Cantonment Hill has maintained its significance even to the present day, from its earliest use as an Aboriginal camp. The native Noongar people knew it as Dwerda Weeardinup, which means ‘place of the dingo spirit.’ This ancestral dingo protected the people by keeping the crocodile Yondock out of the Swan River. In addition to the Hill’s spiritual importance, it was an important source of food and water since it contained zamia nuts and a natural spring. Cantonment Hill also served as a place of early interaction between the Aborigines and Europeans. Captain Fremantle located the spring upon his arrival in 1829 and traded goods with the people during the first month of settlement. The lack of awareness of the local environment by the Europeans was made clear when Fremantle fell very ill from mistakenly eating unprocessed zamia nuts. The elevation and location of the Hill near the river made Cantonment Hill a popular destination for both the military and sightseers. Spectators used the Hill to view the Fremantle Regatta and the passing of the Great White Fleet of the United States Navy in 1908, and the military built a barracks on the Hill in 1910. Today, the historic barracks serves as the Army Museum of Western Australia, while the Hill is still a popular recreation area and vantage point of Fremantle.
