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Fremantle Herald Official, Fremantle (2025)

28/10/2025

A breakdown on Stirling Bridge has sparked questions about Main Roads’ contingency plans for closing the Fremantle Traffic Bridge early next year.

On Thursday, October 9, a car put Stirling Bridge into gridlock for at least two hours when it conked out, according to eyewitness reports.

The incident prompted North Fremantle Community Association convenor Gerard MacGill to ponder what will happen when cars no longer have the option to bypass Stirling Bridge.

Mr MacGill says Main Roads is “not communicating well enough” to inform residents either side of the bridge about how traffic will be managed once the old bridge is closed.

“It’s been rather spotty, and very reliant on electronic communication which I wonder about since not every will be tuning in [to that].

“I have actually said that I think they ought to do more direct communication, and that we need at least a pop up, or even regular pop ups here in North Fremantle,” Mr MacGill said.

“I would say we are the worst-hit community in the whole thing…the other side of the river will be disrupted, but we’re semi-isolated, and you just wonder [if] things that will happen now will just change the place irreversibly.

“Is somebody going to die, not because they’ve been murdered by a truck, but because they couldn’t get anywhere because they couldn’t get to the hospital?”

Read full story at https://tinyurl.com/22dvccaa.

27/10/2025

Even the devil himself is becoming eco-friendly with a sustainable Halloween party in the City of Fremantle.

Don’t worry, the dead aren’t being up-cycled at the medical school of Notre Dame, it’s more like reusable lanterns, sustainable food, and wreaths made from native flora.

The party in question is 'Halloween with Heart', a family-friendly extravaganza organised by the Sustainable Housing for Artists and Creatives Co-operative.

The annual fright-night in White Gum Valley is a spooky mix of fire eating, acrobatics, roving entertainment, live music and face painting.

There will even be a “Coffin Selfie Booth” and a Day of the Dead Ofrenda Shrine, where you can place photos of your loved ones who have passed away.

First held in 2017 to activate Nannine Common, a community garden, the Halloween shindig has become a favourite with locals.

“Families from WGV Primary and Hazel Orme Kindy usually meet in Valley Park after school, before roaming the streets in costume and finishing the evening at Nannine Common, where SHACC’s vibrant performances take centre stage,” says SHACC board director Carol Leen Huish.

“The event offers an authentic, sustainable and family friendly alternative to the commercialised side of Halloween.

“Halloween with Heart is about reclaiming the streets for kids and families, making Nannine Common a safe and joyful hub where the community can gather.”

Read full story at www.fremantleherald.com.

25/10/2025

Freo has its second Hilton mayor in a row after councillor Ben Lawver won the top job at the local government elections last weekend.

Mr Lawver, who was handing in his resignation from his old job when the Chook sat down to chat about his election victory, beat incumbent mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge for the top job by 852 votes.

Mr Lawver has been a councillor since 2021 and says it was his own East Ward constituents who pushed him over the line in first preference numbers on the weekend.

“The last ward to be counted was East, and we went from being 170 votes down after North Ward [on first preferences], to being up 635,” Mr Lawver said.

“I decided to do this because lots of different people were asking me to… I was really, really happy being a councillor, but I love the community here and ultimately, the community is the one that pushed me over the line so I was really pleased to see that translate.

“I did work really hard, and I’m still going to work hard as mayor, so it’ll be the same approach to a different role.”

Mr Lawver says his first order of business will be to advocate for more clarity from the Cook government over the old traffic bridge closure.

“The most urgent thing is for the council to get some sort of position that we want to see from the state government around the bridge closure,” he said.

“There was a wonderful announcement this week from [the state government] which is a really great start… those things they’re doing with the free transit zone down around Duoro Road and South Terrace, extra bus services and extra trains.

“There’s a few other things that I think could really help enhance that, but I’d like to make sure that we have a comprehensive wish list and then we’ll figure out what the best way to advocate them.”

24/10/2025

Palace Arcade has become the latest Freo venue to shut, following noise complaints from surrounding residents.

In a social media post Palace Arcade, which has operated in Freo for five years, announced this week they’d made the “difficult decision” not to renew the lease for their High Street property.

“Due to ongoing noise complaints from our neighbours and the threat of some huge fines, we’ve been unable to host our much-loved music events,” the statement read.

“Without those, it just didn’t feel right to commit another five years on High Street.”

The Chook attempted to get in contact with Palace’s owners for further comment about said neighbours but were told there wasn’t “a lot to gain” by speaking to us, referring to some sensitivity about the matter.

Palace's departure follows recent noise stoushes between Freo.Social, H***y Tonk and their neighbours.

Freo.Social’s plight prompted the Labor government to pledge protection in the lead-up to this year’s election, while H***y Tonk found support from Fremantle council to expand upstairs despite complaints from nearby neighbours the noise would go straight through the walls and make living there impossible.

Read full story at https://tinyurl.com/39ua74w8.

23/10/2025

The Leeuwin II will make her triumphant return to Victoria Quay in Fremantle tomorrow (Friday October 24), 14 months after she was crushed by the 110,000 tonne Maersk Shekou container ship.

According to the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation, the ship will be welcomed back to B Berth by tow from tugs in a “celebration” of her repair following the harrowing accident which took out all of her rigging and injured two crew members.

Leeuwin Foundation CEO Lawson Dixon says the crew are “buzzing” to have the Leeuwin almost ship-shape and ready to sail, and acknowledged the two crew members who were on board.

“There was so many months where we felt like we were just treading water, and just waiting to see what lawyers and surveyors and assessors and adjusters, and all these other army of people that are involved in assessing things post-accident,” Mr Dixon said.

“The ship is one thing, but we had two crew aboard as well, and those guys escaped by the skin of their teeth.

“They sustained some injuries that were healed up pretty well, but the mental toll that they must have gone through and probably still are, should be recognised as well.

Read full story at www.fremantleherald.com.

22/10/2025

Revive Physiotherapy & Exercise Physiology has built a strong reputation across Perth for helping people recover, rebuild, and get back to doing the things they love.

With a clinics right here in Booragoon and Cockburn, the team offers expert support for a wide range of conditions including sciatica, sports injuries, headaches, and ankle or foot pain.

FULL STORY: https://wp.me/p2Np7f-Gyo

22/10/2025

The regal lion has been taken down from Shacks in Fremantle’s East End, signalling the end of Holden’s place in the city’s car sales.

Shacks, which has operated out of Fremantle since 1922, will continue its service department at the Queen Victoria Street location, but the sign was taken down as part of a franchising agreement with BYD, who will be moving into the car sales property.

Shacks Motor Group’s used car sales moved to Rockingham in June.

Shacks managing director Jodie Kerr, whose family has run the company alongside the Shack family since 1934, says the Holden lion was “one of the last still standing” in Australia but had to be removed before BYD moves in.

“When Holden exited the market in 2020, it was a requirement that all dealers remove their Holden signage, but because we retained our authorised Holden service centre there as a separate agreement, we were allowed to keep the sign up,” Ms Kerr said.

“It was more of a symbolic gesture, because there’s a lot of history in that site, so we were keen to make sure that we could keep it up for as long as possible… we managed to retain the round lion emblem [which] got a little bit damaged during the removal process, and the rest of the sign was really beyond saving.

“We’ve been getting phone calls from people seeing that sign come down… there’s so many social media posts where people have come and bought cars and driven them to the dealership just to take a photo underneath it.”

The sign’s removal signals a “very emotional time” for the motor group, according to Ms Kerr, who recently took over the business from her father Doug Kerr amidst massive industry change.

Read full story at https://tinyurl.com/2s8bn7wr.

21/10/2025

Tony Natale is East Fremantle’s new mayor.

In the race for the golden chains, Natale got 1140 votes and Tomas Fitzgerald got 802.

Natale replaces the retiring Jim O’Neill, who was East Freo mayor for 18 years.

Natale was deputy mayor for four years and has been a councillor for eight.

During his campaign for mayor, he pledged to improve parks, footpaths, parking, and support local community groups.

He has lived in East Freo with his family for 28 years.

20/10/2025

Family-owned and operated since 2003, South Street Ale House has built a reputation for good food, great service, and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere, and after our recent visit, it’s easy to see why.

FULL STORY: https://wp.me/p2Np7f-Gwo

20/10/2025

Fremantle has a new mayor.

Ben Lawver won the race for the gold chains in Saturday's local government elections.

He defeated incumbent Hannah Fitzhardinge, who was elected mayor in 2021 after five years as a councillor in the Beaconsfield Ward.

After preferences, Lawver had 4,441 votes and Fitzhardinge had 3,589.

Lawver wants more practical support for the creative arts, better parks, a compassionate approach to homelessness, and planning decisions that prioritise protection of heritage buildings and encourage affordable housing.

He has been a City of Fremantle councillor since 2021, and represented the East Ward since October 2023.

He grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Washington State and, before moving to Australia, lived in Seattle, Washington.

He has been living in Freo since 2013.

18/10/2025

This week the legendary Captain Munchies in Fremantle was demolished.

Situated on Beach Street, the 24-hour eatery was a favourite for burgers, late-night snacks and drunken adventures for more than 30 years. Sadly it closed down in 2021.

Recently talks were held to turn the vacant site into a shelter for the homeless, but it didn’t come to fruition.

In tribute to Captain Munchies, we are republishing a Herald feature from 1991 – the two-part “Insomniacs Guide to Fremantle.”

In part 1, then-ABC producer Ian Parmenter woke up at 3.30am and couldn’t get back to sleep, so he walked through Fremantle Park, past some cleaners at the Pot Black Pool Hall, and down to the infamous Captain Munchies for something to eat.

Read about his cultural and culinary odyssey in our Online Extra! at https://tinyurl.com/wsu7tfvf.

17/10/2025

It's been a bittersweet week for Fremantle’s skating community; saving the Munchies Skate Park only to find the Woolstores ledge is to be broken up.

The Munchies Skate Park at Beach Street was set to be transformed into a car park by the PTA, but transport minister Rita Saffioti this week confirmed the decision had been reversed following the installation of a “No Parking” mural across the park.

WA Skateboarding Association spokesperson Zachary Tilghman says the park is a “landmark” and “in the cultural consciousness” of Fremantle’s skating scene.

“If you look to other global cities around the world, they understand the collective cultural value of these spaces… these are their spaces which we don’t have to spend money to exist in and provide community,” Mr Tilghman said.

“It’s a cultural hub, it’s a community centre, and sure we have [other] skate parks but it’s really not the same because these places are organic… it’s not a pay-to-play model like the rest of Fremantle’s become lately.”

Around the corner, the Woolies Ledge at the Elders Woolstores suffered a different fate, after an appeal launched by developer Human Urban was approved by JDAP to break up the ledge by adding two doorways.

According to WASA secretary Rowan White, Human Urban’s plans will “be slicing a hole” in the most “iconic” and “important” part of the much-loved Ledge.

“It’s printed on our T-shirts, it’s the part that people have tattooed on themselves… opening another doorway will inhibit the flow of the space,” Dr White said.

“These two doorways, these two concessions may not seem like much to a layperson but to a skateboarder, it completely destroys what makes it special.

“We’ve made it very clear to the developer and to everyone involved, it’s not a secret, it’s well known that the removal of this condition will not let us carry on as we have.”

Read full story at https://tinyurl.com/2rzmbwkc.

Fremantle Herald Official

28/10/2025

27/10/2025

25/10/2025

24/10/2025

23/10/2025

22/10/2025

22/10/2025

21/10/2025

20/10/2025

20/10/2025

18/10/2025

17/10/2025

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