A growing community petition and renewed concerns over commercialisation have reignited debate around the future of the Newcastle Ocean Baths.

Advocacy group Friends of Newcastle Ocean Baths Inc. is now urging City of Newcastle (CN) to “get the sequence right”.

President Peter Wickham said while council’s decision to defer discussion on a proposed lease was welcome, it did not fully resolve trepidations about the process.

“Only partly,” he answered when asked if the deferral eased concerns.

“We don’t think the proper procedure is being followed… we should be waiting for the Development Application (DA) to actually be approved and then we know where we stand.”

Council recently voted to lay on the table an application to the Minister for Local Government.

This sought consent to lease part of the baths site for a food and drink premises for five years, with a five-year option.

Mr Wickham, however, said progressing lease discussions before the DA is determined risked undermining transparency.

“DA approval first, then proceed with any negotiations,” he stated.

“That’s the way it should go, so the public know that all the boxes have been ticked.”

Community fears are also being reflected in a petition led by the group, which continues to gain traction.

Mr Wickham said more than 2,350 people had signed the online entreaty as of this week, alongside at least 450 hard copy signatures.

“It is certainly growing,” he told the Newcastle Weekly.

“We hadn’t really promoted it early in the year… and it’s suddenly taken off again.”

The petition previously reached about 2,000 signatures when it was first presented to council last year.

While Mr Wickham said the length of a proposed lease was not the main issue, he raised strong concerns about the scale of what could be introduced.

“What people really want is a simple kiosk… where young families can go up and buy their hot dogs, their Pluto pups and fish and chips,” he added.

“They don’t want a large-scale café.”

He claimed the current proposal would effectively transform the southern pavilion into a major hospitality venue.

“It will cater for up to 140 people… operating to at least midnight three nights a week and 10pm on other nights,” Mr Wickham said.

“That’s not a kiosk, that’s a large-scale café.”

Beyond the commercial aspects, Mr Wickham said the proposal risked eroding the historic fabric of the baths.

Built in 1922, the site has long been a free, community-focused space centred around swimming and social connection.

“It’s always been about swimming and people meeting there,” he said.

“It’s not a venue for council to exploit commercially.”

Mr Wickham added the iconic open-air change rooms were a key part of the culture.

“It’s open to the fresh air, open to the sunlight,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, you’ve got people from all walks of life in there.

“It’s what we call a ‘third place’ where people can gather without it costing them anything.”

Mr Wickham warned that if the current DA proceeds without modification, much of the southern pavilion could be effectively removed from public use.

“The path forward should be straightforward,” he said.

“Determine the DA first, then consider any lease arrangements based on that outcome.”

As debate continues, the future of the baths remains a balancing act, with both CN and community groups under pressure to find common ground.

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