937: reafforestation of reserve through a series of tree-planting events, including native specimens, some local, and other non-native species, around the carpark and picnic area. 1935 (Wyatt) and 1938 (Froggart) lookouts constructed. 1930s: Other fabric added including harbour pool and modified rock shelters for habitation. Late 1970s: harbour pool closed due to pollution and insurance costs (North Sydney Council ND:9-11). 1980s: current day: bushland regeneration programs. 1993: a formalised path system and interpretive signage added. 1998: Balusters Track upgraded.


Current use:	Natural headland
Former use:	Aboriginal occupation; part of Berry estate.

History

Historical notes:

STATEMENT OF COUNTRY

Balls Head Reserve is within the traditional Country of the Cammeraygal/Gamaragal people (Hoskins, 2024:2, 14). For many thousands of years this headland was used by the Cammeraygal for food gathering, camping, ceremonial practices, and burials (Bowdler 1971; Hoskins 2024). These practices are expressed through a range of Aboriginal cultural heritage sites on the headland including an ancestral burial, shell middens, artefact scatters, rock engravings, and paintings (charcoal/ochre). The majority of these sites are found in rock shelters or on rock outcrops. However, some shell middens and artefact scatters have been found on the gentler mid or lower slopes of the headland. This indicates that shellfish collected at Berry's Bay (WSP 2022:11) were potentially processed and consumed on Balls Head.

The reserve is known to feature a culturally important spring and wallabies and penguins are remembered by the Cammeraygal as having lived on the headland (WSP 2022:11). Whales also visited the harbour here and gave birth off the headland prior to the European invasion (WSP 2022:11).

Due to these qualities Balls Head is considered to be one of the finest remaining Cammeraygal sites on the lower north shore (WSP 2022:11). It is considered to have very high Aboriginal heritage significance by the Aboriginal communities of Sydney, and particularly the North Shore. Furthermore, it is an important educational place which is regularly used to train Aboriginal people about site conservation and teach the general public about Aboriginal cultural heritage (Aboriginal Heritage Office 2025).

HISTORY

The following historical summary has been extracted from a detailed history prepared by Chistine Hay (2018).

DEFORESTATION OF BALLS HEAD

Named after Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball of the First Fleet, who explored this area in 1788, Balls Head remained relatively untouched throughout the 18th and 19th centuries due to its unsuitability for development or large scale agriculture or pastoralism (Russel 1990:11, 48). As such, Balls Head was not taken up until 1821 when it was granted to the shipping merchant Edward Wollstonecraft (1783-1832) (Russell 1990:50). Wollstonecraft, and his partner Alexander Berry, only utilised parts of the western foreshore of Berrys Bay for mercantile shipping, leaving Balls Head in a relatively natural state. This prompted one of the earliest calls for this headland to be conserved as a recreation ground in 1887 (SMH 26 October 1887:7).

In 1906, Balls Head was returned to public ownership along with other foreshore sections of Wollstonecraft's original estate in a transfer deal with the NSW Government (Hoskins 2016a). This, unfortunately, opened some of the deep-water frontages along the Waverton Peninsula and Berrys Bay to industrial and commercial development (Hoskins 2016a). Over the following decade Woodleys Shipyard (1906), the Quarantine Station Boat Depot (1916), and the Balls Head coal loader (1917), were established just to the north of Balls Head.

This increase in industrial activity led to the degradation of the surviving bushland on Balls Head. This impact inspired Henry Lawson (1867-1922) to compose the poem 'The Sacrifice of Balls Head' in 1916. This lament at the 'sordid crime' of 'cutting down Balls Head' to make way for development was a protest on behalf of the 'harbour people'. Despite Lawsons poem, industrialisation of the surrounding area only increased in the following years, with the installation of the BHP oil storage terminal on the western shoreline of Berrys Bay during the 1920s (GML 2000:64). This increase in activity coincided with Balls Head becoming further denuded of vegetation as it was pillaged by timber-getters and fire (SMH 24 July 1931:8).

CONSERVATION AND REFORESTATION OF BALLS HEAD

The denuding of Balls Head in the early 20th century had the unexpected benefit of exposing its value as a vantage point to the people of the north shore. Appreciation grew of the fine views of the harbour and city that could be gained from the headland. Consequently, calls began from local residents and conservationists for Balls Head to be declared as a public reserve (Daily Telegraph 2 November 1901:10; Burge 2003). From 1923-1926, this became a contentious local issue on the north shore (Evening News 11 October 1924; Sun 1 November 1924:2).

By June 1926 this community advocacy achieved its goal, with the incoming Labour government gazetting a 14 acre (5.67 ha) reserve on Balls Head for public recreation. In the following months working bees cleared lantana, formed tracks, and constructed a flagpole in preparation for the reserve's opening on 23 October 1926 (Sun 21 September 1926:14).

With this goal achieved, agitation began for the replanting of the headland with native trees to restore it to its natural state. Both the Australian Forest League (which included Annie Wyatt and W. W. Froggatt) and Town Planning Association were supporters of this proposal (Daily Telegraph 6 August 1926:3; James 2013:110, 112; ADB Annie Wyatt). North Sydney Council also began plans to improve and beatify the headland (Evening News 12 August 1927:15). Over the following years they announced plans to plant a large number of native trees, including Port Jackson Figs, at the reserve (SMH 31 May 1927:10; Sun 19 Jan 1927:22; Sun 17 July 1929:17). It is unclear if these council initiatives ultimately occurred. However, Council was successfully in gaining state funding to construct an access road to the reserve, paths and footpaths, water pipelines, and fireplaces in preparation for its opening as a park (SMH 9 January 1931:12; 10 January 1931:12; 24 July 1931:8).

In 1930 plans to replant Balls Head gained momentum when Council joined forces with a range of conservation groups including the Tree-Lovers' Civic League (including Annie Wyatt), Town Planning Association, Australian Forest League, Field Naturalists, Wild Life Preservation Association, and Wattle League. A Balls Head Beautification Scheme sub-committee was formed by Council to arrange a grand Arbor Day tree planting program for the following year (Burge 2003:9).

The inaugural tree planting ceremony was held on 25 July 1931 and attended by over 2000 people. Over 200 native trees were planted across the headland by a large range of groups (Daily Telegraph 1 July 1931:7; Labor Daily 25 July 1931:1; SMH 27 July 1931:8; Sun 26 July 1931:5). The Australian Forest League considered the event a complete success and 'probably the most extensive & most successful tree planting function ever held in the metropolitan area' (Australian Forest League 1931). The event was also recognised as 'the biggest scheme yet undertaken around Sydney Harbour foreshores' (Sun 18 July 1931:8). A fortunate surprise of the event was that natural vegetation regrowth was noted by several observers as already starting to occur across the headland (SMH 24 July 1931:8; 27 July 1931:8; Toowoomba Chronicle 29 July 1931:6).

Over the following years further tree planting events were held at the reserve. In October 1931 the Waverton Progress Association planted a further 30 tree ferns and Christmas Trees. One year later, North Sydney Council and the Naturalists' Society of NSW planted 50 Blackbutt Trees. These were noted as being amongst the original flora of the area and were planted to replace those few that had died since the first planting event. Another ceremony was held on Arbor Day in 1933 by the Naturalist' Society, Tree Lover's League, and Country Women's Association (Labor Daily 29 July 1933:6). Finally, in 1934 another three hundred trees were planted by North Sydney Council, the Fields Naturalists' Society, Tree Lovers' League, and Australian Forest League, bringing the total planted at the reserve to a thousand (Daily Telegraph, 6 August 1934:7; Sun 4 August 1934:8; SMH 6 August 1934:8).

The opening of Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932 had an enormous impact on the development of the north shore and placed pressure on bushland reserves. Conservation concerns about Balls Head resulted in another 8.75 acres [3.54 ha] being added to the Reserve in 1935. In the newly acquired area, the Annie Wyatt Lookout at the apex of the access road loop was constructed using relief labour (Burge 2003:2). Later in 1938, a lookout at Balls Head, overlooking Berrys Bay to the north-east, was named in honour of the recently deceased Walter Froggatt in recognition of his campaign to replant the reserve between 1931-1937 (Monuments Australia, 2025). Another 100 trees were planted in 1938 (Monuments Australia, 2025).

By 1943 the headland was effectively reafforested. This reafforestation process was a combination of the tree planting campaign and natural regeneration stemming for the remnant soil seedbank surviving on the headland. This natural regeneration is evident today in the diversity and arrangement of endemic species found on Balls Head, which could not have been created solely through replanting (Gareth Debney, North Sydney Council, pers. comm. 30/1/2025).

CREATIVE INSPIRATION AND ARTISTIC COUNTERPOINT

Balls Head, in both its natural and deforested state, served to inspire Sydney's artists at different times of the of 19th and 20th centuries.

In the 1830s Berrys Bay's secluded and contained landform, its inspirational views, vantage points, and tranquil harbour waters attracted the interest of Sydney's fledgling artistic community. Balls Head, an important component of the Bay's scenic character was captured in many early renderings including those of the professional artist, Conrad Martens (1801-1878). Martens utilised the elevation of the north shore to produce panoramic views across Sydney Harbour (c.a. 1837 and 1840) which juxtaposed the natural attributes of the north shore in the foreground with the busy settlement of Sydney in the background. Balls Head featured prominently in several of his paintings and lithographs (Russell 1990:84; ADB Conrad Martens).

In the mid-1910s Sydney's artists became interested in the picturesque and formal qualities of working and modified waterfronts, including those at Berrys Bay. The high ground to the west of the peninsula afforded an ideal platform from which to paint or sketch the industrialised coastlines of the harbour, often in contrast to the increasingly denuded Balls Head (Hoskins 2016b). Prominent Australian artists who celebrated Berrys Bay and Balls Head in their art included Roland Wakelin, Lloyd Rees, Sydney Long, Percy Lindsay, Lionel Lindsay, Martin Lewis, CES Tindall, Roy de Maistre, F Meade Norton and the photographers FD Collins, Harold Cazneaux, and Henri Mallard (Hoskins 2016b; Russell 1990:292-293).

Since the 1940s, the restored natural appearance of Balls Head, has served as an unspoilt reminiscence of the harbour, inspiring artists to capture it as a physical and visual counterpoint to the industrialised working harbour.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Cultural: Natural landscapes valued by humans-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Cultural: Conserving and protecting natural features-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Natural - pre European settlement vegetation-
1. Environment-Tracing the evolution of a continent's special environments	Environment - naturally evolved-Activities associated with the physical surroundings that support human life and influence or shape human cultures.	Natural - regenerating native flora valued for conservation purposes-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Balls Head Reserve is of historical significance as a tangible demonstration of early 20th century environmental activism in NSW. The late 19th and early 20th century saw the formation of a range of groups dedicated to conserving the Australian wilderness as part of the first wave of the Australian environment movement. Spurred by the denuding of Balls Head and the encroachment of industrial development on the Waverton Peninsula, a collection of these groups (Naturalists' Society, The Ku-ring-gai Tree Lovers Civic League, and the Australian Forest League), in conjunction with North Sydney Council and other community associations, formed together to agitate for the conservation, and then replanting, of the headland. This environmental campaign in the 1920s and 1930s, which occurred at a prominent location on the north shore of Sydney Harbour, is one of the earliest in NSW. It achieved the dedication of Balls Head as a public reserve in 1926 and then the planting of the headland with over 1000 native trees between 1931 and 1934. This conservation and planting program allowed the natural regeneration process to begin across the headland from the remnant seed bank, resulting in the recolonisation of the headland by endemic species. The ultimate result of these two processes has been the restoration of Balls Head to its natural state and its continuing maintenance by North Sydney Council and the Balls Head Reserve Bushcare Group today.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	Balls Head Reserve is of associative significance for its strong connection with three early 20th century naturalists and conservationists who were actively involved in the conservation and revegetation of Balls Head during the 1920s and 1930s: (1) Annie Wyatt, founder of the Ku-ring-gai Tree Lovers' Civic League (1927) and National Trust movement (1945) in Australia (OBE). (2) Walter W. Froggart, renowned Australian Entomologist and founder (1891) of the Naturalists' Society of NSW. (3) David Stead, an active and influential naturalist, president of the Australian Forest League in the 1930s, and co-founder of the Wildlife Preservation Society of Australia in 1909 (now Australian Wildlife Society).
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	Balls Head Reserve is of aesthetic significance for its landmark qualities and presence as a distinctive remnant 'natural' element of the inner harbour, and broader Sydney Harbour. Its intactness as a natural, rocky headland and its prominent bushland appearance and associated Aboriginal cultural landscape is evocative of the past and contributes to reimagining the harbour as it was prior to European colonisation. This impression is emphasised by the connection of Balls Head to further tree covered reserves on the Waverton Peninsula, including Berrys Bay Precinct (SHR 02104), as well as the adjacent bays, headlands, and islands, including Badangi (SHR 02075) and Me-Mel (Goat Island SHR 00989). The reserve is of aesthetic significance for its commanding panoramic views, of exceptional and dramatic quality, of the inner harbour from along its elevated edges and highpoints. These extensive vistas, up and down the inner harbour and across to its southern shores, including to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney city skyline, demonstrate the picturesqueness of this maritime landscape. This headland is of aesthetic significance as an inspirational landscape that has encouraged a high degree of creative expression. It has inspired many artists to depict its physical and aesthetic characteristics, both when it was denuded and covered with bushland. Prominent Australian artists who have celebrated Balls Head in their work include Conrad Martens, Lloyd Rees, Roland Wakelin, Sydney Long, Percy Lindsay, Lionel Lindsay, Martin Lewis, Charles E. S. Tindall, Roy de Maistre, F Meade Norton, and the photographers F. D. Collins, Harold Cazneaux, and Henri Mallard. It has also featured in the poetry of Henry Lawson, one of Australian's best- known writers, and was an inspiration to the eminent landscape architect Bruce Mackenzie.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	Balls Head Reserve is considered rare in the State context as a unique surviving natural headland, which retains its shoreline, landform, and an intertwined Aboriginal cultural landscape, within the inner harbour, and broader Sydney Harbour. As such, it is an uncommon feature of the inner harbour that evokes the past and contributes to reimagining this maritime landscape as it was before 1788.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	Balls Head Reserve is considered a representative example of a surviving natural headland with an intertwined Aboriginal cultural heritage landscape within the inner harbour, broader Sydney Harbour, and the greater context of a highly urban city. Opposite the Sydney central business district (CBD), it provides a stark contrast and reminder of the nature of Sydney Harbour prior to 1788.
Integrity/Intactness:	The integrity of the park's bushland character is intact due to the long-term management by North Sydney Council and bushcare groups. These activities have assisted in maintaining the reserve's vegetation since 1980. The exotic trees and shrubs of the Reserve planted in the 1930s and 1940s, adjacent to its roadway and throughout, are less intrusive on the natural landscape of the place as regenerating native communities have expanded to become the reserve's dominant vegetative character. Native species from the 1930s tree planting activities have not been conclusively identified to date. Its built elements, particularly the pathways and lawn terraces, are heavily utilised, and require conservation and maintenance.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Procedures /Exemptions

Section of act	Description	Title	Comments	Action date
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Heritage Act - Site Specific Exemptions	Exemption Order for Balls Head Reserve listing on the State Heritage Register (SHR 02110) under the Heritage Act 1977 I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of Heritage Council of New South Wales dated 6 May 2025, make the following order under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977 (the Act) granting an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out of any activities described in Schedule C by the owner, manager, mortgagee or lessee (or persons authorised by the owner or manager) of the item described in Schedule A on the land identified in Schedule B. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 16th day of July 2025. The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage SCHEDULE A The item known as Balls Head Reserve SHR 02110, situated on the land described in Schedule B. SCHEDULE B The item known as Balls Head Reserve SHR 02110, comprising part of Lot 106, DP 1162898, part of the Balls Head Drive road reserve, and part of Sydney Harbour at Balls Head Drive, Waverton, located as identified on the plan catalogued HC Plan 3338 in the office of the Heritage Council of NSW. SCHEDULE C The following specified activities and works to an item do not require approval under section 57(1) of the Act. GENERAL CONDITIONS These general conditions apply to the use of all the site specific exemptions: a) Anything done under the site specific exemptions must be carried out by people with knowledge, skills and experience appropriate to the work (some site specific exemptions require suitably qualified and experienced professional advice or work). b) The site specific exemptions do not permit the removal of relics or Aboriginal objects. If relics are discovered, work must cease in the affected area and the Heritage Council of NSW must be notified in writing in accordance with section 146 of the Heritage Act 1977. Depending on the nature of the discovery, assessment and an excavation permit may be required prior to the recommencement of work in the affected area. If any Aboriginal objects are discovered, excavation or disturbance is to cease, and Heritage NSW must be notified in accordance with section 89A of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. Aboriginal object has the same meaning as in the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. c) Activities and works that do not fit within the exemptions described in this document or the 'standard exemptions' for items listed on the State Heritage Register made under section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977, and published in the NSW Government Gazette would require an approval under the Heritage Act 1977. The site specific exemptions are self-assessed. It is the responsibility of a proponent to ensure that the proposed activities or works fall within the site specific exemptions. d) The proponent is responsible for ensuring that any activities or works undertaken by them, or with their landowners consent, meet all the required conditions and have all necessary approvals. e) Proponents must keep records of any activities or works for auditing and compliance purposes by the Heritage Council of NSW. Where advice of a suitably qualified and experienced professional has been sought, a record of that advice must be kept. Records must be kept in a current readable electronic file or hard copy for a reasonable time. f) The site specific exemptions under the Heritage Act 1977 are not authorisations, approvals, or exemptions for the activities or works under any other legislation, Local Government and State Government requirements (including, but not limited to, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974), or construction codes such as the National Construction Code. g) The site specific exemptions under the Heritage Act 1977 do not constitute satisfaction of the relevant provisions of the National Construction Code for ancillary works. Activities or work undertaken pursuant to a site specific exemption must not, if it relates to an existing building, cause the building to contravene the National Construction Code. h) In these exemptions, words have the same meaning as in the Heritage Act 1977 or the relevant guidelines, unless otherwise indicated. Where there is an inconsistency between relevant guidelines and these exemptions, these exemptions prevail to the extent of the inconsistency. Where there is an inconsistency between either relevant guidelines or these exemptions and the Heritage Act 1977, the Act will prevail. i) Where relevant The Heritage Manual (1996, Heritage Office and Department of Urban Affairs and Planning) and The Maintenance Series (1996 republished 2004, NSW Heritage Office and Department of Urban Affairs & Planning) guidelines must be complied with during the undertaking of any activities or works on an item. EXEMPTION 1: EXISTING CONSENTS Specified activities and works: a) All works/ activities which are in accordance with a current development consent in force at the date of gazettal of the listing of Balls Head Reserve on the State Heritage Register. Note: State Significant Infrastructure consents relating to the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade also apply to the item (SSI-8863 and approved modifications to SSI-8863) but do not require an exemption as separate approval is not required under the Heritage Act 1977 for State Significant Infrastructure projects. EXEMPTION 2: SUBSTRATUM SUBDIVISION Specified activities and works: a) Any substratum subdivision related to the Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade. EXEMPTION 3: WESTERN HARBOUR TUNNEL ROADS AND ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE Specified activities and works: a) The following activities and works are exempt in connection with the operation of the Western Harbour Tunnel and associated tunnel infrastructure: i. all activities and works in connection with the ongoing and day-to-day operation and maintenance of the Western Harbour Tunnel and associated tunnel infrastructure which do not impact on the heritage significance of Balls Head Reserve. EXEMPTION 4: MARITIME ACTIVITIES AND OPERATIONS Specified activities and works: a) The below activities and works undertaken by the relevant authority as long as they do not impact any relics or works as defined under the Heritage Act 1977 or any other maritime or underwater cultural heritage: i. activities associated with the environmental management of the harbour ii. Maintenance dredging (limited to the current depth of the channel or sea bed) to allow safe access for vessels where required iii. Works and activities associated with navigation and safety, including emergency works iv. Works and activities that are associated with the use, operation and maintenance of moorings apparatus and berths v. works and activities that are associated with the use, operation and routine maintenance or repairs of maritime structures vi. Activities associated with the use of jetties, piers, wharves, and berthing areas in the harbour for surveyed charter vessels under pre-existing license agreements. EXEMPTION 5: BUSH REGENERATION, VEGETATION AND LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT Specified activities and works: a) Minor works and activities associated with the management of native vegetation and rehabilitation of identified ecological communities in accordance with the National standards for the practice of ecological restoration in Australia (prepared by Standards Reference Group, Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia), including best practice bush regeneration and rehabilitation; removal of woody weeds, mesic and non-indigenous species and selective management of natural seed banks. b) Minor works and activities associated with the mitigation, minimisation, and suppression of fire risk across the reserve including management and reduction of vegetation density and including activities associated with prescribed, ecological or cultural burning of bushland vegetation where there will be no adverse impact to heritage significance. c) Minor works and activities associated with the protection, conservation and rehabilitation of Aboriginal cultural heritage sites in the reserve that are completed in accordance with the requirements of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. d) Introduction of new indigenous plantings, consistent with existing vegetation and heritage significance (where appropriate/consistent with bushland rehabilitation principals). e) Tree pruning or removal where considered necessary for the health of a tree, or the safety of the public or North Sydney Council staff, provided that removed trees are replaced with a tree of native species in the same location, except in circumstances where tree removal is likely to encourage natural regeneration of replacement canopy trees. f) Removal and replacement of existing small plantings, and removal, construction and alteration of garden beds, hard landscaping and plantings where the activity will not adversely impact built heritage fabric or the heritage significance of the item. g) Routine horticultural maintenance including minor trimming, pruning, mowing, weed control, bush regeneration, replanting, cultivation and plant care where there are no adverse impacts to heritage significance. h) Vegetation trimming and pruning to protect and restore significant heritage views and sight lines where these activities are balanced against protecting sensitive environmental values and undertaken under the guidance of an appropriately qualified specialist/s. Trimming and pruning under this exemption must be for heritage conservation related purposes, it does not permit pruning for the sole purpose of view enhancement. i) Minor routine activities associated with tree management including erection of temporary structures and protections around trees for safety reasons and installation of any temporary facilities or equipment associated with arboriculture activities and assessments. Temporary facilities or equipment for this purpose must not be in place for any longer than 12 months. j) All activities and works recommended in section 2.1.2 'Balls Head Reserve (incl. Carradah Park foreshore, Waverton Park foreshore and Coal Loader Parklands foreshore) Bushland rehabilitation Plan' of the North Sydney Council Bushland Rehabilitation Plans 2019-2029 or any subsequent document prepared to replace or supplement this document. k) All works and activities consistent with the Bushland Plan of Management, North Sydney Council, 2022 and any subsequent document prepared to replace or supplement this document. Relevant standards i .Any activities that have the potential to negatively impact built heritage fabric or the heritage significance of the item must be referred to North Sydney Council heritage planners prior to their commencement. ii .Any activities that have the potential to negatively impact Aboriginal objects or sites are subject to the requirements of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, including the requirements relating to consultation with Aboriginal parties. EXEMPTION 6: FAUNA HABITAT MANAGEMENT Specified activities and works: a) Activities and works associated with the maintenance of wildlife corridors between the interlinked reserves of the Waverton Peninsula: Berrys Bay Precinct (Carradah Park), Waverton Park, Coal Loader Parklands, and Balls Head Reserve. b) Installation of nesting boxes, wildlife management aids, and landscaping to support native fauna. c) Integrated pest management of foxes, rabbits, and other feral animals (including invertebrates) through baiting, shooting, and trapping or other approved methods. Relevant standards i. Any activities that have the potential to negatively impact built heritage fabric or the heritage significance of the item must be referred to North Sydney Council heritage planners prior to their commencement. ii. Any activities that have the potential to negatively impact Aboriginal objects or sites are subject to the requirements of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, including the requirements relating to consultation with Aboriginal parties. EXEMPTION 7: RESERVE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS Specified activities and works: a) Installation of fully reversible temporary infrastructure for community and cultural events that can be installed and removed with no impacts to heritage significance. These are to be erected, used, and removed (along with necessary remediation) within a maximum period of 40 days per installation. b) Minor activities and works as listed below, provided that they do not result in adverse impacts to heritage significance: i. the installation and upkeep of waste management facilities and waste disposal, including bins, recycling stations, and related servicing ii. the installation, removal, alteration, upgrade, and upkeep of interpretive, safety, and wayfinding signage iii. the installation of temporary or semi-permanent fencing or barriers to restrict access to environmentally or culturally sensitive areas and support temporary event crowd management measures iv. the maintenance and upgrade of existing roads, carparks, paths, tracks, and other visitor facilities v. the management of park hydrology, erosion, or compaction control and shoreline maintenance vi. the maintenance, repair or upgrade of any building, structure, furniture, fixture, monument, plaque, retaining wall or work within the reserve vii. the installation, relocation, removal, and maintenance of contemporary park furniture and fixtures viii. the maintenance, repair, and upgrade of services and public utilities including communications, gas, electricity, lighting, water supply, waste disposal, sewerage, irrigation, and drainage. Relevant standards i. Any works relating to the repair or reconstruction of rusticated walls, fences and railings must be consistent with the findings outlined in A report on rusticated interwar-era concrete/cement walls and fences in North Sydney's parks and lookouts, prepared by H. Goodman & I. Hoskins, and dated 02/12/2019. ii. Any activities that have the potential to negatively impact built heritage fabric or the heritage significance of the item must be referred to North Sydney Council heritage planners prior to their commencement. iii. Any activities that have the potential to negatively impact Aboriginal objects or sites are subject to the requirements of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, including the requirements relating to consultation with Aboriginal parties.	Jul 25 2025
57(2)	Exemption to allow work	Standard Exemptions	HERITAGE ACT 1977 ORDER UNDER SECTION 57(2) TO GRANT STANDARD EXEMPTIONS FROM APPROVAL I, Penny Sharpe, the Minister for Heritage, on the recommendation of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and under section 57(2) of the Heritage Act 1977: revoke the order made on 2 June 2022 and published in the Government Gazette Number 262 of 17 June 2022; and grant an exemption from section 57(1) of the Act in respect of the engaging in or carrying out the class of activities described in clause 2 Schedule A in such circumstances specified by the relevant standards in clause 2 Schedule A and General Conditions in clause 3 Schedule A. This Order takes effect on the date it is published in the NSW Government Gazette. Dated this 29th day of October 2025 The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC Minister for Heritage For more information on standard exemptions click on the link below.	Nov 7 2025

Standard exemptions for engaging in or carrying out activities / works otherwise prohibited by section 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - State Heritage Register		02110	25 Jul 25	307	2025-307-2

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Australian Forest League	1931	The Australian Forest League Council, Excutive's Report (2 July 1931)
Written	Christine Hay	2018	Balls Head Reserve SHR Nomination Form
Written	Christine Hay, Colleen Morris, and James Quoyle	2018	AILA NSW Landscape Heritage Report (Volumes 1 and 2): Ten State Heritage Register Nominations; Case Study: Sydney Harbour
Written	Dr Ian Hoskins	2016	A Short History of Balls Head and Berry Island Reserves 1906-1940 [2016a]
Written	Dr Ian Hoskins	2016	Berrys Bay and Harbour Art [2016b]
Written	Dr Ian Hoskins	2009	Sydney Harbour, A History
Written	Drew Hutton and Libby Connors	1999	A History of the Australian Enironment Movement
Written	Eric Russell	1990	The Opposite Shore, North Sydney and its People
Written	Godden Mackay Logan	2000	Waverton Peninsula Industrial Sites: BP, Caltex, Coal Loader: Conservation Management Plan
Written	Ian Hoskins	2024	Aboriginal North Sydney: a history
Written	Monuments Australia	2025	Walter Froggatt's Lookout, Balls Head Reaserve	View detail
Written	North Sydney Council	2019	North Sydney Council Bushland Rehabilitation Plans 2019-2029
Written	North Sydney Council	2001	Fauna Rehabilitation Plans: Balls Head Reserve, Port Jackson Catchment
Written	North Sydney Council		Waverton Bushland Remnant, Balls Head Reserve [no date]
Written	Peggy James	2013	Cosmopolitan Conservationists, Greening Modern Sydney
Written	Peter and Judy Smith Ecological Consultants	2010	North Sydney Council: Natural Area Survey
Written	Phil Hunt, Aboriginal Heritage Office	2025	Balls Head Reserve, Waverton, Aboriginal Heritage
Written	Roslyn Burge	2003	Historical Report, The Flagpole, Balls Head Reserve, Waverton
Written	Sandra Bowdler	1971	Balls Head: the excavation of a Port Jackson rock shelter
Written	Val Attenbrow	2010	Sydney's Aboriginal Past, Investigating the Archaeological and Historical Records
Written	WSP Australia Pty Ltd	2022	Gamaragal Country: Berry's Bay Connection to Country Principles

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

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Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Heritage NSW
Database number:	5066506
File number:	EF17/11448

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