Melbourne City Baths was first opened in 1860 and has continued to provide health and fitness services to the community for more than 160 years. This achievement distinguishes the Baths from any other health and fitness facility in Victoria.
The baths were opened to give Melburnians an alternative to bathing in the Birrarung (Yarra river), which was not only polluted but blamed for causing a deadly epidemic of typhoid fever.
The uniqueness of the building and the significance it holds for so many Victorians have also prompted theatre groups, television programs and fashion magazines to use the baths as the setting for their productions, films and photographic shoots.
These days, the historic backdrop is juxtaposed against modern equipment and facilities, cementing its place as an iconic destination for visitors and everyday Melburnians alike.
Melbourne City Baths Conservation Management Plan
The Melbourne City Baths is one of the City of Melbourne’s oldest and most significant public buildings.
Whilst the MCB history has been broadly documented, it was identified that there was not a centralised or comprehensive documentation of its entire history.
In 2017-18 the City of Melbourne commissioned Lovell Chen – who are a heritage architect firm – to document a Conservation Management Plan for the Melbourne City Baths.
The Conservation Management Plan provides amazing insight into the past 160+ years of public bathing and paves the way for the City of Melbourne to preserve for future generations to come.
