Colors of Sunset at Brighton Beach

By Christina Kim - August 19, 2015

My favorite time of the day has to be the time when the sun rises, early in the morning(though I am usually earlier than the sun).

The other part that I look forward to is when the sun decides to call it a day and sets to its sleep.

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Ask me whether I prefer the sunrise or the sunset, and that would be a tough one for me to answer, for I love both of them because they are just so distinctive from each other which just makes them the apple of almost everyone's eye.

For early risers like myself, typically many would assume that I would prefer the sunrise.
I suppose I could not deny that in terms of the relevance of the meaning, the sunrise would probably resonate more with my nature where it is all about the birth of a new beginning and the anticipation of great things to come.
At the same time, sunset also captures that part of me for a perfect closure and having that sense to complete everything in harmonious manner.

It is just so hard and don't make me choose between the views; that is just simply indistinguishable for me.

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Watching either the sunrise or the sunset is probably something that you could catch me do very often; and I could be often found sitting quietly for hours, waiting for the sun in action and then even long after it has completed its act.
It is just something I enjoy so much despite doing nothing but just sitting alone, transfixed on that picture of perfection.
That is just pure bliss, in my personal definition and is definitely one of life's greatest wonders that I could never get bored of.

I am glad that catching that glimpse of the sun setting; with its rich golden hues casting the shadows over the sandy beach squeezed its way into my itinerary in Melbourne.

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It was a chance we took; and I am blessed that I did have my encounter with that beautiful scene despite the gloomy and unfavorable weather at that particular hour, just when the sun was about to set.

The sun has her eyes set on me, for she waited and just put on her show for me, even just for a quick moment.

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I arrived at Brighton Beach just in time to bid the sun goodbye, while struggling to stand against the wind which was signaling the arrival of the rain soon.
(It was a rainy weather when I was there, and there was quite a considerable amount of rain during my stay in Melbourne)




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Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach is one of the most famous and unique landmarks in Australia; owing much of its fame to the distinctive feature of its neat row of colored bathing boxes (or bathing huts) fronting its sandy shores.

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The area of Brighton is one of the most affluent suburbs in Melbourne; housing beautiful and grand looking homes clustered within the neighborhood.

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It is not hard to understand why the rich would want a piece of this scenery as the background (or foreground) of their abodes, with the sun, sky and the sand.
To top that off, there is even the bonus of treating one's eyes to the multitude of colors in the forms of adorable little wooden huts standing in a line on this beach.


Brighton has certainly enjoyed its better days today; with its reputation and fame associated with opulence and luxury, marking one of Melbourne's most desirable addresses in this lovely suburb.

It is hard to imagine that all the features or even signs of affluence was not a part of the neighborhood in its early beginnings; from the 1840s when an Englishman, Henry Dendy purchased a piece of land on the Port Philip land, measuring about 5,120 acres (2,070 ha).
Dendy journeyed to this part, away from his homeland to start his new home which was based in Brighton Park.

He had attempted to venture into making a fortune out of the land sales but luck was simply not on his side as it was the time of the financial depression and due to the fact that the land was simply lacking in the sources of water which made it unfavorable to buyers, the sales were just slow.
Most of Dendy's ventures ended up in failures and Dendy never lived to see nor enjoy a well-lived fortune due to these misfortunes in business.

It was only in 1846 when the sales of land took on a positive turn, following the depression which quickly catapulted Brighton into the third most populated town in the Port Philip district; after Melbourne and Portland.

The rich started taking an interest in this town; with its beautiful settings by the beach and picturesque landscape, and of course basking in the sun by the sea which drew them to move into the suburb; quickly growing the population in numbers over the years.

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Today Brighton is home to some of Melbourne's wealthiest; and properties here have sky rocketed high in their prices that this is just simply one of the most coveted neighborhood in this part of Australia.

One striking feature of Brighton is the Brighton Beach, as mentioned earlier, gracefully decorated with the colors of the brightly painted bathing boxes fronting the sandy shores of the beach.

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There are 82 of them; and they have been standing in existence since 1862.
These are definitely not created today, but as early as the town, and it seems that the earlier batch was actually located at the end of Bay St, at the water's edge rather than this currently much publicized location.

The colorful wooden huts are just iconic and have solidly stood as crowd magnets for decades now.

They have probably been the background of many photographs; of tourists and even locals visiting the beach, with their eye-catching colors and neatly lined positions on the beach, making this the main attraction of Brighton Beach and Melbourne.

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A very unique one, if I may say, though they are not the only ones in the world; with others in existence in England, France and Italy at around the same time these were built.

In fact, even Brighton actually took its name from Brighton in England.

The trend of bathing houses were believed to originate from the Victorians; following the use of wheeled bathing machines as the concept to shield one's modesty; a practice observed strictly with respects to the Victorian morality.

These bathing houses were often used for one to change in and out of their bathing costumes, storing one's belongings or valuables and even as shelter from the strong sun or wind.
These huts even extended to becoming "holiday homes" at one point in the early 20th century, though not deemed practical currently as there is no water or electricity supply and is not suitable for living, particularly for these on Brighton Beach.

The bathing boxes on Brighton Beach could be owned; by purchase though only by the Bayside local council ratepayer and subject to a list of rules and regulations to be strictly adhered to by the owners, which include non-rights to rental/sublet, living/sleeping or making this an accommodation, nor as an advertising outlet.

The bathing box could start at a selling price of AS$200,000; a price that was last recorded in 2008

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It is not just any wooden hut; but considerably one that an elitist would own.


The Brighton Beach's bathing boxes are evidences of the luxurious lifestyle in this neighborhood and are simply a symbol of prestige for one to own.

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*Note: 
This is not a sponsored post, and solely based on author's personal opinions and preferences and do not represent the general public. Experiences vary from one individual to another.





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