INNER HARBOUR

Child Places

• 03363 Port of Fremantle Passenger Terminal
• 03602 Victoria Quay, Fremantle

Statement of Significance

Refer to FCC Minutes, Item SP32, 20/7/1998.
Fremantle Inner Harbour has played a fundamental role in the broader context of development of the Australian nation and is significant for the following reasons:
The Fremantle Inner Harbour is one of the most largely intact - and still working 19th century industrial ports with direct linkages to a port town in Australia and internationally;
The Fremantle Inner Harbour was the main strategic port for Allied Forces during World War Two in the southern hemisphere and as such played an integral role in Australia's and the Allies defense operations;
The Fremantle Inner Harbour was the point of entry for hundreds of thousands of people who arrived in Australia as part of the massive post World War Two immigration program undertaken by the Commonwealth Government;
Since its major redevelopment in the 19th century, the Fremantle Inner Harbour has provided employment for many thousand of `wharfies' and `lumpers' who not only made significant contribution to the development of Fremantle but also formed part of what is now the Maritime Union of Australia; one of the strongest and most organised unions in the history of Australia;
The Fremantle Inner Harbour was the first of the major breakwater ports in Australia and has been recognised by Engineers Australia (formerly The Institution of Engineers, Australia) as a National Historical Engineering Landmark for its innovative design, technological achievement and contribution to the engineering profession; and,
The development of the Fremantle Inner Harbour saw it become known nationally and internationally as the Western Gateway into the Australian nation (extracted from Australian Heritage database for nomination of National Listing).

Physical Description

The portions of the Inner harbour reservations contiguous with and inclusive of the said portion of the swan River and extending northwards to the alignment of Tydeman Road. (FFC Minutes, Item SP32, 20/7/1998) Fremantle Inner Harbour is a landmark industrial urban landscape and townscape located at the convergence of the City of Fremantle, the Swan River and the Indian Ocean with vistas and approaches from various points from land, river and sea.
The place comprises the Victoria Quay (to the south), the South Mole, the North Mole and the inner harbour area itself, the form of which still dates from its main period of development in the 19th century.
The quays, wharf structures with berths, jetties and slipways, lighthouses, utilitarian transit and storage sheds, winches and cranes, the nearby railway lines, the office tower, the passenger terminal, the former immigration buildings precinct, the landmark maritime museum and hard concrete and bitumen surfaces, together form a coherent, visual landscape and contribute to an understanding of the industrial nature of the place and its working life as a port.
The Fremantle Inner Harbour has strong historical, visual, aesthetic and physical associations with the west end of Fremantle, which developed concurrent to the opening of the habour as the principal port of the state and by the turn of the 20th century took the appearance of a prosperous port town with elaborate warehouses and business premises, banks and hotels, and public buildings.

History

The Fremantle area was part of the district of Midgegoorong of the Nyungar people and was used as a summer camp. As told in the Nyungar Dreaming stories, the Swan River was formed by the rainbow serpent the ‘Waugal’ as it made its way across the coastal landscape to the ocean.
On 2 May 1829, Captain Charles Fremantle of the FIMS Challenger hoisted the British Flag and took possession of the remaining area of New Holland in the name of His Majesty King George IV. Fremantle became the main port of entry to the capital of Perth. Passengers and cargo were landed at a small jetty at Anglesea Point, South Bay (south of Arthur Head) and from then taken to North Bay (now Fremantle Inner Harbour) where they reloaded onto smaller vessels for the journey up river to Perth.
From this time up to the 1890s, various schemes were proposed for the creation of a protected harbour at the mouth of the Swan River and the construction of a breakwater at the river mouth. In the 1870s and 1880s several plans were put forward for this harbour, including those by English marine engineer Sir John Coode, who had been commissioned by the colonial government.
Gold was discovered in the 1880s/1890s in Western Australia resulting in mass migration and economic prosperity. Also, in 1890, responsible government was granted thereby allowing the opportunity to loan monies for public works. Premier John Forrest committed to the establishment of Fremantle as the state’s principal port and in 1891 appointed C. Y. O’Connor as Engineer-in-Chief to the government.
O’Connor’s inner harbour scheme was endorsed by government in 1892 and in November the first truck load of stone was tipped for the construction of the North Mole. Work began on South Mole in 1894 together with the blasting of the bar that blocked the river mouth. By 1897, a total of 659,800 tonnes of rock and 414,400 cubic metres of sand had been removed from the harbour.
The arrival of the Western Australian Steam Navigation Company’s SS Sultan from Singapore on 4 May 1897 signalled the completion and beginning of operations of the new Fremantle Inner Harbour. On 3 August 1900, the Post Masters’ General Office announced that Fremantle would replace Albany as the mail port -final recognition of that Fremantle Inner Harbour was the principal port of Western Australia.
Work continued on the Fremantle Inner Harbour throughout the first half of the ~ century including the building of an Information Bureau at Victoria Quay in 1907, which from this time up to the 1 960s became the centre for migrant and visitor facilities at the port. Its establishment was part of Fremantle’s role as the main point of entry for migrants and visitors entering Western Australia and Australia.
After the outbreak of World War Two, the Fremantle Inner Harbour quickly developed as a significant strategic port for the Allied Forces. After the fall of Singapore in March 1942, it became the main naval base for the British Royal Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy.
On 13 February 1948, the first Displaced Persons arrived at the harbour aboard the General Stewart as part of the commonwealth government’s post war immigration policy.
In 1948, consulting engineer F. W. E. Tydeman prepared a report on the development of the Fremantle port. Tydeman was appointed General Manager of the Fremantle Harbour Trust (later Fremantle Ports) in 1950, a position he held until 1963, and it was under his administration that the modernisation, mechanisation and containerisation of the Fremantle Inner Harbour was completed. As part of this, North Quay became used for the handling of general cargo and the outer harbour developed at Cockburn Sound.
Fremantle Inner Harbour continues to operate as a port in 2005, although larger facilities such as bulk handling of wheat and grains have gradually been relocated to the outer harbour.
Since 1997, studies have been undertaken at the instigation of Fremantle Ports and the state government in relation to the revitalisation of Victoria Quay. Proposals include the building of a new maritime museum (opened in 2003) and the establishment of a commercial precinct. The plans have met with much public opposition as they incorporate the demolition of the former immigration buildings precinct and the erection of a multi-storey commercial building at Victoria Quay.
(Sources: Australian Heritage database)

Integrity/Authenticity

Fremantle Inner Harbour still operates as a working port, the purpose for which it was original built and as such is in good condition.

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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This data is provided by the City of Fremantle. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this data, the City of Fremantle makes no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which you might incur as a result of the data being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason. Under no circumstances should this data be used to carry out any work without first contacting the City of Fremantle for the appropriate confirmation and approval.