The Balkans is partly located in the Sydney suburb of Baulkham Hills so it’s no wonder that its location was initially mistaken for "Balkan Hills", and the name has stuck. The Balkans was discovered in early 1999 by Tim O’Neill and Rob Saunders and the pair immediately set to work putting up problems (although a small area nearby, called the Swampland, was discovered some time earlier by Kevin van Tillburg and Rod Wills). With the help of Adam Griffiths and visiting US student, Matt Wilder, original activity was focussed on the eastern side of the valley at an area named the Frontline. Some other Sydney boulderers were enlisted, and Peter Balint, Jason Whitton and Angela Connolly began developing problems on the western side of the valley at an area named the Trenches. Activity varied between the western and eastern sides throughout the winter of ’99 with a third area called the Caves being developed along the way.