Soldiers & convicts

Only two of the NSW ocean baths were created in the convict era and they are located in Newcastle and Wollongong:
- Convicts and soldiers were involved in the development of Newcastle's Bogey Hole, and
- Soldiers associated with the convict stockade on Wollongong's Flagstaff Hill seem to have developed the initial bathing place on the site of the present Nuns Baths and in the 1840s convicts worked to improve these baths.

In the 1880s, well after the convict era, soldiers were enthusiastic users of the Soldiers Baths near Newcastle's Fort Scratchley.

During WWI and WWII, troops were camped or stationed on garrison duty near various ocean baths, including Cronulla's Oak Park pool.

Swimming carnivals for servicemen (and in WWII also for servicewomen) were held at the ocean baths during the war years. Other events at the ocean baths benefited the troops by helping to raise money for the Australian Comforts Fund.

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