It was designed by Alfred H. Hale, the Mosman Council Architect and Building Surveyor and built from 1928 to 1929 by Girvan Brothers, Master Builders.

[1] Girvan Brothers, Master Builders', tender of A£10,450 for construction of the pavilion was accepted on 24 July 1928, and the foundation stone was laid on 21 August 1928 by Alderman Harry Carter.

In total, the construction of the Pavilion required Council to raise a loan of A£12,000, which was secured with the Commonwealth Bank at 6 per cent interest.

[1] The pavilion was officially opened on Wednesday 20 February 1929 by Mayor Alderman A. Buckle before a large gathering of citizens and visitors.

A tender by Mr M. Knaef for a fifteen-year lease on the building that provided for its use as a restaurant in addition to the maintenance of the changing facilities was accepted by the council in 1967.

The lease contained many clauses to establish that unless written consent was given, the building was not to be used other than as the Bather's pavilion, changing rooms, kiosk, and licensed restaurant with attendant facilities.

Mr Knaef did not commence work on the building until November 1969, but established his well known Misha's Restaurant, which was to confirm the pavilion's new status as a different kind of landmark.

In August 1988 the lease was transferred to Victoria Alexander and Andrew Joseph who established Balmoral Bathers' Pavilion Pty Ltd. Major improvements were proposed, again sparking considerable local debate and controversy over the future of the building and its context.

Some 1,500 square metres (16,000 sq ft) of the site under the Department of Lands' ownership was resumed in order to bring the entire pavilion under Mosman Council's control and it was rededicated to public purposes.

By this time controversy over the building's fate had increased and on 8 June 1993 a public meeting voted to enlist the Heritage Council's assistance in placing a Permanent Conservation Order (PCO) on the site.

[1][2]: 5–15 The pavilion is a two-storey, rendered brick construction of classic Mediterranean influence employing elements and finishes common to the "Spanish Mission" style.

The southern range of the eastern facade features two recently modified bays of timber-framed and pivoting glazed doors with banks of louvre glass at each end.

The single storey areas are trafficable roof decks covered by gravelled bituminous membranes and surrounded by parapet walls.

Off-form concrete posts support the first floor slab which has integral primary and secondary beams, bearing upon the solid brickwork outer walls, whose inner face is exposed and painted or colourwashed.

[1] The soffit of the upper floor slab is exposed and now painted off-form concrete, bearing the lines of the boards employed in its formwork.

The reserve is an important example of the community acquisition and development of beachfront lands for public recreation and amenity purposes which took place during the 1920s and 30s, sometimes as unemployment relief schemes.

[1][2]: 48 Balmoral Bathers Pavilion was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria.

The Pavilion was a modern, up-to-date building that was evidence of the young community's commitment to the enjoyment and promotion of its natural beauty and attractions for a growing, confident population.

Historically it represents the community's view of itself and new challenges civic leaders were faced with when charged with the responsibility of places of natural beauty.

[1][2]: 45 The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales.

Although prejudiced by its poor condition and the various unco-ordinated changes to its exterior, the Pavilion comfortably guards and dominates the northern end of the beach.

From the harbour it is a clear landmark and a familiar shore marker and identifier of Balmoral at all hours due to its distinctive profile, scale, size, colour and night-lighting.

The principal capacities of the Pavilion to contribute to history and science must reside within the historical and archaeological information that its fabric retains.