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SORRENTO SEA BATHS JETTY
Location3278 POINT NEPEAN ROAD SORRENTO, MORNINGTON PENINSULA SHIRE LevelHeritage Inventory Site |
Statement of Significance
The site is historically significant for its association with the
actor, entrepreneur and parliamentarian George Selth Coppin (1819-
1906) whose enterprise was largely responsible for the development of
Sorrento as a seaside resort from the 1870s to the 1890s. Coppin
established a number of business ventures including the Sorrento Sea
Baths, a steamer Service from Melbourne, the Continental Hotel, and a
tramway to encourage tourism to Sorrento. The site is archaeologically significant for its potential to yield
archaeologial information relating to early tourism and, more
specifically, the practice of sea bathing as therapeutic activity
attendant to an expansion in the development of seaside resorts driven
by the advent of cheap safe transport by rail and sea. Examination of the stuctual remains has the potential to provide a
significant insight into the layout and construction methods used in
the structure . HISTORY . The date of construction of the Baths has not yet been determined,
however licence for construction of a "Ladies Baths" at the
site was granted in 1874. An advertisement in The Centennial almanac,
(1888) indicates that in 1888 the baths were "extended 40
feet." and "thououghly repaired, improved, and painted at a
cost of £400" indicating that by then the baths had been in
service for sufficient time to need significant maintenance. . The baths were purchased in 1888 by the Sorrento Sea Baths' Company
Limited which appears to have been formed by Sorrento Resident George
Coppin who is listed as managing director of the Company. The purchase
of the Baths seens to have been a part of a plan to develop Sorrento
as a tourist destination. . George Selth Coppin was a comic actor, entrepreneur and Member of
Parliament. Though Coppin's main spheres of activity revolved around
his interest in the theatre and politics. He also saw opportunity in
the township of Sorrento, purchasing land there and subsequently
promoting it as a resort. . Coppin's entrepreuerialism led to the construction of the
Continental Hotel (1875), a guesthouse, houses , the baths, and a
tramway between the township and the Back Beach, and the sale of
property adjacent to the Continental hotel to allow for the
establishment of shops. . Coppin was also instrumental in the formation of the Sorrento and
Queenscliff Steam Navigation Company, which purchased the paddle
steamer Golden Crown with the intent of offering reduced fares
for the the Melbourne to Sorrento route.
Group
Transport - Water
Category
Pier/Jetty