THE BRILLIANT FREMANTLE STUDIO SCHOOL

I want to go back to school! Don’t get worried, senility has not entered my decaying old body! 🥳 I just had the most wonderful and inspiring experience at the all new Fremantle The Studio School on Friday. It was so good and so very different from any school I have ever attended or visited, that I wished this new education concept had been around in my young days.

The Studio School by All Saints College is situated in two heritage buildings at Adelaide Street, opposite the Townhall. The two-storey buildings have been connected, renovated and extended by Silverleaf Investments and the space is just beautiful.

I don’t think I know enough superlatives to describe the experience I had at lunchtime yesterday. How good can education and learning be! How incredible to see relaxed and happy faces of the year 10, 11, 12-year students, who all clearly enjoyed being there.

Some students told me of their previous schools and how unhappy, stressed and even depressed they had been, and that being at The Studio School made such a huge positive difference to them. They now enjoyed going to school and studying in the relaxed open-plan ambience.

There are small booths for students to withdraw in, to study, do research, work together with friends, but also large tables and benches for collaboration and support. The students are also welcome to leave the premises and walk over to the Fremantle Library, or get some fresh air and study on a bench in the sun at Walyalup Koort.

There is none of the stiff, regimented, rigid old-style school here, that so often stifles creativity, self-expression and self-awareness. Students are encouraged to be themselves, to take charge of their own future, to wear whatever they like, to be young and full of hope and dreams. They learn already at The Studio School what real life after school is going to be like, and they will be ready for it with big smiles on their faces.

On Friday at lunchtime, six students were baking gluten-free brownies and gluten-free apple and cinnamon cake, while other students were sitting at computers, one playing guitar, and a girl making a henna painting on the hand of another student. How good is that!

Currently only 47 students attend The Studio School, but it will slowly and organically grow to a capacity of around 120 students, and that will be a very welcome sight at Walyalup Koort. The three female teachers I met were delightful and relaxed. The students are very lucky to have them as their educators.

I have no doubt this sublime, amazing education concept will soon be emulated by other schools. It ought to be, because this should be the future of education. It’s brilliant for the kids!

Roel Loopers

FREMANTLE OLD AND NEW

Fremantle old and new. A reflection of the Federal Hotel building in the windows of the City of Fremantle’s new Walyalup Civic Centre.

Roel Loopers

QUESTIONS ABOUT FISHING BOAT HARBOUR MASTERPLAN

The Draft Masterplan for the Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour has raised many questions in the community, and some of them I would like to voice here on Freo’s View.

While the Masterplan mentions mixed development opportunities, it appears to be reluctant to promote residential development, as it would clash with what could become a hospitality and entertainment precinct, with tourist accommodation. The Fishing Boat Harbour, according to the Masterplan, is only 800-metres from the Fremantle railway station, so ideal for the State Government’s urban infill targets. It should contain a significant residential component!

The Masterplan also makes mention of climate change and rising sea levels, that will effect coastal development, as we are already seeing in the Eastern States. The Masterplan suggests there might be requirements for sacrificial ground level development, basically indicating that the lower level of buildings at the Fishing Boat Harbour could become flooded and become useless. No doubt the same would apply to the boardwalk, the Masterplan wants to see widened.

The water level in the Fishing Boat Harbour, during extreme high tide, already reaches the level of the boardwalk, so it will only be a matter of years until we will see the boardwalk closed regularly during winter, because of flooding. Fremantle Council was told, in a report to Council many years ago, that the Esplanade would be flooded in the future, due to climate change.

I wonder if insurance companies are still willing to insure new coastal properties, or has it become too risky? And why do State Governments still allow coastal developments, that will require very costly protection from the rising oceans? The City of Fremantle might have to relocate the Coast hospitality venue at Port Beach soon, because of the beach erosion there, and recent reports suggest the same for City Beach and other locations along the Indian Ocean.

Last but not least is the never-ending question of how high new development at the Fishing Boat Harbour should be allowed to be. There is little doubt that developers will want to take advantage of the ocean and city views, and will propose substantial height for buildings. That will have a significant impact on Fremantle, so the very least we need to do is demand exquisite and iconic architecture in such an important precinct of our city.

The future massive development of the Fremantle Port precinct, when/if it is moved to Kwinana, will forever change our beautiful city, and I am very happy that my ashes will have been scattered long before that is going to happen.

Progress is good, and so is new development, but sadly not all development is good, because it is too often inconsiderate and disrespectful to the already built environment.

Roel Loopers

EAST FREO COUNCIL SELLS GEORGE STREET PROPERTIES

The Town of East Fremantle is selling of some properties in the George Street area, to invest the money into the development of the East Fremantle Oval project.

I wonder if the East Freo Council will get the same public backlash from the community as the Fremantle Council did when it sold off property to invest in the Kings Square Redevelopment Project.

AUCTION – 128 and 128A George Street

On Saturday, 13 August at 12noon, 128 and 128A George Street, both green title lots currently owned by the Town of East Fremantle, will be going to Auction as a package.

What does this mean for the Town?

️ 2/3 of the sale proceeds will be directed to the East Fremantle Oval Redevelopment Reserve – this funding will be applied to the capital costs of the construction as included in the Town’s adopted 2022-2023 Budget.

1/3 of the sale proceeds to the Streetscape Improvement Reserve Fund – in simple terms, funds will be directed towards improving streetscapes, landscaping and parking around Plympton and surrounds. Council recognises the parking issues in Plympton now and in the immediate future and is attempting to address this.

To read more background information, please visit:

https://www.eastfremantle.wa.gov.au/…/auction-128…/10666

To learn more about the Auction, please visit:

https://www.mintrealestate.com.au/…/residential…/…

Roel Loopers

BUY ART AND SUPPORT THE HOMELESS!

The yearly art auction of the Soroptimist International/Fremantle, to support the homeless people, is on at the Walyalup Civic Centre tomorrow, Saturday July 30 from 3.30pm.

Roel Loopers

FREO ART AT PERTH MINT REVEALED

The Pretty Country artwork, a collaboration between Aboriginal artist Kevin Bynder and Fremantle J Shed ceramic artist Jenny Dawson, was revealed at the Perth Mint today.

Well done. It looks great!

Roel Loopers

THE FUNERAL OF CATHY HALL TIME CHANGE

The funeral of highly-respected and much-loved Fremantle community activist CATHY HALL will be held on Thursday August 4 at 10am at the West Chapel of the Fremantle Cemetery.

PLEASE NOTE THE TIME CHANGE. IT IS HALF AN HOUR EARLIER, SO AT 10am, NOT 10.30am!

A location for the wake is still being finalised.

Roel Loopers

GET READY FOR A LOT OF RAIN

Enjoy it while you can, Freo! Lots of rain expected from this afternoon on for the next five days or so.

I took the photo above on my way back home from Chalkys this morning.

Roel Loopers

CELEBRATING THE FREO TROUBADOUR

Friends of Fremantle singer Greg Hastings are organising a fundraiser to help him continue to spread his message of the land of which he has fallen in love with over many decades after arriving on our shores as a young and fresh faced cheeky Welshman.
It’s on this Sunday, July 31 at the Fibonacci Centre in Blinco Street. See details in the poster above.
There will be live music, folk, blues and even a little bit of spiciness which just might get you up and dancing.
There will be a special Kids only area where big people will only be allowed with special permission from the kids themselves.
There will be food soupi style by donation.
There will be a bar offering beer / wine and chai.
There will be a roaring fire.
There will be projections and light show.
There will be a talk by our special guest and special human , Brad Petit our Greens member of parliament.

Volunteers are very welcome , any artists out there please feel free to contact us if you want to show off your wares.

Performers / Entertainers
Billy Martino, Wayne Glasson, Freo Trio, Mahon McCarthy, joel Neeling , Alex Chapman, Jazaza.
Jesse the windwanderer , Greg hastings The wanderer in the bush.
$10 entry, kids free.
Food by donation

CONTAINERS FOR CHANGE COLLECT SIX MILLION CONTAINERS

Almost six million containers have been saved from landfill and converted to cash at the City of Fremantle’s Containers for Change refund point over the past year.

Containers for Change allows people to claim a 10-cent refund for every eligible beverage container they hand in to the City’s refund point.

For the 2021-22 financial year, more than 5.8 million eligible containers were cashed in at the refund point, returning $582,204 back to the community.

That figure includes almost $40,000 donated to local charities and community groups.

The entry to the City of Fremantle’s Containers for Change refund point is at 83 Knutsford Street, just around the corner from the Fremantle Recycling Centre.

It’s open six days a week, including 10am-4pm on Saturday and 12-4pm on Sunday, and is open to everyone not just City of Fremantle residents.

The City also supplies bins and a collection service to all local businesses, community groups, sporting clubs and charities. Call 1300 MY FREO (1300 693 736) or email cfc@fremantle.wa.gov.aufor more information.

Containers for Change targets the beverage containers that most commonly end up as litter. Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard containers between 150ml and 3L are eligible for a refund.

To find out more visit fremantle.wa.gov.au/containersforchange.