New South Wales is a state on the east coast of Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria to the south, and South Australia to the west. Its coast borders the Coral and Tasman Seas to the east. The Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory are enclaves within the state. New South Wales’ state capital is Sydney, which is also Australia’s most populous city.
In the early 1900s, many beaches in New South Wales were already popular destinations, though perhaps not as developed as they are today. Places like Bondi Beach, Coogee Beach, and Manly Beach were starting to attract visitors for swimming and seaside activities. However, the infrastructure and amenities were likely more basic compared to what we see today.
Here below is a set of amazing photos from Powerhouse Museum that shows beaches in New South Wales around 1900.
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| Bondi Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Cathedral Rock, Kiama, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| A bit of the Illawarra Coast, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Coogee Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Coogee Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Coogee Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Coogee Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Coogee Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Coogee Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Coogee Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Coogee Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Coogee Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Freshwater Beach, Manly, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Harbor beach, Manly, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Little Coogee, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Looking north, Austinmer, Wollongong, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Manly Beach, Manly, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Maroubra Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Mt Pleasant tramline, Wollongong, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Nobbys Newcastle, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Rose Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Sandy Flat, Bulli Road, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| Stanwell Park Beach, Wollongong, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| The Esplanade, Coogee, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| The Esplanade, Manly, from Fairy Bower, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
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| View at Coledale, Sydney, New South Wales, circa 1900s |
