Cottesloe Civic Centre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cottesloe Civic Centre |
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Aerial View of the Cottesloe Civic Centre 1950
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Cottesloe, Western Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°59′37″S 115°45′21″E / 31.993567°S 115.755695°E |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Designated | 9 May 1997 |
| Reference no. | 593 |
The Cottesloe Civic Centre is a well-known building in Cottesloe, Western Australia. It sits on the corner of Broome and Napier Streets. The building has white walls and an orange tiled roof. It is built in the Spanish Mission style.
The Civic Centre covers a large area of over 2 hectares (5 acres). From here, you can see amazing views of the Indian Ocean. It's a popular spot for picnics, concerts, and even weddings. The site also includes the main office for the Town of Cottesloe. There is also the War Memorial Town Hall and beautiful gardens. Tall Norfolk Island pines stand proudly around the grounds.
The building was first called The Laurels. It was built in 1897-1898 for Richard Pennefather. It was a lovely example of the Federation Queen Anne style. Later, in 1911, a mining businessman named Claude de Bernales bought the house. He renamed it Overton Lodge. In 1937, he changed the house to the Spanish Mission Style. In 1950, the Town of Cottesloe bought it. They changed it again to become the Civic Centre we see today. It is now a protected heritage site in Western Australia.
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Early Days: The Pennefather Home (1898–1911)
When the house was built in 1898, there were not many other buildings nearby. There wasn't even a proper road to the house. Sand dunes and bush surrounded the area. The house was named "The Laurels." It was made from limestone found in a nearby quarry.
The house had large verandahs all around it. It also had big water tanks that could hold a lot of water. A small summer house stood to the south. The owner, Richard Pennefather, was an important lawyer at the time. He was the Attorney General for Western Australia. His headstone is now located at the Civic Centre.
De Bernales Family Home (1911–1949)
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In 1911, Richard Pennefather sold the house to Claude de Bernales. Claude was a businessman who worked in mining. He had made a lot of money selling mining equipment. He later became very rich by investing in mining companies.
By 1913, he had renamed the house Overton Lodge. This name came from his birthplace in England. In the 1920s, he added garages and a billiard room. He also started to improve the gardens. He created a large rose garden and a tennis court.
In 1936, Claude de Bernales planned to turn the land west of his house into a beautiful garden estate. This estate was meant to have 25 modern houses. The plan also included moving the local tennis courts. While the tennis courts were moved, the housing estate was never built. This was due to tough economic times and the start of World War II.
Around the same time, De Bernales hired an architect to change the house. The house changed from the Federation Queen Anne style to the Spanish Mission style. New rooms were added, like a study, library, and dining room. The public rooms used a lot of jarrah wood for the walls and floors. The house was filled with old furniture and fancy lights.
The sandy areas around the house were leveled. Soil was brought in to create large gardens and lawns. A long, Italian-style wall was also built. This wall still surrounds the property today. Large water tanks were kept and updated in the Spanish style. The Spanish Tower became a famous landmark in Cottesloe.
The building was finished by 1938. Claude de Bernales' daughter and her husband lived there. Claude himself had moved back to London. He never got to live in his newly remodeled Spanish mansion. In 1949, the family decided to sell Overton Lodge.
Cottesloe Civic Centre (1949-Present)
In 1949, the Cottesloe Municipal Council decided to buy Overton Lodge. The Mayor and Shire Clerk saw it as a great chance to create a Civic Centre. In October 1949, the council bought the property. The sale also included the Overton Gardens land. Selling parts of this land helped pay for the purchase.
The house was then changed to become the Civic Centre. The lounge, library, and reception hall became the War Memorial Town Hall. The dining room became the Council chambers. Playgrounds for children were built. The old water tanks were taken down because they were unsafe. Only the empty Spanish Tower structure remained. On September 30, 1950, a big crowd gathered for the official opening. A grand ball was held that evening.
The new Civic Centre offered many useful spaces for community groups. The local RSL group used the billiard room for their meetings. One of the upstairs bedrooms became a Children's Library. This was a very helpful service for local children. It stayed open until a public library opened in 1967. The local Scout group also ran a small shop from the summer house. They sold ice cream and drinks on weekends. For many years, Cottesloe children also enjoyed a yearly fancy dress ball at the centre.
Over time, the building has continued to change. Improvements have been made to the grounds. In 1962, a beautiful waterfall garden was added near the entrance. In 1966, the rest of the Spanish Tower was removed. In 1970, a statue of former Prime Minister John Curtin was unveiled. He had lived nearby. Around 2000, the Italian-style walls needed repairs. These repairs were finished in 2006. In 2007, the original summer house was rebuilt. Its old tiled floor was also restored.
Community events still happen at the Civic Centre today. Concerts, Carols by Candlelight, and citizenship ceremonies are held here. The grounds are open for picnics. The Civic Centre is also a very popular place for weddings.
In 1995, the Cottesloe Civic Centre was recognized as a very important heritage site. In 1997, it was officially added to the State Register of Heritage Places for Western Australia.
Images for kids
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Aerial View of the Cottesloe Civic Centre 1950
