2020 - 2022

Original signage for the Turkish and Hot Sea Water Baths was unearthed as part of the restoration of the Bondi Pavilion. The remnants of early entry signs on the beachfront façade contribute to the understanding of the highly significant heritage building’s evolving and incredible journey from 1920s to today.

Other murals – including in the former ballroom and the Bondi the Beautiful courtyard as well as the Bondi Junior Lifesaving Club (Life Boys) sign – were also revealed.

The Turkish Baths sign found during construction works was in ‘fair’ condition, with painted lettering faded and parts of the sign illegible. Significant structural cracking in the middle of the sign’s arch caused much of the loss.

The sign was assessed, photographed and documented by a team of specialist heritage conservators who developed and implemented a methodology for conservation. They treated problems such as flaking paint, fading and graffiti, and carefully cleaned and retouched surface damage, removed graffiti and provided advice on minimising ongoing environmental damage.

The remaining letters were traced on mylar so a stencil could be created. Old photographs revealed that the sign originally read ‘Turkish & Hot Sea Water Baths’.

The original entry arch was repaired, then the fill was adjusted by conservators using premixed cement, sand, and hydrated lime mortar mix. A line was traced above the sign to mark where the new paint would end and the letters were stabilised before being protected with a synthetic polymer paint wash.

During the 2020-2022 Bondi Pavilion restoration, it was expected that some of the original Turkish bath tiles may be found. To the surprise of those on site, a significant amount of the original Turkish Bath tiles were found beneath the wall linings of the tenancies. These tiles were in a fair to poor condition across the entire space. Wherever possible, the remnant wall tiles have been retained in situ for future generations. Other, similar tiles are retained in new amenity areas. Additionally, a mechanical ventilation fan, used to manage steam from the Turkish Baths, was found within the ceiling cavity. This fan has been removed, cleaned and hung in the southern corridor of the Bondi Pavilion.

The Turkish and Hot Sea Water Baths opened in the Pavilion on 20 July 1929. They included a massage room, lounge, electric fan for drying hair and free ‘medical’ weighing machines. The baths were not successful and were closed in 1932. In mid-1933, the space was leased to the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club and later that year was converted into an amusement parlour. By 1934, it reverted to a bath house. By then, substantial structural deterioration had occurred and the original equipment was out of date. Limited operation continued in the 1940s until after the war, when the Bondi [Beach] Boy’s Club took over the space.

Courtesy Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects.