Official Opening of Balmoral Beach Esplanade Print Page

The plaque commemorates the official opening of the Balmoral Beach Esplanade on the 27th August 1927. 

The Mayor of Mosman (Alderman Harry Carter) on Saturday afternoon declared open a new concrete esplanade at Balmoral Beach.  The work cost £3592 and had been carried out by the Mosman Council under the direction of the municipal engineer (Mr J. H. Tonkin). Dr Arthur M.L.A said it was a matter for regret that various governments had not done as much as they should to preserve the harbour foreshores. Edwards Beach at Balmoral had been sold and fences ran down to the waters edge until the Government some years ago made resumptions. Only a narrow strip had then been resumed, however and the Mosman Council had since resumed another area at a price in excess of what the land could have been purchased for originally. 

Balmoral Beach was not only a summer beach but it was the finest water being within easy reach of Sydney. Alderman Carter said that during fine weekends and holidays crowds ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 people visited Balmoral Beach. The previous council had made an unsuccessful effort to induce the Government to resume the land abutting on to the beach, and had then arranged for the Department of Lands to advance the estimated cost — £17,500 —which is to be repaid with interest by the council in 15 years. The amount of the advance had been exceeded by about £3000, and the council had bought and resumed land at a cost of £7000.  The resumptions had therefore cost about £27,000. The Tramway Department had contributed £500, and the Water Board £200, towards the cost of the esplanade, which was nearly 500ft long. The electric lights along the Esplanade were turned on by Mr. James Edwards, who was born at Balmoral and after whose father Edwards' Beach was named.
The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 August 1927. 

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