Brighton Bathing Boxes Melbourne, Australia – History & Sales Price of these colorful Boxes

Brighton Bathing Boxes is for those who wanted pictures for their Instagram! Located at Esplanade, Brighton Victoria 3186 and only 12 mins from St Kilda which is where we stayed or only half an hour from Melbourne CBD. We check out from Novotel St Kilda early in the morning and head straight up to Brighton Bathing Boxes to beat the crowds.

Most Popular Picture in IG

I am sure you have seen photos of Brighton Bathing Boxes on Instagram. A total of 82 multi-colored small little huts are good backdrops for your photos. These little huts were built in a straight line on the beach. How cute and why they are there?

History

Some history about Brighton bathing boxes, they have been a part of the suburbs’ life for more than 100 years and it was believed first built back in the 1800s when women used them to get dressed in. Sources from Sunday Herald news. There used to be a lot more but over the years they have been washed away.

They are historically valuable as they are part of what shows us what life used to be. These colorful houses also protect the foreshore.

Boxes are for Sales

The small hut is used to store things such as picnic tables and chairs, surfing boards and kayaks but too small to store boats. Guess what, the price for the beach box is not cheap, the recent transaction in 2016, cost AUD $285,000 and is for local Aussie only, not for foreigners. The hut is really very small, with no electricity and no running water when I look at them carefully.  I think it is one of the most expensive real estate in Victoria. A smart lady bought hers 40 years ago for just $750!  I guess she has made a very good investment, it has come to 380 fold!

Each is Unique

Each of the Brighton bathing boxes has its own unique painting and drawing. You should walk to each of them and admire the artwork drawn. Owners of the boxes can decorate them as to how they like them to be, based on their creativity but no advertising agenda. Go spot some of the cute drawings; a crab box and the kangaroo box and yes, don’t forget box 2 which features the Australian flag which always has a long line of tourists.

If you are lucky, you get to see the owner open up their boxes and you can have a peep at that is inside.

When we were about to leave Brighton Bathing Boxes slightly after 9 am, we saw a big coach dropping the tourists down. This place is very popular among tourists around the world. The number one tips are to come as early as possible so you have good photo opportunities.

Metered parking

The parking here can be a little pricey $3 or $4 an hour. Alternatively, you can find free parking in the residential area nearby but you need to do some walking for about 10-15 mins.

Final thoughts:

To be frank, I was so shocked to learn that the colorful boxes are so expensive! These are truly iconic to Melbourne’s highlights and to be included in your Melbourne itinerary.