Mat Hinds
There is a remarkable tradition of bathhouses that were built first by Governor George Arthur that predate the public bathhouses that were being built in London in Marleybone in 1842. So the earliest ones here from 1830, Lady Jane Franklin diarised about using them and they were established by Arthur, he said that they were accommodations for all classes to enjoy the advantages of bathing. So it was a really progressive piece of public infrastructure that was provided and they lasted as a type well into the middle of last century and the last one burnt down in 2009 at Cornelian Bay.

David Reilly
Right, so when you say burnt down, these are enclosed bathhouses, these are building structures.

Mat Hinds
Predominantly timber and a very particular spatial type, they’re always cloistered, so they’re enclosed timber buildings, probably to shelter from the sea breeze and that produces a really interesting and very specific type of building here on the river and that tradition’s been lost but they existed and not only that they were cold water, they were actually hot water as well. The hot water sea bathing was provided by, in Governor Arthur’s time.

David Reilly
Hot water sea bathing, that requires some form of heating.

Mat Hinds
That’s right, they heated it. Lady Jane Franklin complained in one of her visits that the fires hadn’t been lit. So yeah, that was one of the provisions that actually made that possible to also have warm water bathing.

David Reilly
I suspect throw in a sauna, Matt Hines, and you might just get this idea across the line for those of us who aren’t that fond of a cold water swim despite how fashionable it is. So Mat, what are you proposing and where is it? What’s the vision? Sell us all the vision, Mat.

Mat Hinds
We’ve had, we’ve looked at a few sites and had conversations with the city about opportunities and also looking to progress conversations in particular with TASPorts and there’s been some interest there in terms of particularly Constitution Dock, which is that body of water that just sits in front of the TMAG. The idea that the public can swim effectively in the middle of the city does a couple of things. It’s a great lunchtime thing to do, easy, massive patronage. The other thing it does is it signals that the river is healthy and that that relationship between the public body and the river is brought back together again.

David Reilly
Is the river healthy?

Mat Hinds
The water equality as far as we understand is possible to swim in that water, yes. There’s a public perception that the water isn’t healthy and obviously no one’s being asked to swim in it right now, but with a little bit of work and the natural tendency of water bodies to want to repair themselves, it’s entirely possible that that water can be returned for public use.

David Reilly
So just take us to exactly where you think, I mean, there’s probably a few different options, but what’s the best location for something like this? You must have your dream spot in mind.

Mat Hinds
I think the Constitution Dock site is incredibly compelling, hugely popular and would have massive public catchment. The other sites that we’ve looked at, one is Pavilion Point, which is more exposed. There was a sea baths there as well. And then another point up at Cornelian Bay, which the city is also looking at as a potential bathing location.