The Famous Boxes at Brighton Beach

As part of our grand adventure to Australia, surrounding the Sydney Marathon, we got to visit Melbourne, Australia. On our first day, we got to see skyscrapers, walk alleyways that were covered in grafitti, and enjoy “Beetlejuice, the Musical”. This week, we’ll head over to the coast to visit the famous boxes at Brighton Beach.

What were they originally?

Originally built in the late 1800’s, these wooden sheds were just practical. People used them to change into their swimwear, since it was considered immodest to wear bathing clothes in public.

Their popularity waxed and waned, and the town even considered demolishing on and off throughout the twentieth century, until the local heritage group convinced the government to give them landmark status.

So…What’s the Appeal?

Well, when we researched things to see in Australia, these boxes topped the list. I would say it’s mostly because they are charming and are very photographable. You might say, they are “Insta-Famous”. Since we had time, we decided to see for ourselves.

Fun Facts

1. Though they are called the “Brighton Beach Boxes”, they are actually on Dendy Beach.

2. Though I had expected to see about 10 boxes, there are in fact more like 90!

3. The rules for their construction are HIGHLY regulated. You are not allowed to add electricity or plumbing. You cannot have any cooking appliances inside and you’re not allowed to live there.

5. Even so…they are HIGHLY COVETED. Generally the boxes are passed down in families but some have sold recently for $300k – $500k.

6. People love to personalize them and they are SO FUN to see.

So…Worth It?

Even though we visited Melbourne at the end of their winter, it was still great to go to the beach and see the boxes. It was about a 20 minute train ride from our hotel and then about a 5 minute walk to the beach. The boxes and beach are free and, we got to pet a dog. So, you know, a win-win!

Thanks for joining us this week. If you’d like to see more amazing things in the “land down under”, check out our Australia collection. You can check out our latest on Facebook, follow us in real time on Instagram or subscribe for free to get curated content delivered right to your mail box! Until next time.