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The Cottesloe Coastal Walk starts from the Swanbourne Beach carpark and extends just over 4km (8km return) along the Cottesloe coastal shared pathway up to the Marine Parade / Curtin Ave intersection and features not only amazing coastal views but several pieces of artwork to admire along the way so you can enjoy a “Sculpture By The Sea” experience all year round.
I parked at the Swanbourne Beach carpark where there is 2 hours free parking. There aren’t a lot of spaces here so on a busy day you may need to park at one of the bigger carparks or in the street parking along Marine Parade, most of these parking areas are limited to 3 hours and are all free. You can also catch the train and add the 1.1km walk from the Train Station to Marine Terrace to your walk.
The shared pathway hugs the coastline all the way along and there are lots of beach access points and art works all the way along. If you want to grab a coffee along the way you can stop in at The Blue Duck (they have a coffee window) or Barchetta. They are both found on the ocean side of Marine Terrace towards the beginning of your walk.
One of the most spectacular art pieces along this walk is the Cottesloe Sun Dial. It’s a little bit off the main pathway just south of the Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club building, in fact unless you’ve walked along here you may not have know it was there. The Sun Dial was originally an idea for a Bi-Centennial competition to commemorate the founding of the colonies on the east. It’s understood to be one of the biggest sun dials in the southern hemisphere and has become a local landmark.
As you walk back towards the shared coastal pathway you’ll also see the Cottesloe Arch Monument, which is a popular spot for taking wedding photos as it has beautiful ocean views.
From here the coastal shared path runs closely along the ocean and provides beautiful views and often lots of action with this area popular with stand up paddleboarders, surfers, kite surfers and paragliders and there are more artworks to enjoy along the way.
This is one of my favourites it’s called “Pause”. As you walk past and look at the statue it appears to disappear and reappear as your perspective changes.
If you are doing this walk with kids there are a few playgrounds along the way, including two traditional playgrounds and a nature based play area at the end of the walk trail at the Nature Discovery Space Cottesloe. There are also a couple of outdoor gyms along the walk trail. A few water fountains are located along the walk and public toilets are located in the Indiana Tea House building.
On your way back be sure to look out for the historical buildings on the east side of Marine Terrace and make sure you look up too, the sculptures along this walk are not just on the ground.
If you are looking for a long walk in Perth, that’s accessible to all abilities with lots of interesting features to explore and beautiful views to enjoy along the way, you will love this walk.
See more of this beautiful walk trail on my Take a Hike Perth YouTube Channel, and be sure to like the video, subscribe and turn on notifications if you would like to see more videos!
Start: Swanbourne Beach Carpark
Nearest Train Station: Cottesloe Train Station (1.1km from Marine Tce)
Distance: 8.5 km return
Time: 1.5 – 2hours
Toilets: Indiana Tea Rooms Building (Public Toilets accessed from the outside)
Points of Interest: Beaches, Several Cafes, Bars & Restaurants, Sculptures including the Cottesloe Sun Dial, Two Playgrounds, Nature Based Play Space, Two Outdoor Gyms
Map: Click here for the Cottesloe Coastal Walk Trail Map
Lauren Angove is an adventurous Perth (Western Australia) Mum of two boys who loves to blog about her experiences to inspire other mid-lifers to choose their most adventurous lives now. Keep up to date with her latest adventure inspiration and advice at Always Adventure Ready on facebook.