Ballast Point Park, Public recreational park in Birchgrove, Australia
Ballast Point Park is a 2.6-hectare recreational space in Birchgrove with walking paths and picnic tables overlooking Sydney Harbour Bridge and the skyline of the central business district. The site sits directly on the waterfront and includes two amenity blocks with restrooms and BBQ facilities.
The site began as a sandstone quarry and later became an oil distribution facility when Caltex acquired it in 1928. After decades of industrial use, the land was eventually redeveloped into a public park.
The park carries the name Walama, an Aboriginal word meaning 'to return,' reflecting how the space transformed from industrial use into a place where people gather. Locals and visitors understand the name as a symbol of the land's renewal and its return to nature.
Visitors can use two amenity blocks with restrooms and find BBQ facilities near the Wharf Road carpark. The site is accessible from either Wharf Road or Yeend Street, making it easy to reach from different directions.
Tank 101, a steel structure in the park, stands as a reminder of the former oil storage facilities that once dominated the site. The structure was preserved during the park's development and now serves as a tangible link to its industrial past.
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