St Kilda Sea Baths facts for kids
The St Kilda Sea Baths is a fun place located right on St Kilda Beach in Victoria, Australia. It has a swimming pool, a relaxing spa, restaurants, and other entertainment. Many different "sea bath" buildings have been built on the St Kilda foreshore over the years. The current building, finished around 2000, partly recreates the look of a beautiful Spanish-Moorish style bathhouse from 1931.
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A Look Back: The History of St Kilda Sea Baths
For a long time, swimming in the open sea was not common in Victoria. People preferred to swim in special enclosed structures. These structures protected swimmers from sea creatures and kept them out of public view. St Kilda was a popular seaside spot for wealthy people, especially after the railway opened in 1857.
Early Bathing Places
The first official bathing spot in St Kilda was Captain Kenny's baths, which opened in 1854. It had a fenced area and facilities inside a beached ship. There were separate sections for men and women. Soon, more purpose-built structures appeared, like Hegarty's Railway Baths in 1858 and the Corporation Baths in 1860. These baths were often damaged by storms and rebuilt. Sometimes, up to four different bathhouses operated at once! In the men's sections, it was common to swim without clothes because the baths were fully enclosed.
The Grand Sea Baths of 1906
In 1906, a new company built a magnificent structure called the St Kilda Sea Baths. Architect Nahum Barnet designed it with many turrets and domes. It was the most impressive bathhouse yet, with a large dome holding many facilities. St Kilda was becoming a popular place for everyone, and these baths appeared on many postcards.
Changes and New Buildings
By 1917, swimming in the open sea became legal. In the 1920s, more people started swimming directly in the sea at St Kilda. They also enjoyed other attractions like dance halls and cinemas. By 1928, men and women swimming together, called "mixed bathing," was very popular.
The grand domed sea baths from 1906 were destroyed by a fire in 1925. The City of St Kilda decided to build a new, even grander structure. This new building, opened in 1931, had a nightclub and separate bathing areas for men and women. It featured an exotic style with Moorish domes and Spanish arches.
The Baths Decline and Rebuild
However, simple changing pavilions on the beach became more popular than the large sea baths. By the 1950s, the timber men's enclosure of the 1931 baths was in bad shape and was taken down. The women's section followed in the early 1980s. The main building, with its "hot sea baths" and nightclub, stayed open for a while.
In 1993, the baths finally closed for a big redevelopment project. After some discussions and plans, the current building was completed around 2000. The original domes were saved and placed on a reconstructed part of the building. The complex now has many restaurants, event rooms, a health club, and a 25-meter public swimming pool. This pool is Australia's only indoor heated sea-water pool!
In 2017, there was a discussion about adding a larger rooftop area to the building.
Who Owns the Land?
The land where the St Kilda Sea Baths are built is owned by the government, known as Crown Land. It is managed by a government department, currently the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. They work with the local council, the City of Port Phillip. The entire complex is leased to a company that then rents out different parts, like the restaurants and the health club. Since 2001, the pool, gym, and spa have been managed by South Pacific Health Clubs.
