Draft:Brighton Beach, Victoria, Australia

Brighton Beach
The coastline known as Brighton Beach is located on the eastern shore of Hobsons Bay within Port Phillip Victoria.

The Brighton Beach coastline has four beaches; Brighton Beach, Holloway Bend, Dendy Street Beach and Middle Brighton Beach.

Brighton Beach lies to the south of Green Point and is contained within a series of manmade groynes''.  North of Green Point are Holloway Bend, Dendy Street Beach and Middle Brighton Beach.''

Green Point, Gould Point (Opposite Gould Street) and Rocky Point (Opposite the Brighton Lifesaving Club) and the rock reefs that extend from them, define the beaches at Holloway Bend and Dendy Street Beach. Middle Brighton Beach extends from Rocky Point to the Middle Brighton Baths. In 1987 Middle Brighton Beach was partly renourished with a groyne to contain sand. Beyond the groyne lie ephemeral beachlets, remnants of the larger ''Middle Brighton Beach. ''

Geomorphology and Coastal Processes
The renourished beaches now supply the sand that moves along the Brighton Beach coastline. Seasonal accumulation of sand oscillates between the northern and southern ends of the beaches. Within this seasonal oscillation there is a gradual loss of sand northwards along Brighton Beach, Holloway Bend, Dendy Street Beach, and Middle Brighton Beach. Natural reefs off Holloway Bend, and Dendy Street Beach temporarily capture the sand and slow its movement northwards. The manmade groyne at Middle Brighton Beach permanently captures sand until it has accumulated up to the end of the groyne. The sand then moves past the tip of the Park Street groyne progressively filling and then bypassing the smaller reefs and groynes to the north. Ultimately the sand collects behind the Brighton Yacht club marina. The small amount of sand that escapes that entrapment doesn't collect along the seawall north of the yacht club, but is moved back into the bay by strong reflective waves from the seawalls. Once offshore, the predominant sand drift of Hobsons Bay, bypasses the beaches of the Brighton Coastline, and moves the sand south to beyond Rickets Point Beaumaris.

Originally the erosion of cliffs along the coast of Port Phillip supplied the sand that formed the beaches of the Brighton Beach coastline. The construction of seawalls and other erosion management works has stopped the supply of sand and the beaches are no longer being naturally replenished. Beaches are now renourished artificially including Brighton Beach (1987) Dendy Street Beach (1982 -1983 and 2022) Middle Brighton Beach (1982-83). The complex and interrelated processes by which sand moves along the coast are still occurring but with sand from the renourished beaches.

Wind driven waves move sand up and down the coast both on and offshore. In summer sand is moved to the north, and in winter to the south. Within this seasonal oscillation there is a gradual loss of sand northwards along Brighton Beach, Holloway Bend, Dendy Street Beach, and Middle Brighton Beach. Natural reefs off Holloway Bend, and Dendy Street Beach temporarily capture the sand and slow its movement northwards. This is demonstrated by sand moving north past Green Point to create a sand spit and lagoon across Hollow Bend between 1987 -1990. The gradual build up of sand at the renourished Middle Brighton Beach and its movement north past the groyne to create beachlets is readily observed.

The manmade groyne at Middle Brighton Beach captures the sand drift until it has accumulated to the tip of the groyne. The sand then moves past the tip of the Park Street groyne progressively filling and then bypassing the smaller reefs and groynes to the north. Ultimately the sand collects behind the Brighton Yacht club marina at a triangular spit. The small amount of sand that escapes that entrapment doesn't collect along the seawall north of the yacht club, but is moved back into the bay by strong reflective waves from the seawalls. Once offshore, the predominant sand drift of Hobsons Bay, bypasses the beaches of the Brighton Coastline, and moves the sand south to beyond Rickets Point Beaumaris.

Within this seasonal oscillation there is a gradual loss of sand northwards along Brighton Beach, Holloway Bend, Dendy Street Beach, and Middle Brighton Beach. Natural reefs off Holloway Bend, and Dendy Street Beach temporarily capture the sand and slow its movement northwards. The manmade groyne at Middle Brighton Beach captures sand drift until it has accumulated to the tip of the groyne. The sand then moves past the tip of the Park Street groyne progressively filling and then bypassing the smaller reefs and groynes to the north. Ultimately the sand collects behind the Brighton Yacht club marina. The small amount of sand that escapes that entrapment doesn't collect along the seawall north of the yacht club, but is moved back into the bay by strong reflective waves from the seawalls. Once offshore, the predominant sand drift of Hobsons Bay, bypasses the beaches of the Brighton Coastline, and moves the sand south to beyond Rickets Point Beaumaris.

Importantly off shore there is a southerly drift of sand on the sea floor that bypasses promontories and reefs of the coast and collects off shore further south in the bay.

The type of wave also has an effect. In winter destructive storm waves cut into the beach, removing sand and depositing it offshore. In summer calmer weather produces waves that push sand back onto the beach. The frequent storms on Port Phillip in both winter and summer can cause storm surges that raise sea level and cause large waves to break higher up the shore. Storm surges cause severe erosion of beaches. Seawalls also reflect waves and sand is scoured way from the shore or laterally along the coast Wind drives sand up into the foreshore vegetation and behind bathing boxes on the foreshore.

Overall there is a gradual loss of sand from the beaches. In response beaches have been artificially renourished some with manmade groynes to contain the sand.

Originally the erosion of cliffs along the coast of Port Phillip supplied the sand that formed the beaches of the Brighton Beach coastline. The construction of seawalls and other erosion management works has stopped the supply of sand and the beaches are no longer being naturally replenished. Beaches are now renourished artificially including Brighton Beach (1987) Dendy Street Beach (1982 -1983 and 2022) Middle Brighton Beach (1982-83). The complex and interrelated processes by which sand moves along the coast are still occurring but with sand from the renourished beaches.

Wind driven waves move sand up and down the coast both on and offshore. In summer sand is moved to the north, and in winter to the south. Within this seasonal oscillation there is a gradual loss of sand northwards along Brighton Beach, Holloway Bend, Dendy Street Beach, and Middle Brighton Beach. Natural reefs off Holloway Bend, and Dendy Street Beach temporarily capture the sand and slow its movement northwards. This is demonstrated by sand moving north past Green Point to create a sand spit and lagoon across Hollow Bend between 1987 -1990. The gradual build up of sand at the renourished Middle Brighton Beach and its movement north past the groyne to create beachlets is readily observed.

The manmade groyne at Middle Brighton Beach captures the sand drift until it has accumulated to the tip of the groyne. The sand then moves past the tip of the Park Street groyne progressively filling and then bypassing the smaller reefs and groynes to the north. Ultimately the sand collects behind the Brighton Yacht club marina at a triangular spit. The small amount of sand that escapes that entrapment doesn't collect along the seawall north of the yacht club, but is moved back into the bay by strong reflective waves from the seawalls. Once offshore, the predominant sand drift of Hobsons Bay, bypasses the beaches of the Brighton Coastline, and moves the sand south to beyond Rickets Point Beaumaris.

Within this seasonal oscillation there is a gradual loss of sand northwards along Brighton Beach, Holloway Bend, Dendy Street Beach, and Middle Brighton Beach. Natural reefs off Holloway Bend, and Dendy Street Beach temporarily capture the sand and slow its movement northwards. The manmade groyne at Middle Brighton Beach captures sand drift until it has accumulated to the tip of the groyne. The sand then moves past the tip of the Park Street groyne progressively filling and then bypassing the smaller reefs and groynes to the north. Ultimately the sand collects behind the Brighton Yacht club marina. The small amount of sand that escapes that entrapment doesn't collect along the seawall north of the yacht club, but is moved back into the bay by strong reflective waves from the seawalls. Once offshore, the predominant sand drift of Hobsons Bay, bypasses the beaches of the Brighton Coastline, and moves the sand south to beyond Rickets Point Beaumaris.

Where a groyne, breakwater or other structure prevents waves from a particular direction but allows others, sand will accumulate in the sheltered portion of the foreshore. The impact of sea walls, groynes and breakwaters has had adverse effects. Rather than add to the groyne system it would be preferable to undertake regular beach renourishment.

More so to consider climate change and manage future coastal processes:

''Attempts to stabilise a coastline by building solid structures such as sea walls, or dumping boulder ramparts, should bear in mind that a rising sea level is in prospect, and that coastline processes would resume with the sea at a higher level and these structures submerged. On the other hand, beaches can be renourished at higher sea levels, and the use of artificial beaches to halt coastline recession is a better long-term strategy than building solid structures.''

Bunurong (Also known as Boon Wurrung)
The Bunurong (also known as Boon Wurrung) have a strong ongoing connection with the coastline of Port Phillip and Brighton Beach. Their shell middens and stone tools have been seen and remain at Dendy Street Beach.

Described in 1925 as..''..between Middle Brighton Baths, and the Bluff, at Brighton Beach is the best place to look....In these middens, "scrapers", firestones, stone axes (nearby), the charred broken shells of mussels, "mutton fish" (Haliotis), cockles and periwinkles, are found in abundance. Sometimes splintered bones, perchance those of kangaroo or wallaby. Also lumps of ochre....are found in the remains of these campfires''

More recently it is reported that a large midden of shell and charcoal extends behind the Brighton Bathing Boxes at Dendy Street Beach. The whole of the Brighton Foreshore is designated an area of high aboriginal sensitivity protected by both State and Federal legislation.

Brighton Beach Reserve (The Terrace), Beaches and Waters of Port Phillip
An 1842 plan of Dendy's Special Survey marked out land along the foreshore as the Terrace.

In 1876 Nicholas Were attempted to sell the Terrace, however he was prevented from doing so by an injunction made in the Supreme Court by Mr Justice Molesworth. Subsequently, an agreement was reached out of court where Brighton Council purchased the land to secure it for public recreation.

The land was then vested to the Mayor, Councillors and Burgesses of the Borough of Brighton for public recreation by an 1877 Act of the Victorian Parliament.

Land from the northern boundary of the Royal Brighton Yacht Club to South Road Brighton, between the Esplanade (formerly Beach Road) and the high tide mark, is within the vested Brighton Beach Reserve.

Below the high tide mark, the beaches and intertidal zone are both reserved and unreserved Crown land. The low tide mark is the municipal boundary of Bayside City Council and places this Crown land within the municipality. The Bayside Planning Scheme extends planning controls 600 metres beyond the municipal boundary at the low tide mark into the waters of Port Phillip.

Brighton Beach
In 1861 Brighton Beach was a sandy beach backed by a low cliffs about 4.6 meters high. The 1936 Foreshore Erosion Board reported serious erosion of the vertical cliffs. A seawall and walkway was constructed in 1939-40 between Green Point and the Hampton Lifesaving Club, and the cliffs landscaped to a gentler slope. Subsequently the beach became depleted as it was no longer receiving sand from the actively eroding cliff. Seasonal variation of sand drift widened the beach towards Green Point each summer.

In 1949-54 a large stone breakwater was constructed further south from the Sandringham Harbour. This breakwater prevented waves that moved sand northwards in summer and sand accumulated in the lee of the breakwater. By 1985 the beach was narrow and in places non existent. In 1986 a groyne was built at New Street and Brighton Beach artificially renourished in 1987. Overtime the renourished beach lost sand with the seasonal longshore drift and again became depleted  in places to the foot of the seawall by 2010.

Further groynes added both north and south of the New Street groyne XXX in XXX XXX in XXXX XXX. Brighton Beach was again renourished in XXXX. The long sweeping coastline from Green Point to Picnic Point Sandringham is now disrupted by xxx groyne.

Deep water offshore

Surf spot for bay waves

Green Point
Green Point was once named Ballygyl or Point Ballygyl. Ballygyl is a registered indigenous Historic Place. Point Ballygyl appears from 1856 to 1908 on various maps and records.

Ballygyl was a cattle run established by Daniel Mc Arthur before Henry Dendy's Special Survey of 1841. ADD NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AS PRIMARY REF The homestead overlooked the point from high ground on the corner of Leslie Grove and Were Street Brighton.

The origin of the name Green Point is uncertain, however is closely associated with the Brighton Sailing Club formed in 1875 and the publication of its race courses. From 1880 onwards a buoy or mark off Green Point is detailed in newspaper reports giving notice of the race course or describing results of the yacht race. . No earlier reference has been found to date. The references to Green Point become more common with time. Green Point is noted on a yachting and excursion map of Port Phillip published circa 1886.

In the 1880's Green Point was covered with tea tree and she oaks. When viewed from the Port Phillip the point would be clearly distinguishable as a green and vegetated part of the coastline.

An alternative origin for the name is based on the presence of a 'green' near the point in 1850. However this hotel green would would not have been visible from sea level being obscured by both coastal vegetation, and its distance from the shoreline. Further no reference to Green Point is made until 1880.

Green Point is noted on current navigation charts and, with introduced and native plantings, remains recognisable from across the bay.

Green Point was actively eroding cliff about 6 metres high (The Argus 4 Nov 1907 Fall from Brighton Cliffs p.5) fringed by rocks and a beach below. Storms frequently caused damage to the cliff and beach protection works. ( The Age 10 Oct 1912 Storm Damage at Brighton p.13

A protective sea wall was constructed in July 1930 under an unemployment relief scheme. (The Sun News Pictorial 1 Jul 1930 p,14) Under the supervision of the Brighton Council engineer, Mr C.E. Tuxen, 25 men worked to construct the 244 metre long 1.2 metre high wall. (The Age 4 Jul 1930 Work at Brighton p.10)

Brighton Soldiers War Memorial
Service, not Valor or Sacrifice, is commemorated by the Brighton Soldiers War Memorial. The architects Irwin and Stephenson (The Herald 16 Mar 1925 Brighton's War Memorial p.5) when commenting their design intent for the memorial commented;

[The memorial] is to commemorate neither Valour nor Sacrifice but Service.(....) Service is something much harder (...) almost crude in its reality. Anything superfluous or unnecessary seems to be wasted, and (...) in this design the reality, perhaps the harshness, of Service [is] emphasised, (...) in hard stone with its consequent simple outlines (...) CORRECT PG NEEDED AND END OF QUOTE

When opened by Lord Somers etc etc.

Brighton Beach Gardens
In 1881 a design was sort for the reserve and soon afterwards the whole area was fenced.

Holloway Bend
Holloway Bend is named after George Holloway who lived with his family on the beach from about 1880 until his death on 4th Feb 1929.

There is an urban myth that he and his family lived in an upturned boat like characters from a Charles Dickens story (pers comm 2022) perhaps stemming from a newspaper article describing their life on the beach in that manner.

In reality they lived in a cottage at the northern end of the beach. A photograph circa 1886 and paintings from the era, show a cottage nestled amongst the tea tree just above grassy windswept sand dunes. Part of a boat salvaged and roofed by George Holloway is used an outbuilding to their home. Water was obtained from a well nearby.

George was a fisherman who used both hook and nets to catch snapper, rockling and occasionally large sharks of up to 2.4 metres using. From the cottage he sold hot water, fruit and other commodities to picnickers and beach visitors. Along with others, he purchased and harvested timber from the Councils beach reserve

George, his sons Rudolf and Ernest and his daughter Linda rescued boating partys, saved people from drowning, prevented suicides  and recovered many bodies including infants from the bay in tragic circumstances.

Described as the 'Caretaker of the Beach Reserve' he kept the reserve free of rubbish and removed dead animals washed ashore. This role led various court appearances including; a charge of using obscene language stemming from a confrontation with a person who destroyed tea trees to a light fire,   as a witness in a public indecency case and as a witness in a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and even the recovery of a stolen pony.

Also notable is a dismissed charge of riotous behavior after being drawn into a fight protecting Jimmy Ah Quay a well known Chinese from attack

Insert details John Mathers Painting of seaweed gathering

Insert details Scout Hall

Dr Jim Willis Reserve
Dr Jim Willis Reserve, an area of geomorphological and regional vegetation significance, is adjacent to Holloway Bend and part of Dendy Street Beach.

The historical sea levels of Port Phillip can be interpreted at this location. At the end of the last ice age rising global sea levels flooded Port Phillip to about 1 to 2 metres higher than present sea level. The water of the bay is likely to have lapped at the base of the escarpment of the Brighton Coastal Plain here.

Around 2000 years ago the entrance to the bay was blocked and the bay evaporated to create a lake. As is the oral history of Boon Wurrung People and supported by modern scientific research, the ocean again flooded into the bay about 1000 years ago. Sea levels were lower at this time and likely never reached the base of the escarpment enabling Holloway Bend beach and Brighton dunes to develop and protect the previously eroding coastline.

The reserve contains a plant community of regional significance being the last vestige of natural vegetation to be found anywhere along Brighton's foreshore. Coastal Tea tree, Coastal Wattle, Boobialla, Coastal Pomodoris, Bower Spinach, Running Postman, Black Anther Flax Lily, Wattle Lomandra, Drooping She Oak, Mat Rushes, Coast Salt Bush, Coast Spinifex, Black Wattle, Pink Coast Noon Flower, Seaberry Salt Bush are all noted at this site.

Brighton Dunes
Hidden amongst the vegetation are tea trees over 100 years old with gnarled and twisted trucks. Painted by artists like John Mather (artist), Jessie Traill and Fredrick McCubbin.

Dendy Street Beach
The Brighton Bathing Boxes are located on this beach above the high tide line.

Bathing Boxes
Bathing boxes were first built in the 1860s, across the Brighton coastline, to protect the modesty of bathers.

Possibly the first dispute over the construction of a bathing box occurred in 1862 over a bathing box illegally erected on private property, and subsequently moved without appropriate approvals to Crown Land below the high tide mark.

The number of bathing boxes gradually increased from that time. Paintings from the 1890's depict 6 bathing boxes on Dendy Street Beach and a single bathing box on Middle Brighton Beach. Plans dated 1907, but likely surveyed earlier, show 17 bathing boxes on Dendy Street Beach and the single bathing box on Middle Brighton Beach.

In 1907 Brighton Council's Town Clerk stated that some 23 ratepayers owned bathing boxes. By the mid 1910's, the number of bathing boxes had increased to about 40 on Dendy Street Beach and 28 bathing boxes on Middle Brighton Beach.

The number of bathing boxes significantly increased after the First World War. By 1933, 246 bathing boxes were located on Dendy Street Beach and Middle Brighton Beach. On Middle Brighton Beach, Bathing Box No.1 was near Park Street and No 111 just south of Wellington Street. On Dendy Street Beach were Box No.132 to No 267.

Between 1935 and 1936 work was completed to move bathing boxes to the top of the beach, instead of the high-water mark, where they were located previously. In May 1937 Brighton Council decided bathing boxes on other beaches, in particular Middle Brighton Beach to allow construction of a sea wall, were to be moved to Dendy Street Beach

During the 1920's and again in 1930's the large number of bathing boxes, storm damage and their disrepair, prompted calls to abolish the granting of licenses and remove them from the beach.

There are 93 Brighton Bathing Boxes on Dendy Street Beach of various ages including 9 built by Bayside Council in 2009 and others rebuilt, renovated or modified in recent years.

Brighton Life Saving Club
A life saving club was formed in 1921 by the owners of three bathing boxes at Dendy Street Beach, and initially the clubs headquarters were the bathing boxes.

In January 1922 the club was affiliated with the Royal Life Saving Society of Victoria as the Middle Brighton Swimming and Life Saving Club and was allocated its club colours of green and white. That name was changed to the Brighton Life Saving and Swimming Club on its official opening day later that year. In July 1923, after affiliations to both swimming leagues and the lifesaving society raised issues for some members, the club became known as the Brighton Life Saving Club. The first club house of two dressing rooms and a gear room was built in 1923-24, with plans to build a more larger club house. In January 1925, a newly built two storey wooden club house was opened on the foreshore near Kinane Street. That building was destroyed by fire in 1957.

A site for a new clubhouse was identified between Dendy Street Beach and Middle Brighton Beach, above Rocky Point. A new brick single storey club house was built and leased from Council on 15th March 1960. That club house was demolished in the summer of 2021/22.

The Dendy Street Pavilion and café was constructed on the former site of the 1960's life saving club and opened in June 2024. The Brighton Life Saving Club occupies part of the new pavilion. The cream and orange bricks from the 1960's club house have been used in the retaining walls of the stormwater treatment garden north of the new pavilion.

A plaque in memory of ................. previously on the former club has been affixed to the new pavilion.

Middle Brighton Beach
Middle Brighton Beach originally extended from Rocky Point opposite the present day lifesaving club to the Middle Brighton Baths, but gradually disappeared as the natural movement of sand was altered by coastal works.

In 1987 Middle Brighton Beach was partly renourished, and now lies between the Brighton Life Saving Club and a groyne with a groyne to contain sand near Park Street. . Occasionally north of the groyne remnant beaches form and then disappear with the movement of sand.

A rock offshore and visible at low tide is known as Bonnet Rock.

Seawalls
The seawall between Middle Brighton Beach and the Middle Brighton Baths replaced a series of earlier timber structures The seawall was built during the 1930's as part of an unemployment scheme by the Brighton City Council.

Bluestone blocks from the old Melbourne Goal were used in its construction. Near Wellington Street are several blue stone blocks bearing the initials and dates of criminals who were executed and buried within the walls of the prison. At the time the law would not allow a headstone to be erected over these graves so they were marked only by these bluestone blocks.

Middle Brighton Baths
The Middle Brighton Baths are at 251 The Esplanade, Middle Brighton. Baths have been on this site since 1881. Originally called the City of Brighton Corporation Baths, a storm in 1934 caused extensive damage to the baths and they were rebuilt in 1936 as mixed bathing facility and flood lit at night.

The baths are the only remaining outdoor sea water baths in Melbourne and are listed in the Heritage Register of the National Trust. The pre war art deco building is symmetrically proportioned with curved corners, cream brick walls, a composition of overlapping masses, horizontal emphasis, and no visible roofline. .Listed as a category B heritage site in the City of Bayside Heritage Review, the building as such is integral to the cultural significance of the City of Bayside as a whole, through its architectural integrity and its historical associations.

When they were first constructed different hours for swimming were specified for male and female swimmers and swimming was limited to a maximum of 40 minutes. In 1908 the baths were extended to create separate and private baths for female swimmers. However, the men's baths were larger than the ladies and had better diving and racing facilities.

The baths had active swimming clubs including the Brighton Ladies Swimming Club, Brighton Men's Swimming Club and later the Brighton Swimming Club, a member of the Victorian Amateur Swimming Association, Competitive swimming events and carnivals were held at the baths. Most notably, the Annual Ladies Swimming Carnival since 1897.

The Brighton Icebergers continue the swimming tradition and are based at both the Baths Health Club and the Royal Brighton Yacht Club.

In 1986 the swimming enclosure was rebuilt and a restaurant, cafe, bar and gymnasium added. A refurbishment was under taken in 2008-9.

Middle Brighton Pier
The

Royal Brighton Yacht Club
In August 1875, whilst cleaning their boats on the beach, H Mouritz and W. Paterson challenged each other to a race. A month later the Brighton Boating Club was formed. The club changed its name to the Brighton Sailing Club, and then in 1880 to the Brighton Yacht Club, which received Royal Charter in 1924 to become the Royal Brighton Yacht Club. In 1877 a simple shed was erected on land granted to the club by the Brighton Council. The club moved to its present site in 1886.