The story of this place
The Brighton Bathing Boxes are a row of 82 heritage-listed timber bathing boxes dating from the 1860s, each individually painted in unique colours and patterns. They form one of Australia's most photographed colour compositions. Sunrise from the east lights the boxes from behind, creating a silhouette effect; afternoon light from the west illuminates the full colour of each box. A 24mm lens captures 8–10 boxes; a 200mm telephoto compresses the entire row. The calm waters of Port Phillip Bay provide perfect mirror reflections on still mornings. The boxes are privately owned and cannot be entered, but photograph freely from the beach.