The lack of a suitable port in Fremantle posed a serious threat to the development of not only Fremantle, but also Western Australia. The task of building a port, however, was not an easy one. A rock bar and shallows blocked the entrance to the Swan River, and seemingly any aspirations for a safe harbour and a thriving state. C. Y. O’Connor had the vision of a harbour for Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River, which was an ideal location. And this vision brought O’Connor into conflict with the press and leading engineering experts of the day. To build a harbour in the mouth of the Swan, O’Connor estimated a cost of £560,000 to dredge the rock bar, build breakwaters to the north and south of the river mouth and a wharf 1,173 meters long. Work began on the North Mole first on November 16th 1892 and by mid-1894 was near enough complete to provide enough protection to start the construction on the South Mole, as well as, the dredging of the bars. The South Mole was completed to the planned length of 1,173 meters in August 1897. In 1902, the far end portion of 46 meters was topped with granite in preparation for a permanent light tower. O’Connor’s design has been so successful that serious maintenance has not been necessary. Fremantle’s Port has grown into the primary port for all of Western Australia. The location of the port in Fremantle has and continues to be instrumental in the economic, ascetic and cultural development of Fremantle.
