NO STORM DAMAGE IN FREMANTLE

 

 

No signs of major storm damage in Fremantle. A few broken branches along Riverside Drive in East Freo and along Point Walter Road but that’s it. At present the sun is even shining in Beaconsfield, so I might not need the heater today after all.

Some THIS IS FREMANTLE banners at South Terrace got loose but not ripped.

I hear people say the new Destination Marketing banners are supportive of Alzheimer sufferers as they now always know they are in Freo, but my theory is that Fremantle Council has, as always, been leading the way and future focused.

In case those ‘pesky Chinese or North Koreans’ jam the satellites and all GPS systems break down people who drive or ride into our gorgeous port city will just have the Eureka moment- AAAAH, we are in Fremantle. 😇

There could be some nice rainbows today. Go and have a look!

Roel Loopers

HERITAGE PRESERVATION IS NOT OPTIONAL BUT OUR DUTY

 

 

Fremantle’s Ordinary Council meeting this evening decided to try to get State and Federal funding for the stabilisation of historic Arthur’s Head. Estimated cost for the preservation work are $ 1.8 million, plus $ 500.000-1million for renovations to the Roundhouse.

1. Endorse the Arthur Head design and documentation package as detailed in the Arthur Head Cliff Stabilisation Final Report, provided in Attachment 1 of this report in the Finance, Policy, Operations and Legislation Committee Agenda (10 April 2019).
2. Request the City proceed with referring details of the proposed works to the relevant state government agencies under public works procedures and obtaining all necessary statutory approvals.
3. Request the City seek State and Federal funding in order to progress the required remediation projects.
4. Request the City investigate the impact of vibrations from trains to the topography and buildings at Arthur Head.

I believe this is not far-reaching enough as the City of Fremantle should lobby the State and Federal Governments for ongoing annual financial support to preserve one of Western Australia’s most significant historic precincts.

As French President Emannuel Marcon said yesterday after the Notre Dame cathedral fire “We owe is to our history to preserve it.” And as I said to the Elected Members today that is not optional but a duty we have.

I also pointed out that the Roundhouse is the only one of the four Fremantle museums: Shipwreck Museum, Maritime Museum and Fremantle Prison that does not get any funding, not from the City, not from the WA Government and not from the Federal Government. That is not fair and reasonable.

The oldest public building in Western Australia welcomes around 140.000 international and national visitors a year, but is managed by mainly senior volunteers. Just 30 of them keep the Roundhouse open 363 days a year and fire the 1pm cannon.

The Roundhouse needs and deserves much more support from the City of Fremantle and State Government and it needs to happen as a priority!

Roel Loopers

FREO’S EASTER STREET ARTS FESTIVAL IS FREE AND FUN

 

 

Only two more sleeps until the great Fremantle Streets Arts Festival will be on during the long Easter weekend with acts from all over the world entertaining the large crowds.

It’s all free, fantastic and very Freo, so make sure to come and enjoy it and try to see every performance over the four days.

The weather forecast of only 18 degrees and 90% chance of rain on Good Friday, according to BOM, is not good and might see the cancellation of that day’s events, but the rest of the long weekend looks pretty good, so plenty of time to wander around Freo, have fun, a nice meal and support our local traders!

Saturday  a chance of a morning shower, so that will be over by the time the SAF starts, and sunny forecast for Sunday and Monday, so no excuses.

And my yearly lament, City of Fremantle. Why are there no programs at the Roundhouse to hand out to visitors from interstate and overseas? I complain about that every year but it falls on deaf ears.

Roel Loopers

 

KINGS SQUARE REDEVELOPMENT UPDATE

 

 

A photographic update of Fremantle’s Kings Square Redevelopment Project.

Roel Loopers

TODAY TONIGHT FILMING ARTHUR’S HEAD NEGLECT

 

 

A team from Channel Seven-Today Tonight spent most of the morning in Fremantle to film a story about the neglect of historic Arthur’s Head and WAs oldest public building the Roundhouse.

They interviewed a structural engineer about stabilisation solutions for the rockfall problem and a Roundhouse tourguide about the historic significance of the area.

It will be screened tomorrow, Wednesday at 6.30pm so make sure to watch it, and hopefully WA State politicians will watch it as well and put their hands in their pockets and fund the essential maintenance and repairs as a priority.

Send an email to Heritage Minister David Templeman, Premier Mark McGowan, Tourism Minister Paul Papalia and Member for Fremantle Simone McGurk, and urge them to preserve one of Western Australia’s most significant historic precincts!

Roel Loopers

NAVAL STORES WORK CONTINUES FOR ENKEL

 

 

Work on the former Naval Stores at Cantonment Hill is continuing, to create a new home for the ENKEL group.

The windows have been gutted but the inside still looked much the same when I had a peak through the wide open door on Monday afternoon. A large steel beam has been put along the entire north side, as you can see though the open windows

I have no idea what the timeline is for Enkel to finally move in after delays and reduction of Fremantle Council budget for renovating the old shed.

Roel Loopers

FREMANTLE PORTS SPONSORS ROUNDHOUSE CANNON FIRE

 

 

It is personally rewarding for me to see that my call for support for the Fremantle Roundhouse has not been just weeing in the wind, but that Fremantle Ports responded generously and are now official sponsors of the One O’Clock Cannon Fire at the Roundhouse.

That the Fremantle Ports sponsors WA’s oldest public building is special to me since I did 14 years of photography for the Ports, so I very much feel like being part of the crew there.

When I complained in a letter to the West Australian and on this Freo’s View blog a few months ago about lack of support for the Roundhouse Fremantle Ports contacted me and asked how they could support the Roundhouse heritage guides.

The gun deck overlooks the site of the first Fremantle port, the long jetty, and also the current port, so it is very much part of our maritime history.

The cannon was fired and the time ball lowered for the early mariners to adjust their clocks, so that the calculation of longitude would be precise. The Roundhouse volunteers fire the cannon 363 days of the year, unless inclement weather prevents it.

People can book the firing of the cannon on http://www.fremantleroundhouse.com.au and are given a certificate to show they were the honorary gunner of the day. I suggest we reprint the certificates with the Fremantle Ports logo on it.

As part of the Fremantle Ports sponsorship the Roundhouse volunteer guides will participate in this year’s Maritime Day on Victoria Quay. I’ll see you there!

I hope the State and Federal governments will now also financially assist with the Roundhouse maintenance and management and the much needed stabilisation of Arthur’s Head and the Whalers Tunnel.

Roel Loopers

 

NEW BOOK ABOUT FREMANTLE PRISON’S GREAT CATALPA ESCAPE

 

 

Famous Australian author Peter FitzSimons has written a new book and it is about the intriguing escape from Fremantle Prison by six Fenian prisoners in 1876.

The Catalpa Rescue tells the story of Fenians in the USA collecting money to buy the whaling boat Catalpa that then sailed to Rockingham to pick up the escapees. There is a great Wild Geese artwork on the Rockingham foreshore about it.

The book will be released on April 23, so make sure to get a copy as this is one of Freo’s great historic stories.

Roel Loopers

CRAWFORD’S BEAUTIFUL STILL LIFE ON SHOW

 

 

Fremantle artist Nellie Crawford will have her 13th exhibition at the Yallingup Galleries from April 20, so if you are going down south over Easter make sure to pop in to view her beautiful still life paintings.

Also exhibiting are Douglas Kirsop and Larry Mitchell.

Roel Loopers

FREMANTLE WELCOMES CHORALFEST 2019

 

 

CHORALFEST 2019 is on in Fremantle from Saturday till Tuesday, so lovers of choir music should make sure to check out where and when the groups are singing.

I took the photo of the Young Voices of Melbourne in the Whalers Tunnel on Saturday morning.

The choirs sing at many locations around Fremantle so go and support them!

The program is available at http://www.choralfest.org.au

 

Roel Loopers