Bicton Baths

Bicton Baths is a popular swimming location on the Swan River in Bicton, Western Australia, commonly used by for prawn hunting, diving training, swimming, sport, leisure and annual events.^[1]

Bicton Baths
Kwoppa Kepa
View of Bicton Baths in May 2016
Bicton Baths
Location	Swan River, Western Australia
Coordinates	32.028136°S 115.777419°E / -32.028136; 115.777419
Type	Tidal gorge
Max. length	52 m (171 ft)
Max. width	55 m (180 ft)
Shore length1	71 m (233 ft)
Location
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Formally known as Bicton River Jetty and as Jetty 1248,^[2] it is known to the local Aboriginal people, the Whadjuk Noongar people, as Kwoppa Kepa, meaning 'beautiful water' in Noongar.

Bicton Baths were initiated by the local Melville Amateur Swimming Club, a group who had previously utilised the jetty of the quarantine station as a platform. In 1946 the Melville Water Polo Club was founded at the baths, a move which resulted in the Bicton Pool being built in 1979.

The baths themselves consist of a wooden U-shaped jetty which contains exit ladders. Bicton Baths is located in a tidal gorge and is heavily influenced by ocean water inflow. It contains a variety of wildlife, including algae, anemones, crabs, dolphins, fish, nudibranchs, shrimp, sponges and starfish.^[3]