For thousands of years, humans have inhabited the land that Fremantle sits on. Fremantle could also be called Walyalup, the name used by the Noongar people that originally lived in the area. While the Noongar people would set up camp near Arthur Head, this was only a temporary campsite due to a limited food supply in the area. Very near to the aboriginal camping areas is Bathers Bay, where Captain Charles H. Fremantle first came ashore on 2 May 1829. Although Captain Fremantle was admired for leading the settlement of Fremantle, he had a questionable past. When Captain Fremantle was sent to colonise Western Australia he was facing charges of rape in Britain.
In 1831, Surveyor-General J.S. Roe created a basic plan for the city of Fremantle that established High Street as the main street in town. High Street was built to run north-east from Arthur Head, leading to the public square. That same year the Round House was built on Arthur Head out of local limestone. The Round House was Fremantle’s first prison and served mainly to hold indentured servants who had not fulfilled their contracts. Aborigines were routinely executed for alleged crimes during the early years of settlement, however it was not until 1844 that a white man was executed in Western Australia. This hanging took place on the Round House grounds.
The early interactions between the settlers and Noongar were tense and often violent, as the settlers took advantage of the traditional Noongar food supplies, but did not share their own supplies of sheep, cattle and pigs. Despite violent interactions with the Noongar, Fremantle’s location at the mouth of the river allowed it to become a landing site for new settlers, as well as the distribution hub for the area. Fremantle experienced its first boom when the Fremantle Whaling Company was established at Bathers Bay in 1837. This was the start of a steady whaling industry that operated out of Fremantle, exporting whale oil and bone.
During its early years, Fremantle was dominated by several merchant families that ran import and export businesses. These families had substantial control over the Fremantle Town Trust, which was established in 1848 as the first ruling body of Fremantle. In 1849, Lionel Samson, a Fremantle merchant, led the movement to introduce convict labour to Fremantle. Samson got his wish when 75 convicts arrived in Fremantle on 1 June 1850 aboard the Scindian, paving the way for construction of an array of public projects. One of the first jobs completed by the convicts was the construction of a prison to hold them, on the limestone ridge that overlooked Fremantle.
Fremantle’s role as a port town led to another boom in the 1860s as the pearling industry was established in north-western Australia. As the amount of cargo being brought into Fremantle increased, a new jetty was built in 1873 to keep up with demand. This jetty was further improved in 1887 to a length of 920 metres and became known as Long Jetty. In 1883, Barrington Clarke Wood was elected as the first Mayor of Fremantle. This ushered in an era of improvements in the city including construction of a Town Hall in 1887 that towered over the surrounding landscape.
It was not until the discovery of gold in 1890 at Yilgarn and Southern Cross, however, that Fremantle truly became an industrial city. The population of Fremantle tripled between 1890 and 1900 as a result of the gold boom. During this final decade of the nineteenth century, the Engineer-in-Chief of Western Australia, Charles Yelverton O’Connor, took up the issue of Fremantle’s port. He designed a new port that would be situated at the mouth of the Swan River. In order to build this design, the sandbar at the mouth of the river had to be blasted out, allowing for the arrival of the first ship, the Sultan, into Fremantle Harbour on 4 May 1897.
For Fremantle, the early 1900s were a continuation of the success experienced during the 1890s. The city bustled with newly arrived miners getting ready as they prepared for the long trek to the goldfields. During these years, businesses boomed and the port generated more activity than ever before. In addition, a multitude of banks opened branches in Fremantle, many new shop fronts appeared, and by 1908, the town’s business area had taken on the appearance that it was to retain for the next 50 years.
The decision in 1905 to construct a new railway station served not only the interests of the new harbour, but also of the town, which was steadily spreading eastward. The effect of the new rail station at the end of Market Street was the complete alteration of the centre of gravity for business in Fremantle. That part of town, unlike most Australian cities, still contains many interesting traces of the early days of Fremantle’s history.
On 4 August 1914, Australia entered its first major world conflict, and Fremantle’s citizens, in conjunction with their fellow Australians, responded to the call to arms in a way that gave practical demonstration of their loyalty to the British Empire. This reaction is aligned with the idea that Australia rarely shies away from conflict when called upon. In order to commemorate those Australian citizens who gave up their lives in World War I, Monument Hill was unveiled on Anzac Day, 1928.
An effect of World War One was the strengthening of the bargaining power and solidarity of the labour movement for the following decades. The attempted unloading of a ship by non-union labour in April 1919, before it had been properly quarantined for the Spanish flu, triggered an inevitable confrontation. The subsequent battle on the wharf, known as Bloody Sunday, resulted in the death of lumper Tom Edwards, who was later given the longest procession seen in Fremantle, even to this day. One of the most defining moments in Fremantle history was 3 June 1929 the day that Fremantle was proclaimed a city, a hundred years after the arrival of the first colonists in Western Australia.
In October 1941, just before the Japanese struck at Pearl Harbour, John Curtin became Prime Minister of Australia. He had to grapple with formerly unheard-of problems, extraordinary difficulties, and the evil genius of a remorseless enemy throughout these trying years. Yet Australia remained standing, stronger than ever.
For Australia, John Curtin is the man who by sheer strength of character, foresight, organizing genius and ruthless drive, answered the call in his nation’s hour of direst need.
In 1991, the Fremantle Prison was decommissioned, finally ending Fremantle’s convict presence. Though Fremantle has a rich history of prominent figures, legendary events, and significant locations, historical developments continue. In recent years, a number of events, including the hosting of America’s Cup, have put Fremantle on the map. Even though it is being recognized as a great area to reside, its historical character is threatened. For example, a residential village on Challenger Harbour and extensive parklands linking it with Fremantle’s centre are being considered as part of a plan to transform the city’s boat harbour precinct. This 30-year plan has generated much debate, as many believe these development projects are leading to gentrification by eliminating Fremantle’s rich history and social character. Regardless of future developments, Fremantle is a city of great importance in Western Australia, one with a rich history that will surely continue to be established for years to come.
