Brighton bathing boxes
Brighton’s foreshore is home to 82 pieces of local heritage and culture dating back to the era of neck-to-knees bathing costumes and horsedrawn sulkies.
Take the train to Brighton Beach or follow The Esplanade to Green Point car park. Step on to Dendy Beach and experience an era where bathing modesty was preserved behind the weatherboard walls of a European-style bathing box.
Brighton’s bathing boxes are a modern-day Bayside highlight. Their relatively uniform design and bright facades make them a playful addition to the shoreline. Although there is speculation that bathing boxes may have existed earlier, the first official records date back to 1862.
Prior to the Great Depression of the 1930s, between 100 and 200 bathing boxes were scattered along the Brighton foreshore. In fact, most boxes were built at the water’s edge with many being washed away during severe weather.
In 1934, the Victorian Government began an initiative to create jobs and build a blue-stone promenade from Port Melbourne. In response, the then City of Brighton moved their remaining boxes to Dendy Beach providing a decorative break in the walkway. They also had the foresight to move the boxes further from the shore to where they stand today.
The bathing boxes are photographic favourites with locals and tourists alike. They form the backdrop to many family portraits and wedding memories, have featured in an episode of Kath and Kim, made appearances in Getaway and aired overseas during the Australian Tennis Open and the Formula One Grand Prix.
Today’s boxes are owned and maintained by licensees who are members of the Brighton Bathing Box Association Inc. The Association formed circa 1935 with the aim of preserving local foreshore heritage and culture.
A colourful piece of Bayside history awaits your discovery so take the stroll along Dendy Beach, Brighton.