Public Art Around The World

More Than Just The Plaque

Cottesloe Sundial

Cottesloe Sundial

Public Art: Cottesloe Sundial

Also Known As: Bi-Centennial Memorial Sundial

Nickname: The Dunny

Architect: © Geoff Considine

Astrological Data: The data was provided by Dr Tony Hooley of Curtin University and incorporated into the design

Description: The Cottesloe Sundial was built by volunteer labour and took over 5 years to complete due to lack of fundings for materials. The sundial consists of two right angle triangular limestone walls approximately a metre apart.  There is a wall behind them that curves up either side of the central piece. The curved piece that sits on the wall is made from stainless steel.

Date Unveiled: The building of the sundial commenced in 1988 and was completed in 1993. 

Location: The Cottesloe Sundial can be found just south of the Cottesloe Surf Lifesaving Club, Marine Parade, Cottesloe. Just follow the path you can’t miss it.

Inscription:

Cottesloe Sundial

Project commenced in 1988

This credit plaque is installed to acknowledge those generous
contibutors for the making of Cottesloe Beach Sundial.

Also, to help accurate time reading , Time-reading instruction is installed on the opposite side of this plate. Use this example and apply the same method for other times and days.

Awards provided

Le Ombre Di Tempo (Medizone)
Secondo Classificato
Sezione (unreadablle)
Union Astrohli Bresciani
Anno 1993

Western Australian
Civic Design Award
1995
Specific Feature
Award
presented to
Cottesloe Sundial Precinct
and to Dr Tony Hooley
By the joint committee
of the
Royal Institute of Architects (WA Chapter)
Royal Australian Planning Institute (WA Division)
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (WA Committee)
Institution of Engineering Australia (WA Division)
Under the patronage of the Premier of Western Australia
The honourable Richard Court M.L.A.

General Information

The design for the Sundial was initiated by an architectural competition for the Town of Cottesloe, which sought an appropriate monument to commemorate the Australian Bicentenary. The project was built over a seven year period with extremely limited funds, and relied upon the generousity and voluntary contributions of many.

The Sundials equatorial form is derived from the sundials in Jaipur, India, createdby the Maharaja dei Singh in the 18th century. The two engraved dials (shadow plates) allow an accurate reading of the time to be taken throughout the year.They are separated by a narrow walkway , and are constructed of limestone blocks capped by pre-cast concrete to give a sharp shadow line.

Unlike the Jaipur sundial the shadow plates on the Cottesloe Sundial are engraved with equation of time curves. These curves accommodate the 4 degree and 17 second difference in logitude between the sundial at Cottesloe Beach and the meridian of West Australian Standard Time at Kalgoorlie. They convert apparent  solar time to Western Solar Time.

Things you may not know about the Cottesloe Sundial: It is believed to be one of the largest sundials in the Southern Hemisphere but I have my doubts.  The largest in the world is the Samrat Yantra in India.

1 Comments

  1. This is really interesting reading, with just a minor error.
    Please correct below name.
    “Maharaja dei Singh” to “Maharaja Jai Singh”

    Thanks.

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