THE END OF A VERY HOT SUMMER

The hottest summer ever in Perth metro is finally over and the weather will be changing. It is only going to be 26C tomorrow, 23C on Wednesday and 25C on Thursday. But it will be getting hotter for the weekend.

Interesting clouds over the choppy Indian Ocean at Bathers Beach early this afternoon.

Roel Loopers

WHERE’S THE NEW FREO METRONET CONNECTION?!

Old plans with Fremantle to Cockburn line

Many people, even those who voted for Labor, are very dismayed that the McGowan Government continues to treat Fremantle like an unwanted child. It was not any better before under the Liberal/National Government either. Freo is a safe Labor seat so no one in Parliament gives a XXXX about what we want, think and need.

There is a constant stream of media releases and photo opportunities about new Metronet connections, but the Fremantle to Cockburn and Fiona Stanley lines has been taken off the map and are unlikely to happen in the next decade.

This comes from a government that wants urban infill and higher density all the way from Freo to Cockburn, but us third-rate citizens will just have to do with bus services. New train connections are for more important suburbs, in the opinion of the WA Government, it appears.

To only start a new Metronet line when there is a huge increase in residents and workers in the area is the wrong attitude. McGowan and his planning people need to be pro-active about Fremantle’s future, and stop the procrastination when it comes to the second city in WA! It’s simply not good enough!

Roel Loopers

FREO’S WONDERFUL HIDDEN TREASURE FOR LIFE DRAWING

DARAWNATURE studio at the back of 5 Henry Street is a wonderful secluded location for Life Drawing every Tuesday from 7-9pm.

Owner Dave is a delightful and wise man, who has created this amazingly tranquil space, that is a gallery, cafe and his studio.

Go check it out. It is a true Fremantle hidden treasure!

Roel Loopers

FREE RATs FOR EVERYONE IN WA!

Every Western Australian deserves to have access to a rapid test, no matter who they are and no matter where they live across WA.

That’s why, in an Australian first, the State Government will provide an initial 5.3 million free Rapid Antigen Tests to more than one million households across the State.

Each WA household is eligible for five individual tests. Households are able to register online at https://www.wa.gov.au/…/covid-19-coronavirus-wa-free… from today and have the tests delivered to their home address.

People who cannot register online can contact 13 COVID (tel:13 26843) for assistance placing their order. To register, people are required to provide their name, contact number, email and home address.

Once registered, people will receive confirmation with a unique order number, which is required if they elect to collect their free RATs from a designated collection point in the metropolitan area.

Collection for registered orders will be open from tomorrow (Monday) at the Perth Airport collection point.

People should allow for up to 15 business days for delivery from when they receive confirmation, with regional areas being prioritised initially.

WE TOLD YOU SO! VICTORIA QUAY WRONG LOCATION PREMIER SAYS

It is interesting that Premier Mark McGowan told a media conference today that the Fremantle Victoria Quay location for proposed movie studios was the wrong location and that they are now looking for alternative sites. So it was a brain fart and nothing else!

My question is why the government made these huge announcements on the wharf, before they had done their home work? What a waste of time, and probably money.

I am not a conspiracy person, but I wonder how coincidental it was that then Councillor Hannah Fitzhardinge, who is very close to the Labor state government, came up with the Fremantle Film Friendly policy, only months before the film studios announcement.

Governments are very strange animals, that often lack common sense and proper process. Remember when the Barnett government wanted to sell off Fremantle Ports? It costs millions of dollars in legal and consultants fees, and then the brain fart disappeared. Will the planned new port at Kwinana go the same way, if an environmental study shows it would do serious damage to Cockburn Sound?

In real life people have a business plan and do due diligence research before they open a business, but that basic process often does not seem to apply to governments. Why not?!

The Premier and ministers for the arts, the ports and development, and our local member all have egg on their faces. They should never have made these big development announcements before they had investigated if Victoria Quay was suitable or not.

Heritage experts and planners, and even this little old Loopy, told them VQ was the wrong location and we have been proven right. Does that make me a lobbyist now? 😜

Roel Loopers

FREO’S GORGEOUS NUMBAT TO DISAPPEAR

The beautiful Numbat mural artwork in the Henderson Street mall will disappear if the Fremantle Council Planning Committee on Wednesday approves the demolition of the building, that was home to the Pine Warehouse for a long time and later to the True Blue markets.

The Numbat was painted in 2011 for the Fremantle Festival.

The building is part of the planned development of the so-called Spicer’s site, which has been a carpark for as long as I can remember. The site was part of the Kings Square Redevelopment Project collaboration between Fremantle City and Sirona Capital-now Sirona Urban-but Sirona sold the property to one of Twiggy Forrest’s companies.

There are plans for a six-storey hotel, plus restaurant, small bar and basement public parking, but that development has been put on hold and plans have not been approved yet, so that might not happen for many years.

The demolition of the building would make way for 32 additional car bays, 4 motorcycle and 4 bicycle spaces. The heritage wall near the Old Shanghai market would be safely demolished and stored to be reinterpreted as an artwork when the hotel is built.

Another new hotel in the inner city could mean that four new hotels will be built, with the Yolk Property Group planning to commence the construction of a hotel on the corner of Suffolk Street and South Terrace soon, and the Woolstores development in progress. Plans have also been approved for a four-storey hotel behind the former Courthouse, and plans for a large development in the Fishing Boat Harbour also include a hotel.

Meanwhile there are persistent rumours that the Hilton Doubletree hotel development at Point Street might not go ahead at all. It has been a long time coming, but no action at all, or indication from the SKS Group when they will start with construction.

Roel Loopers

FREO VICTORIA QUAY FILM STUDIO PLANS ABANDONED!

An Exclusive by Mark Gibson of 6PR radio has revealed that the Western Australian State Government has put its $ 100 million plans for film studios on Fremantle’s historic Victoria Quay on ice.

According to Mark Gibson logistical issues and budget blow out has put the project on hold.

The plans were announced before the last State election with a lot of fanfare, with the Premier, Planning and Arts Ministers and local member Simone McGurk, celebrities, etc. but no one from the McGowan Government have officially come out and announce the significant project will not be going ahead.

I am amongst many who believe that Victoria Quay is not the right location for massive concrete bunkers, so if 6PR is right I am buying myself a big drink to celebrate.

Roel Loopers

WRITERS WEEKEND AT FREMANTLE ARTS CENTRE

The Writers Weekend is on at the Fremantle Arts Centre this weekend, as part of the Perth Festival.

“Gather with fellow literary lovers to dive into the theme of connection and hear from authors in conversation. Some authors will speak live while others will appear via live stream from across the country and around the world.“

“Over the next two days we’re hosting incredible authors, big ideas and important conversations. Enjoy discussions with some of the biggest names in writing and brilliant up-and-coming stars. Don’t forget the ever-popular Family Day tomorrow, to help younger readers experience the magical power of stories.

Writers Weekend sessions are either free or pay-what-you-can.

If you hear something you love and want to learn more, pick up books from the featured authors (and more!) from FOUND’s bookshop. Find a quiet corner and jump into a good read, with delicious food and refreshments from Fremantle favourites Gage Roads Brew Co and Republic of Fremantle Distillery to keep you going!“

Confirmed speakers include:

• Tim Winton
• Helen Garner 
• Guy Ghouse & Gina Williams 
• Hannah Kent 
• NGANGK WAANGENING, MOTHERS’ STORIES: Aunty Doreen Nelson & Rhoda Marriott AM (Ngangk Waangening, Mothers’ Stories)
• Michael Robotham 
• Lisa Taddeo 
• Judith Lucy
• Sisonke Msimang in conversation with Dr Elfie Shiosaki (Homecoming) & Dr Cindy Solonec (Debesa: The Story of Frank and Katie Rodriguez)

It is on from 10am to 5pm this Saturday and Sunday.

Roel Loopers

THE LATEST FREO-OH! MAGAZINE IS OUT

The latest FRE-OH! magazine is out and you should be getting it in your letterbox, but can also pick up a copy at the Fremantle Library.

On the cover are the gorgeous Lucy and Michael Dellers, who run the Fremantle Tours. You can do the tours on foot or on a bike supplied by them, or BYOB. Micheal knows Freo inside out and all the hidden treasures and murals, so doing a tour with him is even fantastic for those who live here. You can book online or pop in the Dellers Cafe, behind Kakulas Sister, that is also run my Michael and Lucy.

There is also a story about our new Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge and a bit of her history, a story about veterinarian Garnett Hall and movie critic Mark Naglazas, a bit more info on the next Street Art Festival, and a double spread about Fremantle’s remarkable construction boom, etc.

FRE-OH! is a very Freo magazine, so keep an eye out for it.

Roel Loopers

LET’S STICK WITH THE HISTORIC FACTS!

I absolutely agree with Fremantle Society president John Dowson that the City of Fremantle is not looking after historic Arthur’s Head well enough. While they have secured the cliff face to try to prevent more rockfall, there are still many areas that need to be prioritised. For example, the steps up to the Roundhouse look a mess. It is disgraceful that visitors to the oldest public building in WA walk past the crumbling and unsightly walls.

To prevent rockfall vegetation was removed from the eastern walls, but it is now growing back, so why is that allowed to happen?

The Roundhouse need to be maintained, and the State Heritage Council offered another $ 500,000 for Arthur’s Head repairs, if Fremantle Council was willing to match that amount. It wasn’t!

But John Dowson is wrong in his email to members, to say that the new Whalers Tunnel canopy will have Aboriginal art. It will have art relating to the whales and the first settlers, as my photo shows.

“Ahead of that are the repairs to the crumbling cliff face and 1837 Whalers’ Tunnel where Aboriginal art will adorn a colonial historic setting.” JD wrote.

And the FS president is doing his very best-yet again-to white wash a disgraceful part of our WA history and the Quod Aboriginal Prison on Rottnest Island/Wadjemup

He wrote about the Roundhouse prisoners ” Included among the many hundreds were a minority of Aboriginal prisoners en route to Rottnest, where authorities of the time thought the natives would be better able to roam free instead of being locked in the tiny cells of Fremantle Prison on the hill behind the town.”

Indisputable fact is that some 3,700 Aboriginal men and boys were transported to the island and nearly ten per cent of them died there. To omit that fact, but state that prisoners could roam free on the island is reinterpreting history the Wadjela(white men’s) way.

Roel Loopers