Grove History

17/04/2026

Heritage Festival Exhibition is up at the Grove library! Pop in over the next fortnight to catch it!

20/03/2026

Our Heritage Festival Photo Exhibition opens at the Grove Library on Saturday 18th April - 3rd May. Taken in the 1960s, the first series of photos is concentrated around Napolean Street (like this shot from 1962 with the old Cottesloe Picture Theatre visible on Stirling highway). The second series features colour images of Peppermint Grove in the 2000s featuring a "then and now" perspective of the Garden Shire.

13/02/2026

A striking photo of Cottesloe Beach showing (amongst other things) the old cement boardwalk and children's paddling pool constructed in 1963. The paddling pool was taken out in the late 1990s and was anecdotally freezing to swim in! This photo is another terrific donation received this week from a local Cottesloe resident. Whilst only in paper form we have managed to digitize it with our trusty Epsom Scanner. If you have any hidden gems at home... we are always here to help you preserve and record your special photos for friends and family and of course with your blessing share with the local community.

27/01/2026

A local resident donated this terrific photo postcard recently. It is taken, looking west towards Cottesloe Beach from the Loretto School Tower on McNeil Street, Peppermint Grove. (Date unknown)
Loretto students can be seen in the foreground and original sand dunes of Cottesloe in the background.
The history of photo postcards in Australia dates back to the late 1800s, with the introduction of pictorial postcards by the Victorian Government in 1895. These postcards were divided down the back to allow both the address and message to be written on the front, with the back consisting entirely of an image.

07/10/2025

In the lead up to our first Peppermint Grove Community Day Breakfast celebrations on 26th October we have been busy collating some old photos of The Garden Shire and its residents. Please enjoy a snapshot of a few below and don't forget to register to come along and celebrate at the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club event - RSVP [email protected]
All welcome! 🙂

12/08/2025

Only 4 days left to see the Swan Canoe Club's fabulous photo exhibition at the Grove Library.. Come down and check out the Kayaks on display before Friday. Club members celebrated 60 years and shared their paddling adventures last Thursday evening in the Library's main hall.

22/07/2025

07/07/2025

MONDAY MEMORIES...
The Evans Family at Glan-yr-Afron, (60 The Espalande) in 1910. Olive Evans (nee Earle) came to Perth in 1901 to visit her sister Bessie Rischbieth. There she met William Evans, whom she married in 1905. They bought a block of land and built Glan-yr-Afon, a fitting name, as it means ' Banks of the River'. The house was situated on the corner of The Esplanade and Keane Street, right on the banks of the Swan River. Here Olive and William raised six children, Rachel, William, Margaret, Barbara, David and Mary. Olive Evans was a stalwart of the community. Affectionately known as ' Grannie' she was always ready to lend a helping hand, from caring for children in need, to hosting the Red Cross Sewing Circle during World War I. In addition to being a devoted mother, Olive was a founding member and State President of the Women's Service Guild of Australia. Glan-yr-Afron stands today, after several renovations over time.

2) Two of Olive and Williams Children, Billy & David Evans pictured in 1916 on their way to school on their ponies.

For further tales of the Earle sisters follow this link https://peppermintgrove.wordpress.com/

24/06/2025

Anyone for Golf?

The first 6-hole golf course in Peppermint Grove sat between Johnston and Keane Streets, and Bayview Terrace and The Esplanade. A sketch of the original course was given to the Grove Library and was drawn by hand by Keith Barker, a keen local golfer at the time.
In 1899 eight acres of what had been Keane’s cow paddock was purchased by the Government as a public reserve and a six-hole golf course was built.
Please enjoy these photos of Keiths sketch of Peppermint Grove Golf Club and other photographs of the Cottesloe Golf Club course on Alfred Road in Swanbourne, in the 1930s.

02/05/2025

Perth Heritage Festival is being celebrated at the Grove Library with an Art Exhibition from North Cottesloe Primary School students. Running from 12th-26th of May, the students have created art works based on important community leaders from past and present.