Two colorful beach huts, labeled Bayside 58B and Bayside 58C, with red and yellow doors respectively, set against a backdrop of greenery and a clear blue sky.

How to Visit the Brighton Bathing Boxes in Melbourne

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Trying to work out how to visit the Brighton Bathing Boxes in Melbourne? They’re easy to reach from the CBD by public transport – once you know which station to get off at!

I’d been to Melbourne many times over the years, but somehow I’d never made it down to Brighton to see the famous Beach Boxes.

These colourful little huts line Dendy Street Beach overlooking Port Phillip Bay and have become one of Melbourne’s most recognisable sights.

The bathing boxes are privately owned and used for storing beach equipment, changing and providing shelter at the beach. And despite their small size, they can sell for eye-watering amounts when one comes onto the market.

On one of my Melbourne trips, I had a couple of spare hours and was looking for something inexpensive to do.

I’m always on the lookout for free things to do in Melbourne, so I decided it was finally time to see the bathing boxes for myself.

Getting there seemed simple enough. Catch the Sandringham line train from the city and get off at Brighton Beach.

Except that’s not quite what I should have done.

Here’s how to visit the Brighton Bathing Boxes from Melbourne – including the mistake I made so you don’t have to make it too.

TL;DR: Catch the Sandringham line train to Middle Brighton Station, then walk to Dendy Street Beach.

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Where Are the Brighton Bathing Boxes?

The Brighton Bathing Boxes are on Dendy Street Beach in Brighton, around 12km south of Melbourne’s CBD.

This is where I went wrong when planning my visit. Despite often being called the Brighton Beach Boxes, they are not on the beach next to Brighton Beach railway station.

The closest train station is Middle Brighton, on the Sandringham line. From there, it’s around a 15-minute walk to the northern end of the bathing boxes.

Put “Brighton Bathing Boxes” into Google Maps rather than simply “Brighton Beach” and you’ll save yourself the longer scenic walk I accidentally did!

Colourful Brighton Bathing Boxes at Dendy Street Beach Melbourne, labeled Bayside 58B and Bayside 58C, with red and yellow doors respectively, set against a backdrop of greenery and a clear blue sky.

How to Get to the Brighton Bathing Boxes by Train

Before arriving in Melbourne, my preparation consisted of a quick look at the Public Transport Victoria journey planner.

I searched for Brighton Beach, discovered there was a train straight there from the city and filed away one important detail: catch the Sandringham line.

Once in Melbourne, we made our way to Flinders Street Station and waited for the next Sandringham train.

As we waited, the information board scrolled through the stations along the route. I always take note of the station before the one I need so I’m ready to get off.

Then I noticed there were three stations with Brighton in the name: North Brighton, Middle Brighton and Brighton Beach.

Clearly I needed Brighton Beach.

Because, well, that one was the beach!

We got off the train, immediately smelled the sea air and followed everyone else towards the water.

We crossed the road, came to the top of the stairs leading down to the sand and stopped.

There were no colourful bathing boxes to be seen in either direction.

Oh boy.

This is what happens when I assume I know where I’m going without actually checking!

An almost empty view along Brighton Beach in Melbourne
Brighton Beach – but where are the beach boxes?

Walking from Brighton Beach Station

Most of the other people leaving the station turned right along the beach, so we decided to follow them.

We walked to the end of the beach and up over the headland. As we reached the top, we could finally see the colourful bathing boxes in the distance – past yet another headland.

A distant view of the Brighton Bathing Boxes with Melbourne skyline in the distance. A sandy beach with clear, shallow waters and a skyline of tall buildings in the distant background. Two people are walking along the shoreline. Vegetation is visible on the right.
There are the Brighton beach boxes! And that’s the Melbourne city skyline in the background.

At least we knew we were going in the right direction!

It took us about 25 minutes to walk along the waterfront to the bathing boxes.

It wasn’t the most direct route, but on a nice day it’s actually a pleasant walk, with views across Port Phillip Bay and back towards the Melbourne skyline.

The day we visited was sunny but very windy, and there were only a few people on the beach. Most were doing exactly what we were doing – wandering along and taking photos of the bathing boxes.

A Melbourne beach with colourful beach huts lined along the shore, a clear blue sky, and buildings in the background. The foreground shows water and sand.
Beach boxes! Now, how do I get there?

There were also a few brave souls sunbathing or testing out the water. It was late January, but still nowhere near warm enough to tempt me in!

The boxes are painted in all sorts of colours and designs, from simple stripes and bold blocks of colour to the famous one with the Australian flag.

While I’d taken the long way around, I’d finally made it to the Melbourne beach boxes.

A group of people stands near a row of colorful beach huts on a sandy beach under a blue sky with some clouds.
Many other groups were here just to take photos too.

The Easier Way: Middle Brighton Station

When it was time to leave, I finally did what I should have done in the first place – opened Google Maps and checked where the nearest train station actually was.

That’s when I discovered Middle Brighton Station was much closer.

From the northern end of the bathing boxes, it’s around a 15-minute walk through the streets of Brighton to the station, so Google Maps or another navigation app is useful.

We walked to Middle Brighton and caught the Sandringham line train back towards the city.

If you’re coming from Melbourne specifically to see the bathing boxes, I recommend doing the opposite of what I did: get off at Middle Brighton Station and walk down to Dendy Street Beach.

If you have plenty of time and fancy a longer walk beside Port Phillip Bay, you could deliberately get off at Brighton Beach Station and follow the waterfront as we did.

Just don’t do it accidentally!

Map showing a walking route from Middle Brighton station to Brighton Bathing Boxes, along Church Street and Esplanade, highlighted by blue dots. Key landmarks like Palace Dendy Brighton are marked.
Here’s the path between the Beach Huts and Middle Brighton train station.

Paying for Public Transport in Melbourne

Melbourne has recently introduced contactless payments across its metropolitan public transport network.

Full-fare passengers can now tap on using a contactless Visa or Mastercard, including a card loaded onto a phone or smartwatch, on Melbourne trains, trams and buses. Make sure you use the same card or device throughout your journey.

You can still use a physical myki card if you prefer, while concession passengers need to continue using myki.

The Sandringham line is part of Melbourne’s metropolitan public transport network, so you can use contactless payment or myki for the trip to Brighton.

As the contactless system is relatively new, I recommend checking the Transport Victoria website for the latest payment information before your visit.

Driving, Taxi or Uber to the Brighton Bathing Boxes

If you don’t want to catch the train, you can drive or take a taxi or rideshare from central Melbourne.

For Uber or another rideshare service, use Brighton Bathing Boxes or Dendy Street Beach as your destination rather than simply Brighton Beach.

If you’re driving, there is parking around Dendy Street Beach and in the surrounding streets, but check the signs carefully for restrictions and time limits.

Unless you already have a car, I think the train is the easiest option from central Melbourne.

Looking for airport transfers? See my post on How to Get From Melbourne Airport to the City.

A row of colorful beach huts stands on a sandy shore under a clear blue sky. People are seen near the huts and relaxing on the beach.
The colours of the Melbourne beach boxes

Best Time to Visit the Brighton Bathing Boxes

You can visit the Brighton Bathing Boxes at any time of year, although your experience will obviously depend on Melbourne’s famously changeable weather.

I visited in late January. It was sunny but very windy, and while a few people ventured into the water, it certainly wasn’t warm enough to tempt me in.

Summer can be busy, particularly on warm weekends and during school holidays when Dendy Street Beach is being used as, well, an actual beach rather than just a Melbourne photo stop.

If you mainly want to see and photograph the bathing boxes, try earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon when there may be fewer people around.

And don’t write off a winter visit. You probably won’t want to swim, but the colourful boxes aren’t going anywhere.

Australian flag Brighton Bathing Box at Dendy Street Beach
Even one with an Australian flag!

A Few Tips Before You Go

The Brighton Bathing Boxes are on a public beach, so there’s no entry fee and you don’t need a ticket to visit.

Remember that the bathing boxes themselves are privately owned. Enjoy them from the outside and respect the owners and their belongings.

There are public facilities at Dendy Street Beach, and the newer Dendy Beach Pavilion includes a café.

Wear comfortable shoes if you’re arriving by train. Even from Middle Brighton Station there’s a reasonable walk, and you’ll probably want to wander along the beach once you arrive.

Finally, check the weather before you leave Melbourne. There’s not a lot of shelter along the beach, so bring water, sunscreen and a hat on a hot day – and a jacket on one of Melbourne’s less cooperative ones.

Are the Brighton Bathing Boxes Worth Visiting?

If you have a couple of spare hours in Melbourne, I think the Brighton Bathing Boxes are worth the trip – particularly if you’re looking for something inexpensive to do outside the city centre.

They’re colourful, a little quirky and very different from Melbourne’s usual city attractions. You also get some time beside Port Phillip Bay and, on a clear day, views back towards the Melbourne skyline.

Would I make a special trip to Melbourne just to see them? Probably not. But as an easy outing from the CBD, I’m glad I finally went.

And now that I know which station to use, next time I’ll even get there the easy way!

Find more great Melbourne activities on Get Your Guide

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Josie Kelsh

Josie will help you to plan your next trip filled with bucket list experiences balanced with budget travel. She discovered travel in her late thirties, but since then has travelled extensively, visiting more than 60 countries and taking an adult gap year. She is now based in Australia and loves sharing all she has learned about travelling on a budget but with the added comforts a Gen Xer requires.

67 thoughts on “How to Visit the Brighton Bathing Boxes in Melbourne”

  3. Was so excited to see those beach boxes on a road trip a couple of years ago. Might have to make another trip to Brighton to check them out again. One of those was put on the market a couple of months ago and sold for over 300k. Madness!

  5. I love Melbourne, although I have only been twice. I didn’t know about these, but will definitely check them out on my next visit. Love your colourful photos.

  7. I had no idea there were so many to look at! I love that they are all so colorful and unique. I personally like one with the VW Van on the front (at least that’s what it appears to be). 🙂

  8. There were some really good ones. I just loved the colour contrast and that they are all so bright and well preserved. I hope they stay that way for years to come.

  9. These are so cute – I love anything super colourful. I have always wanted to visit the beach boxes. This is a great article on how to reach them by public transport.

  10. Thanks Melissa. It’s taken me years to get to see them, even though I have been in Melbourne at least three times a year for the last five years!

  11. I am not good in directions. I am thankful that my boyfriend can do those things that I find difficult to deal with. On our recent trip, we haven’t researched much. I wish we did so we enjoyed Macau, the place we visited recently. I have learned the lessons now so I will do all my best for our next trip.

  13. Normally I am good with directions, but I think I got too over confident since it was a city I had been to many times before. Whoops!

  14. I’d love to get to Cape Town – it looks so beautiful. I will have to keep these in mind when I eventually get there.

  15. What are the beach boxes for exactly? They are very cute and artistic, but I can not makes sense of why on earth they are there! What a great place to take photos 😀

  16. The ones that I could see open were like a cross between change rooms and storage rooms. They held all the bits and pieces you would take to the beach for a good day out. Umbrellas, chairs, toys etc They can also be a shady place to sit inside when it gets really hot. For photos, they don’t look as good with the doors open. I also think it’s a bit intrusive to take photos inside because it is the owner’s personal space. So no photos with the doors open ?

  17. Ive seen those beach boxes on many photos now and I really wanna see them! I cant wait to go to Australia finally and explore such a nice beaches! I am glad you had at least nice weather for the little walk 🙂

  19. Colorful, cute box houses. You gave us an idea—we are planning to have a dog house built for our furry critter. Hehehe! But I wonder what is in side those box houses.

  20. They are mostly just storage sheds for all the things you like to bring to the beach – umbrellas, chairs etc. They are also used as change rooms.

  21. These look like so much fun to visit! I love the colors. I have yet to travel to Australia, but need to put this down as a place to find. Thanks for sharing.

  22. I never even heard of these before. Love it and how colorful they are. Australia is a dream destination for me. I will go someday and I will look for these.

  24. The beach boxes have always intrigued me. I have seen them in a lot of movies and they sure seem stunning! The photographs are so lovely and adorable. I would love to take a picture over there.

  26. These are so nice and beautiful, very colorful and I would love to see this. I am excited that soon we will be able to travel to that side of the world.`

  29. Aren’t they fantastic! I wouldn’t come up with half the colours or ideas people have created. I’m so boring I’d probably just make mine green (my favourite colour!)

  31. Love how colourful they are! I knew there are these sort of beach huts in South Africa, but had no idea Melbourne had some too! Would love to visit one day 😀

  32. I love Brighton in the UK so it’s fascinating to read about Brighton Australia! I haven’t made a visit yet, but I’m planning to try to get both Aus and NZ this year. Really interesting post with beautiful photos, thanks Josie, and it reminded me of the beach huts (as we call them) in Southwold, UK.

  34. Thanks Kathi. Aren’t they great? I knew they were in Melbourne, but it has taken me many trips there before I visited!

  35. Thanks Valerie. Brighton is high on my list for when I get to the UK next. Did you know not only is there a Brighton in Melbourne, but in my hometown of Adelaide we also have a suburb called Brighton, and it’s neighbour is Hove. I can probably guess where the person who named them came from!

  36. Never knew of these Beach boxes :).. So colorful and pretty they look!.. I loved the one with the Australian flag! I do hope to come to Australia soon – My cousin stays in Adelaide :)..

  38. Australia is the #1 item on my bucket list and I am adding this right under it. Those boxes are gorgeous and I love that each one is different. What great photos!

  39. Thanks Tracy! Well worth a visit if you are in Melbourne. Don’t forget to pop over to South Australia too – it’s such an under-rated location.

  41. The pastel colored miniature houses does look amazing but exactly happens in them? Just wondering 😀 Lovely aptures

  43. Wow! Hadn’t heard of beach boxes till I read this post. Then ran off to google and found that some of them date as far back as 1862. Amazing! Hopefully I get to see some soon!
    Thanks for posting.

  45. They are individually owned, and are used as change rooms and for storing things like beach umbrellas and chairs, so that the owners don’t have to bring them to the beach every time they visit. They are very exclusive and cost as much as a full sized house another parts of the country as they are no longer allowed to be built.

  47. Thanks Abby. Yes, they have been around for a while. It’s also no longer allowed to build more, so these will stay just like they are!

  50. I love beach boxes/ huts, they are so pretty. We get a lot of the in the UK. From what I hear they are really expensive to buy/ rent.

  56. ooh thank you for this easy to follow guide! These are so pretty and I would love to visit sometime!!

  58. Oh wow, they are so cute and colourful! Not too dissimilar to Brighton in the UK – but with better sunshine! 😉

    Really informative post – thank you!

  60. They are used as changing rooms as well as for storage of things like beach umbrellas and chairs, so the owners don’t have to carry them to the beach each time.

  61. Thanks Danielle. Yes, I believe there are some similar ones in the UK. Someone over here probably stole the idea from there – just like the name!

  62. These are great on-the-ground tips for getting to the beach boxes. What do these boxes do though? Also I personally find the water just as inviting 😛

  63. The boxes are used and changing rooms as well as to store things like beach umbrellas and chairs so they don’t have to be carried to the beach every visit.

  64. Love the photos! Helpful description of the quirks of Melbourne’s transportation system. It’s always nice to know what to expect!

  65. Thanks Sarah. I’ve always wondered how many visitors go to get on a bus or train in Melbourne and find out they can’t pay! It’s not an ideal system for visitors to the city I don’t think.

  66. Excellent tips! I’m moving to Melbourne in January and definitely want to visit these! These tips will come in handy I’m sure. Cheers!

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