The Past & The not so long ago

History

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braveheart

Inspiration

Mel Gibson

He was, according to Mel Gibson, someone he first encountered “when I was a youngster of 20-odd and I used to go out with my buddies and we’d have a few beers and play pool and tell lies. The place we used to frequent was called the William Wallace Hotel and it had a painting of a hairy guy over the bar. I thought he was just the dead former piano player. So that was what I knew of William Wallace before this.”

Extract from an interview with Mel Gibson

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History of the Sir William Wallace Hotel

Established in 1879, the Sir William Wallace Hotel was but one of a number of buildings which formed an integral part of the ship-building and industrial history of the local area. The close proximity to Balmain’s thriving docks ensured strong patronage which, in spite of the gentrification of the area, continues to this day.

The pub is a heritage-listed building of local significance built in the Victorian Filligree style. It is a two storeyed corner hotel with a panelled lace upper verandah, timber posts to street and iron lace ballustrades, and is a rare example of a hotel still in its original state.

Named after the 13th Century Scottish knight, Sir William Wallace, the pub has been used as a location for several Australian television shows and films.

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Celebrities

Robin wright

naomi-watts

Movie Set

The William Wallace hotel has been used as a movie set for movies and TV shows.

Naomi Watts and Robin Wright-Penn starring in the movie “Adore”
– some scenes were filmed at the Wallace.

The film, “Caddie” – some scenes were filmed at the Wallace.

The TV series, “Water Rats” – some scenes were filmed at the Wallace.

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Adore-Movie

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courtenay

Bryce Courtenay – world famous author

Bryce Courtenay visited the William Wallace at the beginning of his
national tour promoting his book about a Balmain character.

Bryce-Courtenay

Sir William Wallace

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Sir William Wallace (died 23 August 1305) was a Scottish landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297. He was appointed Guardian of Scotland and served until his defeat at the Battle of Falkirk in July 1298. In August 1305, Wallace was captured in Robroyston, near Glasgow, and handed over to King Edward I of England, who had him hanged, drawn, and quartered for high treason and crimes against English civilians.

Since his death, Wallace has obtained an iconic status far beyond his homeland. He is the protagonist of Blind Harry’s 15th-century epic poem The Wallace and the subject of literary works by Sir Walter Scott and Jane Porter, and of the Academy Award-winning film Braveheart (1995).

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