Cottesloe, a small town exactly midway between Fremantle and Perth, is the birthplace of Australian Prime Minister John Curtin. The house he built in 1923 still stands on Jarrad Street and is open to the public. Today the town is home to over 7,000 people. The township was named after Captain Charles Fremantle's brother, Baron Cottesloe.
Cottesloe is famous for its quiet sandy beaches, small cosy cafes and leisurely pace of life - tourists who are tired of the bustling metropolitan Perth and port city of Fremantle come here to enjoy it all. Most of the town is residential, with the shopping area stretching along the Stirling Highway. Jarrad Street is home to a golf course overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Photographs and drawings of Cottesloe Beach, both published and in private collections, give a clear picture of the important role the beach has played in the social life of the town. It is one of the most popular places to play beach cricket. Pedestrians and cyclists love to stroll and ride here, while surfers try to ride the wave.
A peculiar landmark of Kottslo is the lone pylon (support pole) sticking out of the ocean waters. There were once three pylons - they were installed in the late 1920s to fix shark nets, after several predator attacks on humans. Two of the pylons were destroyed in a violent storm in 1937, but one survived. Under years of ocean wave action, it was significantly corroded. In December 2008, the Cottesloe City Council decided to restore the pylon, which had become a popular diving spot. After the restoration, the pylon was painted in the colours of the Cottesloe Coastal Lifeguard Club, then changed to the colours of the North Cottesloe Lifeguard Club, and has since changed its appearance several more times.
