48-553: The Cottesloe Civic Centre lies on the corner of Broome and Napier Streets, Cottesloe , Western Australia. It is a local landmark featuring a substantial two storey building with white walls and an orange tiled roof in the Spanish Mission style. Over 2 hectares (5 acres) in area the site offers extensive views westwards over the Indian Ocean and is a popular venue for picnics, concerts, meetings and weddings. It includes
96-620: A summer house stood to the south. At the time Pennefather was the Attorney General for Western Australia having been elected to the West Australian Legislative Council in 1897 as the member for Greenough. His headstone lies at the south west corner of the building and was relocated from Karrakatta cemetery. In 1911 Pennefather sold the house to Claude Aldo de Bernales , a mining entrepreneur, and his wife Bessie. De Bernales at this time had amassed
144-443: A Spanish Mission style. The alterations and additions included a study, library, dining room, kitchen and three new bedrooms with adjoining bathrooms. In the public rooms extensive use was made of French-polished jarrah panelling on the walls and ceilings and jarrah parquetry on the floors. Local architect Samuel Rosenthal is thought to have designed the jarrah panelling. The house was furnished with antiques and chandeliers featured in
192-584: A close business associate and took chairmanship roles of a number of de Bernales' companies including Anglo-Australian Gold Development Co. and Commonwealth Mining and Finance Co. Ltd. Following Bessie's death in 1927, de Bernales married Helen Florence Berry (née Pincknie - the war widow of his first wife's brother, mining engineer James Webster Berry), in Colombo in January 1928, then later on 5 February 1930 at St Phillips, Cottesloe . Using London capital,
240-568: A concerted attack campaign by Lord Beaverbrook 's influential Daily Express continued. De Bernales became a recluse at his home The White House , a house with private beach in Selsey , Sussex, near Chichester. His second wife Helen Florence died there on 27 May 1956. De Bernales died at the Chelsea, London home of one of his daughters, on 9 December 1963, survived by daughters Daphne and Betty, from his first marriage. One of his grandchildren
288-408: A kiosk from the summer house selling icecream and cool drinks on weekends until it was demolished in 1959. For many years Cottesloe children also enjoyed the fancy dress ball held at the centre each year. Perth's annual Motor Show as well as industry fairs were regular events on the western lawns. As needs have changed so has the building. The building has been altered to cater for the growing needs of
336-538: A modest fortune by dealing in mine machinery in the Western Australian gold fields and was managing director of Kalgoorlie Foundry Limited. He would go on to become immensely wealthy, organising complex investment schemes in mining companies and attracting significant investment to Western Australia's mining industry. By 1913 he had renamed the house Overton Lodge after his birthplace in Brixton, England. In
384-578: Is a western suburb of Perth , Western Australia, within the Town of Cottesloe . Cottesloe was named for Thomas Fremantle, 1st Baron Cottesloe , a prominent Tory politician and the brother of Admiral Sir Charles Fremantle for whom the city of Fremantle was named. The nearby suburb of Swanbourne was named for the Fremantle family seat, Swanbourne House, in Swanbourne , Buckinghamshire. Cottesloe
432-612: Is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the west; a line extending from Boundary Road, Mosman Park to the ocean to the south; the Perth-Fremantle Railway , Stirling Highway , Congdon Street and West Coast Highway to the east; and North Street to the north. Cottesloe is generally residential, with a significant shopping area located between Jarrad and Station streets adjacent to the Cottesloe railway station . In
480-581: Is served by Swanbourne , Grant Street , Cottesloe , Mosman Park and Victoria Street railway stations on the Fremantle line . Various bus routes along Stirling Highway and through the suburb's western and eastern sections link Cottesloe to Perth and Fremantle. All services are operated by the Public Transport Authority . Cottesloe is serviced by the 102 operated by Swan Transit . From 1901 to 1968 and from 1974 to 1980 Cottesloe
528-711: Is vested in the National Trust of Australia (WA) and Curtin University . During 2008 there was a suggestion that the house be relocated to the Curtin University grounds but the decision was made that the house remain in Cottesloe. In May 2009 the federal government announced that it would provide a grant of $ 580,000 to the National Trust to restore the house. Kathleen Hope Barnes MBE who
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#1732783124609576-580: The Cottesloe War Memorial Town Hall and Civic Centre . Former West Coast Eagles premiership player Chris Mainwaring lived in Cottesloe before his death on 1 October 2007. Claude de Bernales Claude Albo de Bernales (31 May 1876 – 9 December 1963) was a Western Australian mining entrepreneur whose business activities and marketing did much to stimulate investment in Western Australia during
624-463: The Board of Trade was made during 1939 and 1940. This uncovered income tax liabilities from share dealings on profits of £1,382,000. These were however, never brought to trial as the case arguments dragged on for ten years. Between 1945 and 1948, the official receiver undertook further investigations but partly due to his failing health the claims were finally settled for just £125,000. In the meantime,
672-597: The 'Gold Bounty Acts', but by the time it became law in 1930 and 1931, the exchange rate had collapsed and price of gold had risen to well above the rate of the bounty paid. Following the depression, in 1933 the state government granted temporary reserves over prospective gold areas in the eastern and northern goldfields to encourage new investment in gold development, primarily to Western Mining Corporation and to companies associated with de Bernales. De Bernales moved to London in 1932, forming several investment companies which he promoted to seek new capital for mining leases on
720-584: The 'Golden Mile', the Great Boulder Proprietary Gold Mine. He also developed new mines at Mount Palmer which returned £200,000 to investors in the first 2 years and to the north at Marble Bar . In 1935-36 he returned to Western Australia with ex-governor Campion , being feted by local politicians acknowledging his ambassadorial role for the state. At that time he acquired properties in Melbourne and Perth and commissioned
768-521: The 1920s de Bernales added garages, a billiard room and made changes to the interior. He also began to make improvements to the grounds, establishing a large rose garden in the south west corner and probably the tennis court below the summer house. In 1936 he entered into an agreement with the Cottesloe Municipal Council to transform the land west from his property to Marine Parade into a model garden estate. The Overton Gardens Estate
816-611: The 2016 census , there were 7,375 people in Cottesloe, 68.8% of whom were born in Australia. The most common other countries of birth were England 8.6%, South Africa 1.8%, New Zealand 1.6% and United States of America 1.4%. 86.6% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 36.4%, Anglican 22.6% and Catholic 19.3%. Of the occupied private dwellings in Cottesloe, 66.9% were separate houses, 14.9% were semi-detached, row or terrace houses, townhouses etc., and 18.1% were flat or apartments. Of
864-609: The East Midlands of England , and later at Neuenheim College (now called Heidelberg College) in Heidelberg in the Rhineland , Germany . In 1897 de Bernales emigrated to the Western Australian goldfields, drawn like many other European immigrants to the lure of the gold rush of the region. His first job was running Western Machinery Company, Limited, which supplied and financed various mining machinery purchases for
912-611: The Spanish style. The Spanish Tower became a landmark in Cottesloe. The building was completed by 1938. His daughter Mrs Daphne Faye and her husband returned to live in the house. De Bernales by this time had returned to London and was involved in disputes with shareholders and in 1939 the London Stock Exchange suspended his companies. De Bernales returned to Western Australia only once post-war and it appears he had no opportunity to live in his Spanish mansion. In 1949
960-674: The Town of Cottesloe and improvements made to the grounds. In 1962 respected landscape architect John Oldham designed an attractive waterfall garden adjacent to the entry gates off Broome Street. In 1966 the remains of the Spanish Tower were demolished. In 1970 the Governor-General Sir Paul Hasluck unveiled a statue of war time Prime Minister John Curtin who had lived nearby in Jarrad Street. By 2000
1008-674: The Wiluna Gold Mines company which he owned jointly with several overseas companies including Consolidated Gold Fields of South Africa. In 1926 he went to London and raised £1 million to develop the Wiluna leases. A later issue of promissory notes for £300,000 was backed by the State government, after de Bernales fostered a close alliance with the Governor of Western Australia , Colonel Sir William Campion . Campion would later become
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#17327831246091056-492: The Wiluna mines were expanded and by 1934, 10,000 people had settled there and gold worth £3 million had been extracted. The Wiluna mine ultimately earned £12 million and provided an impetus for other mines in the region. With the onset of the Great Depression , de Bernales campaigned for government support of the gold mining industry, arguing that investment would enable the industry to continue to operate throughout
1104-665: The administration centre for the Town of Cottesloe , the War Memorial Town Hall and extensive walled and landscaped grounds with tall Norfolk Island pines. The Laurels was originally built in 1897-98 for Richard Pennefather . It was an elegant example of the Federation Queen Anne style. Claude de Bernales , a mining entrepreneur, bought the house in 1911 and renamed it Overton Lodge , after his birthplace in Brixton , London. In 1937 he redeveloped
1152-427: The alterations of the centre and in exchange was given the use of the billiard room with its attractive jarrah panels and lead light windows for its meetings. The branch continues to meet there today. One of the upstairs bedrooms was converted to a Children's Library and this provided a much need service to the children of the district until a public library in the town centre opened in 1967. The local Scout group operated
1200-649: The annual Pioneers Day lunch are hosted by the Town of Cottesloe. The grounds are open to picnickers and the Civic Centre is a popular venue for weddings. In 1995 the Cottesloe Civic Centre was included on the Town of Cottesloe Municipal Inventory as a Category 1 or Place of Highly Significant Heritage Value. In 1997 it was made a permanent entry on the State Register of Heritage Places for Western Australia. Cottesloe Cottesloe
1248-403: The decision was taken to sell Overton Lodge. In June 1949 Harold Boas approached the Cottesloe Municipal Council with a proposal to sell Overton Gardens to the council. Mayor Laurence Gadsdon and Shire Clerk Alex Smith recognised the opportunity the estate offered as a Civic Centre. In October 1949 the council approved the purchase of the property for £45,000. The sale included Overton Gardens,
1296-466: The depression as unemployment rose to 25%. He devised a gold bonus campaign, where the Federal government would pay a 'bounty' of £1 an ounce on gold produced in excess of the 1928-30 average. Not surprisingly, the idea had widespread support from his fellow entrepreneurs and state government politicians. De Bernales led several delegations to the eastern states to lobby for the scheme which was known as
1344-468: The distinctive Italianate walls surrounding the property were crumbling and extensive repairs were carried out in 2004–2006. To celebrate the Council's centenary in 2007 Pennefather's summer house, which overlooked the tennis court on the south side, was recreated and the original tiled floor restored. The tradition of community events continues. Concerts, Carols by Candlelight, citizenship ceremonies and
1392-447: The early years of the twentieth century. During the 1930s gold production in the State increased from £1,600,000 to £11,800,000 and employment in the industry quadrupled due in considerable part to de Bernales' marketing of the goldfields to overseas investors. De Bernales accumulated immense wealth through complex and elaborate schemes by which he acquired many mining companies and attracted overseas investment and personal support. In
1440-439: The employed people in Cottesloe, 7.2% worked in hospitals (except psychiatric hospitals). Other major industries of employment included legal services 3.6% and general practice medical services 3.0%. Historically Cottesloe Beach and its panorama are reflections of the changes in the last 110 years of Perth's history. The photos and paintings of Cottesloe Beach that are either in collections or published, give tangible evidence of
1488-612: The house in Brixton, London, where he was born. In 1938 he redeveloped it into an ostentatious Inter-war Spanish Mission style mansion. The house and its grounds are now the Cottesloe Civic Centre . In 1912 he became a director of foundry operators Hoskins & Co, Ltd in Perth. During this time, he developed his forté as a mining promoter while acquiring leases through defaults by some of his clients at Kalgoorlie and Wiluna . These leases were eventually used to form
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1536-552: The house in the Spanish Mission Style . In 1950 it was bought by the Town of Cottesloe and remodelled again, this time for use as a civic centre. It is included on the State Register of Heritage Places for Western Australia and the Municipal Inventory for the Town of Cottesloe. When the house was built in 1898 by Judge Richard W Pennefather there were few neighbouring properties and no proper road to
1584-463: The house. Broome Street did not extend north beyond Forrest Street and sand dunes and bush surrounded the house. The house was named "The Laurels" and built of limestone quarried from the nearby Briggs quarry (subsequently the Council depot). The arches and lintels to the doors and windows were of brick and the house was surrounded by large verandahs. A latticed tank stand housed the water tanks capable of holding 83,000 litres (22,000 US gal) and
1632-408: The hundreds of large and small gold mining companies in the region. On 19 May 1903 de Bernales married Bessie Picken Berry at Kalgoorlie . His business contacts continued to expand and in 1909 became managing director of a major mining plant supplier, Kalgoorlie Foundry, Ltd. In 1911, he purchased The Laurels , a Federation Queen Anne style house in Cottesloe , renaming it Overton Lodge after
1680-412: The importance of beach-oriented activities in the Perth community. Cottesloe Beach is a popular place for beach cricket . An oceanway allows pedestrians and cyclists to move along the beaches. It is one of Perth's most popular beaches and in 2009, Lonely Planet named Cottesloe Beach the world's 2nd best beach for families. The Indiana Tea House, which overlooks Cottesloe Beach, is also an icon of
1728-402: The land to the west of Overton Lodge, which had been destined for use as a model housing estate. The sale of this land helped to offset the cost of the purchase. The house was remodelled to serve as a Civic Centre. The jarrah lined lounge, library and reception hall were combined to become the War Memorial Town Hall and the dining room the Council chambers. Children's playgrounds were built and
1776-543: The latter part of his life however, financial difficulties and ill-health saw him live as a recluse in Selsey , Sussex, United Kingdom. De Bernales was born in Brixton , London, the son of a Syracuse, New York-born Basque, Manuel Edgar Albo de Bernales, and his American wife Emma Jane, née Belden. He was educated at a variety of schools in the US, Britain and Europe, including one year (1891) at Uppingham School in Rutland in
1824-411: The new land reservations. Capital of £1,261,000 was raised, though much of the land was unproven. In 1933–35, yet more companies and another £6,110,000 was pumped into his leases. By now, de Bernales' fundraising represented a major proportion of overseas capital inflows for Australian mining and the Western Australian economy as a whole. In 1936, he won control of one of the oldest and richest mines of
1872-409: The north and relocate the tennis courts to their current site on Broome Street. While the tennis courts were moved, economic conditions and the outbreak of the war in 1939 meant that the model estate did not eventuate. At the same time De Bernales commissioned Melbourne architect Bernard Evans to remodel the house. The plan involved a dramatic change in appearance from a Federation Queen Anne style to
1920-482: The reception hall. Surrounding sand dunes were levelled and soil trucked in from the Darling Ranges to establish expansive gardens and lawns to the west. A 1,100-metre (3,600 ft) Italianate balustrade wall designed by Rosenthal was also built and still surrounds the property. Massive water storage tanks holding 100,000 litres (26,000 US gal) that stood behind the house were retained and renovated in
1968-538: The seat as an independent and since 2022 when the current independent member Kate Chaney was elected. In the parliament of Western Australia, its Legislative Assembly electoral district is Cottesloe , held consecutively by three Liberal Party leaders, currently David Honey . John Curtin , Prime Minister of Australia for much of World War II , was local federal member of parliament from 1928 to 1931 and 1934 to 1945. He lived in Cottesloe from 1918 until his death in office in 1945. Curtin's house in Jarrad Street
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2016-615: The suburb, and in 2021 it was added to the Western Australia Heritage Register. A new town planning scheme was approved for Cottesloe allowing developers to build to five storeys high along Marine Terrace with the Ocean Beach Hotel site allowed to reach eight storeys. The decision followed a two decade long debate. A plan to build a skatepark in Cottesloe in 2020, had resulted in heated debate between locals and skateboarders . Cottesloe
2064-450: The water tanks demolished having been declared unsafe, retaining only the empty structure of the Spanish Tower. On 30 September 1950 a crowd of 3,000 gathered to celebrate the official opening and a grand ball was held in the evening. The new Civic Centre provided much needed facilities for community groups. Among them was the Cottesloe sub-branch of the RSL. The branch had contributed funds for
2112-639: The well-known London Court shopping arcade in the Perth CBD. De Bernales returned to London, but from 1939 his empire started to encounter difficulties. The Great Boulder mine went into liquidation and its shareholders sought recovery of their losses, accusing de Bernales of mismanagement. The London Stock Exchange suspended trading in several of his companies in July 1939 which sent them also into liquidation. An extensive investigation into de Bernales' Commonwealth Group of companies by Sir William McClintock for
2160-408: Was a leading Australian nurse was born here in 1909. Claude de Bernales was a mining entrepreneur who in 1911 bought Attorney-General Richard Pennefather's 1898 Federation Queen Anne house, naming it Overton Lodge . In 1936 it was rebuilt as a 30-room Inter-war Spanish Mission style residence, designed by Bernard Evans . It was bought for £30,000 by the Town of Cottesloe in 1950 and renamed
2208-446: Was home to Australian Prime Minister John Curtin . The house he built still stands in Jarrad Street. It is now vested jointly in the National Trust of Australia (WA) and Curtin University . Cottesloe is a beach-side suburb of the city of Perth in Western Australia. It is located roughly halfway between Perth's central business district and the port of Fremantle . It is famous for its beaches, cafes and relaxed lifestyle. Cottesloe
2256-459: Was part of the Fremantle electorate, since 1934 a notional Labor seat. Its most prominent member was wartime Prime Minister John Curtin , a Cottesloe resident. Since 1980, it has been part of the federal division of Curtin . Curtin is regarded as a safe seat for the centre-right Liberal Party , which has held the seat continually since its inception, with the exception of a period from 1995 to 1998 when former Liberal member Allan Rocher held
2304-484: Was to comprise 25 houses designed according to the latest ideas from England and the continent. The land was endowed for municipal purposes and housed the original courts of the Cottesloe Tennis Club adjacent to Warnham Road. The Reserves Act (no 32 of 1935) allowed for the sale of the land providing the proceeds of the sale were used to extend Napier Street to the coast, improve the recreational reserve to
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