Melbourne Beach Boxes: More Expensive Than Houses?

Here’s a breakdown⁣ of ⁣the information provided⁣ in the text and image data:

Key ⁤Information:

* ⁢ Subject: Historic bathing boxes at Sandringham Beach, Melbourne, Australia.
* Image: A 1942 photograph of ⁣the bathing⁣ boxes, supplied by the Sandringham Historical Society.
* Purpose of Bathing Boxes: Originally built to allow bathers to change clothes privately.⁤ Laws at the time prohibited changing on the beach or walking in swimwear in public streets.
* Current Status: Most bathing boxes have been removed from Australian coastlines, but around 2,000 remain in the Melbourne area.
* Ownership: ⁢ Built on public land, leading to ongoing debate about private⁤ structures on ⁤public ⁣beaches.
* Historical context: ⁣ Jo Jenkinson’s book, “The Lure of the Beach:⁢ A History ⁢of Public Sea Bathing in Brighton,” provides further historical detail.
* Global⁣ Presence: Similar structures with similar origins exist in other‍ parts⁣ of the world.