Throughout the 1800s it was illegal to swim at Sydney beaches during the day. This was because people believed it was wrong to be seen in little or no clothing in public spaces. People could swim only in the early morning and late evening, and men and women could never bathe together.

In the 1800s and early 1900s, it was illegal to swim at the beach in Australia during daylight hours primarily due to Victorian-era codes of morality and public decency. The Sydney Police Act of 1833 ruled that "no person shall bathe in the waters of the harbour... between the hours of six o'clock in the morning and eight o'clock in the evening." Authorities believed that the sight of "undressed" bodies—even in the neck-to-knee woolen costumes of the time—was scandalous and presented a threat to the moral fiber of society. This law was famously challenged in 1902 by William Gocher, who defied the ban at Manly Beach to test the legal waters. By 1905, the laws were officially changed to allow daylight bathing, leading to the birth of Australia's iconic surf culture and the formation of the first Surf Life Saving clubs. The ban's legacy is still remembered as the era when the beach was for "watching" rather than "swimming," a sharp contrast to the 2026 Australian lifestyle.