Cottage Point is entirely enclosed by Ku-ring-gai Chase
National Park, which protects 14,712ha of rugged bushland,
and by two waterways Cowan Creek and Coal & Candle Creek.
Cottage Point is
also listed as a Heritage Conservation area by Warringah Council
due to significant buildings which highlight
the leisure related development of the area.
Cottage Point was found
...
the first European
exploration was made by Governor Phillip on 5 March 1788 in
which he noted 'several coves and good depth of water all
the way up'. Cowan Creek was also a favourite route for
smugglers in the early days. In 1842 a timbergetter came
upon 200 casks of rum that had been secretly landed from the
Fair Barbadian.
However, the area has not always
been known by the quaint name of Cottage Point. In about
1880 it was known as Terry's Point named after James Terry
who built a holiday cottage there although in 1884 it was known
as Gerrard Point.
One of the earliest
inhabitants along Cowan Creek was Edward Windybank in 1890.
He built his home in Waratah Bay (a few bays round from
Cottage Point) where he lived with his family. Whilst quite
isolated this did not stop the shrewd businessman who saw
opportunities for holiday makers. He built a fleet of 60 row
boats which he hired out and is also believed to have been
the first person to make moored houseboats available for
hire. He bought old steamers, cut them in half and converted
them to make accomodation for holiday makers - rent for a
week was three pounds (approx. six dollars).
In 1934 a bridle track
from Akuna Bay allowed holiday enthusiasts access to Cottage
Point. Although it wasn't until 1968 that Cottage Point
received its first sealed road replacing the rough and unsealed
road. Surprisingly most people continued visit Cottage Point
by boat.
In 1974 residents packed
away their generators as electricity was made available to
the cottages and houses.
Today there is about 50
properties in this small community. Most of the properties
are used as weekenders or holiday homes with an increasing
number taking up permanent residence. There are a number of
historically significant sandstone and timber cottages along
Cottage Point's foreshore that provide a stark contrast with
their large modern neighbours.
A tale...
Opposite Cowan Waters
you will see Looking Glass Bay and to the right is Looking Glass Rock which glows brightly with
the dawn sun in summer. It is said that the local
Aborigines believed that if the rock ever became submerged
then it would be a sign that the Europeans would depart!!
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