Resources for history research

The Balmain Association holds a variety of historical records at the
Balmain Watch House.

This page summarises the resources available for research on the history of Balmain, some of which is online here (eResources).

Physical material, such as books and documents, is held at the Balmain Watch House and may be accessed when the Watch House is open and staffed by a volunteer from the Balmain Association. Currently this is on Saturdays from 11:30am to 3:00pm.

Reference to “Balmain” here as elsewhere on the website means the Balmain peninsula, including Balmain East, Birchgrove and Rozelle. The links below, which open in a new window, will take you to the specific resource described.

Balmain Association newsletters (eResource)
Searchable scans of all of the Balmain Association’s newsletters, starting at No. 1 in 1966 up to the present day. These newsletters include a wealth of original historical research as well as documenting events concerning Balmain over the past 60 years, including the activities of the Balmain Association.

The Link, a Balmain weekly newspaper (eResource)
Scans are available here of the 163 issues of The Link held by the Balmain Association, dating from 1966 to 1977 (incomplete), with a couple from 1935 and 1938.

Watch House reference library
The Balmain Association library catalogue, listing our collection of reference books pertaining to the history and culture of Balmain.

Record catalogue
General catalogue of records held by the Balmain Association. The archive includes donated histories, personalities, industries, streets and houses, reports, and the history of the Association and its activities. It includes photographs and press clippings. Indexes for family histories and Balmain personalities are available separately via the links below.

Balmain family histories
Index of family histories held by the Balmain Association. Some are donated, some from our own research, some from historical sources, some a combination of all three.

Balmain personalities
Index of personalities associated with Balmain for whom the Balmain Association holds records. The information has been gathered from a mix of donated histories, paper cuttings and local memories. It also contains researched material from enquiries made by individuals.

Researching your house or family history
A list of resources available for researching the history of your house in Balmain or your family history. These are mostly online from external sources.

Updated 24 August 2026, MRC.