File:Postcard of Balmoral Beach with two ferries including KAREELA.jpg

English: Postcard of Balmoral Beach with two ferries including KAREELA c 1906. Scan of postcard from David Critchley collection.

David Critchley comments as follows: A Postcard in my collection. A V.S.M. litho postcard. Mint.

Sydney, Balmoral Beach c1906. Two ferries hold fast along side the wharf at Balmoral Beach on Middle Harbour in the early years of the twentieth century. The larger ferry, with safety valves 'popping' has probably come from Circular Quay, hugging Middle Head to avoid the worst of the swells as it passed close to Sydney Heads. The smaller ferry may be working within Middle Harbour only, as it seems too small to facing the open ocean swells around the Heads.

Like many Australian place names of the nineteenth century, Balmoral has royal connections. It is named after Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the favourite summer royal residence of Queen Victoria. Ferry services between Balmoral and Balgowlah had started as early the 1830's but it wasn't until 1905 that regular Sydney Ferries Ltd services connected Circular Quay, Clifton Gardens, Balmoral, and The Spit. Both Balmoral and Clontarf were hugely popular day trip destinations at this time. The PJ&MSCo. ran a service between Manly, Balmoral and The Spit in 1908-9 but it wasn't viable, probably because it was quicker to travel by tram from manly to The Spit. Clifton Gardens remained a popular tourist spot served by ferries right up to the 1950s.

From January 1995, Sydney Ferries operated a 'Harbour Beaches' ferry service in the summers only, however these services were discontinued after 21 Apr 2001.

Meanwhile, the Balmoral tram line opened as a branch of the Georges Heights line as late as 1922. It was one of the last tram lines to be opened in Sydney. Services ran to Wynyard, Lane Cove, Athol Wharf and Chatswood, making it one of the busiest lines on the North Sydney tramway system.