Bicton Baths facts for kids
Bicton Baths is a popular swimming spot on the Swan River in Bicton, Western Australia. People use it for many fun activities like swimming, diving practice, and even looking for prawns. It's also a place for sports, relaxing, and special events each year.
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What is Bicton Baths?
Bicton Baths is a well-loved area along the beautiful Swan River. It's a great place for people of all ages to enjoy the water.
A Special Place on the Swan River
The baths are located in Bicton, a suburb in Western Australia. It's a busy spot where the community gathers for different water activities.
Its Many Uses
You can find people at Bicton Baths doing many things. Some come to swim or practice diving. Others enjoy looking for prawns, which are small shrimp-like creatures. It's also used for water sports, relaxing by the water, and hosting annual events.
A Look Back in Time
Before it was called Bicton Baths, this spot had other names, like Bicton River Jetty and Jetty 1248. The local Aboriginal people, the Whadjuk Noongar people, have a special name for it: Kwoppa Kepa. In their Noongar language, Kwoppa Kepa means "beautiful water."
How the Baths Began
The idea for Bicton Baths came from the local Melville Amateur Swimming Club. This club used to swim from a different jetty. In 1946, the Melville Water Polo Club started at the baths. This led to the building of the Bicton Pool in 1979, giving even more people a place to swim and play water polo.
Exploring the Baths
The baths themselves are made of wood and shaped like a "U." This wooden jetty has ladders that help people get in and out of the water easily.
What You Might See There
Bicton Baths is in a special area called a tidal gorge. This means it gets a lot of ocean water flowing in and out. Because of this, it's home to many different kinds of wildlife. You might spot tiny creatures like algae, anemones, and nudibranchs. There are also crabs, shrimp, sponges, and starfish. If you're lucky, you might even see dolphins swimming by!
