Venue and transport

Balmain Town Hall
Balmain Town Hall

Lam Dre 2009 will be held in the newly renovated Balmain Town Hall. The town hall was home to the 13 Golden Dharmas events during His Holiness's last visit to Australia in 2003.

Balmain Town Hall
370 Darling Street
Balmain NSW 2041

Priority seating will be given to ordained Sangha, Benefactors, Sponsors and Friends of Lam Dre. All other seating is general admission and will be arranged on a first-in, first-served basis.

We request that students arrive 15-20 minutes early each day, in order to be seated before the arrival of His Holiness.

Balmain connections

Balmain has special associations with the Sakya tradition in Australia. When His Eminence the late 14th Gyalsay Tulku Rinpoche came to Sydney to establish a Sakya centre, Balmain was the home of the centre's first official premises. The centre had been founded and named Sakya Tharpa Ling by His Holiness the Sakya Trizin during his Australian tour in 1988, during which he bestowed Lam Dre in Australia for the first time. His Eminence Gyalsay Tulku Rinpoche gave preparation and assistance to His Holiness with both the Lam Dre and the national tour in that year.

During His Holiness the Sakya Trizin's most recent and third visit to Australia in 2003, the major events of that tour were held in Balmain Town Hall, including the precious 13 Golden Dharma teachings. This was the first time His Holiness had bestowed the 13 Golden Dharmas in their entirety in the West and they were given over a six day period.

Balmain Town Hall was also the venue of teachings and empowerments given by His Eminence the late Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, during his second visit to Australia in 2001.

About Balmain

Balmain is a harbourside suburb in Sydney's inner west, located 5km away from central Sydney and a short journey by bus or ferry. It is one of Sydney's oldest working-class suburbs, and the place where most of Sydney's ferries were built. Balmain peninsula is now a colourful and artistic suburb and a beautiful part of Sydney.

Balmain is easily accessible by bus, ferry and car.

Bus

The bus services running to Balmain are:

  • 432 - Birchgrove to City (via Balmain)
  • 433/434/442 - Balmain to City
  • 445 - Balmain to Canterbury

Ferry

Balmain ferry wharf
Balmain ferry wharf

Balmain is serviced by the inner harbour ferry services which run between Sydney's inner western suburbs and the city (Circular Quay, Sydney). There are ferry wharves at Thames Street, Elliot Street and in Darling Street, Balmain East.

For full ferry details, go to http://sydneyferries.info.

Public transport trip planner

Visit the 131500 Transport Infoline at http://131500.info for information about public transport around Sydney.

Car parking

Metre parking is enforced in Balmain, close to the main road, Darling Street. However, non-metre parking can be found in local streets within a few blocks.

Map of Balmain

Click on the map below to view the area or plan your travel in Google Maps.