With its Art Deco pavilion, Newcastle Ocean Baths is one of the city’s outstanding historic landmarks.
Construction of the saltwater bathing complex commenced in 1911 and though the pool was used unofficially from 1912, it was not complete until after World War I.
According to Newcastle City Council records, the baths were officially opened in November 1922, after the art deco pavilion was built.
The baths’ popularity has never waned throughout the decades and thousands of Novocastrians remember it fondly as the place where they first learned to swim.
Gosh that looks inviting. There used to be a saltwater swimming baths in Gosport but seeing as the water came in with the tide off Haslar Creek (very muddy and smelly) not many people used to use it.
here used to be these old swimming pools up and down the coast. I notice the old one in Forster has gone the last time I was there. I love the old pavilion, hope that one is not lost in the name of progress.
@tomtom@gigiflower Thanks. There are two ocean baths on this stretch of the coast, this one and one at Merewether about 1 km along the beach. The Merewether one is being refurbished at the moment and this one had the pavilion updated a while ago. I think the baths themselves here are being tarted up soon as well, so probably not going to disappear in the near future. The baths are very popular in summer especially.
@eyesmile No Gena I don't partake at the baths. Newcastle is about 60 km from where I live and our local beach is only 400 metres from our house so I tend to swim there. We have got lots of beaches near where I live though so plenty of choice.
@darthkitty@hermann Thanks. too true, no rips or biteys. Yes Kat they are still very popular. there are two ocean baths in the centre of Newcastle and the one at Merewether just along the beach from this one is being renovated at the moment.
@elaine55@pcoulson Thanks. The pavilion has been renovated recently and the baths themselves are due for an overhaul too. I think they are in the process of doing the baths at Merewether at the moment though which is just along the beach from this one.
@angelat Absolutely Angela. Not too bad here, but when I have tried to get photos of buildings at Morpeth there are so many signs around that you have to give up. They just spoil the photo.
August 17th, 2014
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Thanks so much. I think the baths were built initially in Newcastle was because it is a city and also in 1911 there were probably no shark nets etc. They used to be very popular as some of the Aussie's here will already know. This baths and the one at Merewether just along the beach from this one are both still very popular, especially in summer.