| Bicton Baths | |
|---|---|
| Kwoppa Kepa | |
 View of Bicton Baths in May 2016 | |
  Bicton Baths | |
| Location | Swan River, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 32°01′41″S115°46′39″E / 32.028136°S 115.777419°E |
| 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. | |
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]
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]
