Our History

In the 19th century, swimming from the open beach was prohibited during daylight hours, so bathers were compelled to keep within the baths. In 1857 a railway line was built from Melbourne to St Kilda as well as a connection loop between St Kilda and Windsor. These railway lines brought increased patronage to the privately run sea baths, the jetty promenade and the St Kilda Cup. Cricket and bowling clubs were formed in 1855 and 1865. By the mid 1860s St Kilda had about fifteen hotels including the George, formerly the Seaview (1857). St Kilda by then was a borough (1863), having been proclaimed a municipality separate from Melbourne city on 24 April, 1855.

St Kilda’s population more than doubled between 1870 and 1890 to about 19,000 persons. The opening of tram services to St Kilda in 1888 and 1891 brought more pleasure seekers, somewhat lowering the tone and impelling the well-to-do towards South Yarra and Toorak. The 1890s depression caused several of the large mansions to be subdivided for apartment or boarding-house accommodation. “Oberwyl” was a spectacular example of a mansion built in 1856, whose owner failed in the 1870s, and the building became a school.

3000 BP

3000 before present

Beach of the Yalukit-William people formed by receeding waters of bay.

1783

Prince Regent establishes court at Brighton, England, sea bathing becomes fashionable.

1822

Royal Pavillion, with fantasy dome, built at Brighton, England.

1833

Daylight bathing ban, NSW.

1835

Melbourne settled by Europeans.

1840s

Tents, cottages and bathing boxes at St Kilda for ‘bathing season’.

1854

Captain Kenney’s Bathing Ship moved to north of pier.

1855

Kenney’s Bathing Ship moved to north of pier.

1857

Railway comes to St Kilda.

1858

St Kilda Bathing Company House opens opposite the New Bath Hotel (now site of Esplanade Hotel).

1859

Swimming carnivals popular. Kenney presents silver cup to Charles Steedman.

1860s

Several baths for men and women open along shores.

1862

Kenney’s Bathing Ship washes onto its side.

1863

Storms destroy several baths.

1867

Manual of Swimming, by Charles Steedman published in Melbourne and London.

1873

26,000 baths reputed to have been taken at the St Kilda Ladies Baths.

1878

The Esplanade Hotel opens.

1884

Complaints about ‘unnecessary nudity’ at Men’s baths.

1888

Cable tram comes to St Kilda.

1884

1894

Melbourne Swimming Club forms.

1901

Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Yor Island at St Kilda, on way to open the first parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, in Melbourne.

1904

Tom (Teunis) Bakker begins work at baths as life-guard. Stays for 51 years.

1905

Foreshore Commitee formed. Beautification of foreshore begins, to Carlo Catan’s design.

1906

St Kilda Propletary Baths open.

1907

Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman arrested in Boston for design of her costume.

1908

Heatwave in Melbourne. Open bathing in daylight hours permitted in Hobson’s Bay. Frank Beaurepaire wins silver and bronze at London Olympic Games.

1909

St Kilda Royal Life Saving Club forms. Lilian Beaurepaire club champion.

1910

Frank Beaurapire wins 51 successuve races including every British title from the 100 yards to the 1 mile.

1912

Removal of Kenney’s Bathing Ship Baths. Opening of Luna Park. Open Sea Bathers’ League challenges ban on Sunday bathing.

1914

Council unsuccessfully imposes divided ‘sex areas’ on beach to control mixed bathing. Nell Kenney completes long distance swims in UK and America. 1000 bathers protest over restrictions on Sunday bathing.

1915

Legendary Hawaiian swimmer Duke Kahanamoko swims at St Kilda Baths.

1920

Beaurepaire returns to competitive swimming. Defeats American champion Norman Ross over half mile at the St Kilda Baths. Wins bronze 1500 yards at Antwerp Olympics.

1922

Complaints about ‘night-basking’ and lewd behavior on St Kilday beach.

1923

Bayside councils meet to codify beach regulations.

1925

St Kilda Proprietary Baths burn down. Thomas Kenney manager at the time.

1920s

Concerted campaign for new baths and better changing rooms.

1928

Beaurepaire offers to donate a tiled ‘still-water’ pool to St Kilda. Offer declined. Various design proposaid for new baths but no action taken. Speedo begins manufacturing bathing costumes.

1929

Visiting Norwegian champion swimmer Arne Borg declares St Kilda Sea Baths ‘a pile of junk’. Council begins new pool, designed by City Engineer. Beaurepaire begins Herald Learn-to-Swim campaign.

1930

Young man taken by shark from Middle Brighton pier, before hundreds of spectators.

1931

St Kilda City Baths open. Controversy over design.

1930s

Complaints about briefness of women’s bathing costumes, men ‘rolling down’ their straps and people walking the streets in their beach-wear.

1933

Elston, Queensland, renamed Surfer’s Paradise.

1934

King tides at St Kilda.

1935

Young man dies after diving in the baths and breaking his spine. Two sisters drown at Elwood.

1936

Campaign to allow mixed bathing in women’s section of St Kilda City Baths.

1937

Thirteen bathers prosecuted by St Kilda Council for walking in their bathers and rolling down their straps. Surfers’ Paradise Hotel opens.

1938

Men allowed to wear bathing trunks without straps. Mixed bathing permitted at baths.

1940s

St Kilda Baths popular with American soldiers.

1949

Boy caught on piling and drowned at baths.

1952

Council reveals it spent £104,320 on baths over 21 years, and recieved £43,134 in rent.

1953

Council does not renew lease and baths revert to Crown.

1955

Baths in disrepair.

1956

South Pacific Health Club and Cabaret opens.

1960s

St Kilda promoted as Gold Coast of the south.

1969

Elwood marina opens. Whiskey au GoGo opens in cabaret rooms at baths.

1970

Prince Charles swims at Elwood and declares it ‘like swimming in diluted sewage’. Seaquarium takes over baths and evicts Melbourne Swimming Club from baths. Club’s memorial honour board disappears.

1972

Proposal for highrise development with casino for George Hotel.

1978

Cyrstal Ballroom opens at Seaview (George) Hotel.

1980

Redevelopment of St Kilda beach, Shark fence removed from baths. Through 1970s and 1980s nightclubs at baths proliferate.

1987

St Kilda Council issues Planning Consent Order for future development of baths. Development must include hot sea baths and relate to beach activities and heritage for foreshore.

1991

Government calls for tenders to develop baths.

1992

Zarawaters wins tender with design by Allan Powell. Baths to re-open, Spring 1993.

1993

Baths close, despite vocal public campaign of opposition. St Kilda Council dissolved and replaced by Commissioners, as prelude to amalgamation.

1994

Little work on baths’ site. Design modifications by Council under the Commissioners. High rise proposed for Esplanade Hotel site (again).

1995

Old baths demolished. Problems between developer and construction company. Public shocked and dismayed by the height, bulk and roofscape of building, not to Allan Powell’s original design.

1996

Newly elected council takes developer to Administrative Appeals Tribunal. AAT laments additions but finds most of them legal.

1997

Proposals submitted to Council for completion of baths. Esplanade Alliance calls for sweeping design changes. Search for new developer. Public cynicism deepens.

1998

Esplanade Alliance holds public meetings and successfully calls for review committee for design of baths. Developer in recievership. Extensive roof demolitions negatiated with developers (and receivers).

1999

Owner Jannie Tay refinances project. Demolition completed but statemate over design persists. Planning permit extended. Underground carpark approved.

2000

Slow progress as council and developer negotiate acceptable design details. Planning permit extended.

2001

Planning permit extended Rapid completion for April opening of sea baths.

2002

Melbourne’s finest dining, bars, cafes, internationally awarded Day Spa and Health Club and of course Australia’s only indoor natural Seawater pool are the epicenter of Melbournee’s affinity with Port Phillip Bay.

2007

City of Port Phillip complete a major upgrade of the foreshore in front of the St Kilda Sea Baths.

2011

One of Melbourne’s finest Function and Events centre, Encore St Kilda Opens to great acclaim.

2012

St Kilda Sea Baths hosts the first ever Ironman Asia-Pacific Championship that sells out in just over 5 minutes (1600 competitors).

2013

Indigenous Garden Trail built with Indiginous cooking and educational displays.

2014

Sea Baths agrees with iFly Australia to build an indoor wind-tunnel in the Car Park—not approved by authorities.

2015

St Kilda Football Club official agreement with Sea Baths to train (along with most other AFL Clubs) and run Live Sites to watch the matches from Republica Courtyard.

2016

Sea Baths proposes new lightweight design for a rooftop area with seafood and drinks, along with public space—after initial approval, was not approved.

2018

State of the art Solar system installed to provide power to the facility.

2020

Global COVID-19 Pandemic with lasting reprecussions into 2021 and beyond.

2024

The new St Kilda Pier launches