Western Australian Heritage Icons 2004: Connecting A Community

MEDIA STATEMENT

28/02/04

Western Australian Heritage Icons 2004
ICON # 2 – FREMANTLE HARBOUR

National Trust of Australia (WA)

Today the Western Australian Government announced the second official Western Australian Heritage Icon for 2004 – Fremantle Harbour.

The announcement was made at the Maritime Museum, a fitting venue to celebrate the ingenuity, history and social significance that Fremantle Harbour represents. Its place in the landscape is significant not only to the people of Fremantle and Perth, but to the growth and expansion of Western Australia and the position the harbour now holds on an economic and cosmopolitan scale world-wide.

Fremantle is located 19km south-west of Perth, at the mouth of the Swan River. Originally a port township, it was declared a city in 1929 and still remains a working port city with
a population of over 25, 000 people.

It was Charles Y O’Connor, an enigmatic figure in the history and development of the State, that designed and oversaw the construction of Fremantle Harbour. Going against other expert opinions at the time, O’Connor argued that the Harbour could be placed at the mouth of the Swan River, as there was no imminent danger of sand movement. He, with the support of Harry Whittall Venn, Director of Public Works, set to work convincing Sir John Forrest, Premier at the time, that this was the best option. In 1897 this major project was successfully completed. On 4 May 1897 the S.S.Sultan of the Western Australian Steam Navigation company arrived from Singapore, and with flags and bunting flying, entered the new harbour of Fremantle, berthing at Victoria Quay and officially opening the new harbour.

The Western Australian Heritage Icons program will announce a State icon each month throughout 2004, as part of the wider celebrations in recognition of the
175th anniversary of the founding of the Swan River Colony.

Media Contact: Thomas E Perrigo – Chief Executive Officer
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Ph. 08 9321 6088
Email: tom.perrigo@ntwa.com.au