Now every computer in the library has access to Ancestry.com; free of charge

The history of longboard surfing Cottesloe's boardriding birth and boom An evening with the legends March 1 at the Grove 6pm

Listen to the Live 6PR Radio interview with Simon Beaumont and Sindy Dowden. Can you help Sindy locate images of the family favourite? The Oceanarium operated from 1969 - 1974 and was situated on the foreshore near No 2. Car Park. If you have images you think we might be interested in then please email history@thegrovelibrary.com. We would love to hear from you.

It is difficult to believe its been 10 years since our library welcomed its first customer. At lot has happened over that time with some great achievements along the way. Read all about how the library came into being and check out the photos on our image database.

Now that Covid-19 restrictions have lifted, why not take the family and stroll Cottesloe foreshore. We have a brand new heritage trail waiting for you to explore.So grab your spirit of adventure and download our free app today.

In the very early days at Cottesloe beach, picnics on the sand, listening to live bands and strolling along the foreshore were more popular than swimming – there were no facilities for changing into swimsuits and full dress was common even in the summer heat – Early settlers brought with them English moral standards which meant modesty was highly valued. This prevented most from ever considering donning a bathing costume and entering the water where they may embarrassingly encounter others doing the same thing!

On 24th January, 1924, a German visitor named Gerd von Dincklage-Schulenburg made good on a bet he had made over a beer a few days earlier and swam from North Mole in Fremantle to Natural Jetty in Rottnest becoming the first recorded person to complete the swim. Despite being warned of the dangers associated with the swim, mainly the cold, rips and of course sharks, Gerd was not discouraged and completed the distance in 9 hours and 45 minutes.