Why we chose the name Ballast Point

People often ask how Ballast Point got its name. I usually joke that it’s because the domain name was available, but obviously, there was more to it than that. We specialise in building and designing properties in the Balmain area of Sydney, and we wanted a name with a local connection. Ballast Point is also the name of a park in Birchgrove, where I often hang out with my children. We have also held staff Christmas parties there. Our team came up with a shortlist of names; I didn’t want to have any hyphens or shortenings. At the time the domain www.ballastpoint.com.au was available because the Ballast Point Preservation Society had just won its campaign to keep the park out of the hands of developers and had recently disbanded. It’s ironic, in a way, that it was a developer that took it up.

Ballast Point – the park – was a refinery-cum-storage space. It’s one of those places that if you didn’t live in the area, you have probably never been there, and you have no idea that it’s there, and yet it’s one of the most remarkable landscape designs and one of the most interesting parks you could ever go to. They have kept a lot of the features of the old refinery, such as old tanks, and worked around them. The Tank 101 structure symbolises the site’s working harbour history, while Delicate Balance is an artwork that represents the use of sandstone from the site as ballast for European ships. My kids love climbing around it. There are lots of nooks and crannies, which is something we often incorporate into the design of our homes as well, and we also like to keep historical elements of the home when upgrading. For example, when we redeveloped a house in Llewellyn St, Balmain, we kept a feature fireplace in the hallway and salvaged a door from the era, with a stained glass window above it.

When I told one friend the name, he liked it because a ballast keeps a ship steady. I like that everyone gives it their own meaning.

There is also a craft beer company called Ballast Point in the US, so sometimes people email us wanting to sell us services related to brewing beer. Their beer is available in Dan Murphy’s – we’ve drunk it before for a laugh.