Brighton Bathing Boxes

The Brighton Bathing Boxes are 93 beach huts on Dendy Street Beach in Brighton, Victoria, Australia, in the City of Bayside. They are a significant tourist attraction for the area.[1]

Brighton Bathing Boxes, 2016

Construction

The Brighton Bathing Boxes are built in a uniform way with Victorian features, painted weatherboards and corrugated iron roof, due to a Planning Scheme Heritage Overlay. Owners are allowed to paint their huts, causing a mass of different bright colours.[2] They do not have water or electricity connections.[3]

History

The Brighton Bathing Boxes were first built in the 1860s, across the Brighton coastline, to protect the modesty of bathers.[4] In 1934, bathing boxes on other beaches were moved to Dendy Street Beach, and to the top of the beach, instead of the high-water mark, where they were located previously.[4] In 1983, the Coastal Caucus Committee decided to phase out 2000 buildings along the Port Phillip Bay, including the Brighton Bathing Boxes. Among others, the Brighton Bathing Box Association decided to fight the decision, and in 1985, the Bathing Boxes were recommended for retention, with the huts being heritage-listed in 2000.[4]

In 2009, the City of Bayside built 9 more huts at the southern end of the beach to raise money in light of the Global Financial Crisis, raising the number to 88.[3] This was done despite the objections of heritage groups, as boxes previously built there had flooded.[5] By 2017 the City of Bayside had built another 5 huts, raising the total number to 93.[6]

In 2019, the Draft Marine and Coastal Policy document proposed that the huts be removed or relocated, causing backlash online and condemnation from the Victorian Liberal Party and Member for Brighton James Newbury, with Newbury calling the plan 'crazy'. Acting Premier Lisa Neville accusing Newbury of fearmongering, stating, “This is a nonsense coming from the Liberal Party.”[7][8]

The Brighton Bathing Boxes with the Middle Brighton pier and breakwater, and the city skyline in the background

Erosion

The Brighton Bathing Boxes are at threat of erosion, which has caused sandbags to be installed, in order to stop flooding.[5] Sand has also been trucked in, in an attempt to stop erosion and replenish sand on the beach.[9]

References
  1. "Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes | Bayside City Council". www.bayside.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
  2. "Welcome to the Brighton Bathing Box Association Inc. Home Page". 2009-04-14. Archived from the original on 2009-04-14. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
  3. Greenblat, Eli (2009-02-25). "Brighton shacks to help bolster council funds". The Age. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
  4. "History & timeline - Brighton Bathing Box Association Inc". www.brightonbathingbox.org.au. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
  5. Brook, Stephen (2022-04-23). "Send in the sand: the battle to save the Brighton bathing boxes". The Age. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
  6. Evans, Trent (2017-10-30). "Call to place 93 Brighton bathing boxes at Dendy Beach on the Victorian Heritage Register". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
  7. "Proposal to move iconic Brighton bathing boxes sparks outrage". July 12, 2019.
  8. Towell, Noel (2019-07-12). "Libs defend beach boxes, Labor says plan shouldn't be taken literally". The Age. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
  9. Brook, Stephen (2022-04-30). "Brighton bathing box beach to shut for weeks to shore up its sand". The Age. Retrieved 2022-08-20.

37.9188°S 144.9873°E / -37.9188; 144.9873

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