Sited within the government zones of the Municipality of Leichhardt, Balmain East is about three kilometres from Sydney CBD. It is a small suburb to the west of Sydney. It shares its boundary with another suburb Balmain to the west.
The postcode of 2041 has been shared with two of its neighbouring suburbs namely Birchgrove and Balmain. It was first settled in 1836 and then the area got subdivided into populated eastern Balmain areas and less populated western areas of Balmain.