Fremantle History Centre Now Open

Last Thursday Fremantle’s Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge officially opened the Fremantle History Centre on the ground floor of the Walyalup Civic Centre, opposite the Visitors’ Centre where it has been temporarily housed for the past six months.

The City of Fremantle announced its decision after reviewing the results of a community survey in which 76% of people said they wanted it to stay where it was, 15% suggested the Fremantle Town Hall and 9% suggested somewhere else in Fremantle.

The City received 172 submissions during the public engagement period with 70% being Fremantle and East Fremantle residents. 89% said it was ‘extremely important’ to have access to a physical collection for viewing, study, and historical research.

The Mayor said “the decision means that the stories of the City will now be celebrated, conserved and displayed in their own dedicated and accessible space”.

Deputy Mayor Jenny Archibald added “the collection is extremely rich and contains Aboriginal history, culture and heritage as well as the early days of European settlement right through to the present day”.

The Centre contains new shelving for the book collection, research desks, a scanning and copying station and display areas. Local History Librarian Stewart Alger said that 900 boxes will be brought out of storage containing photographs, reports, oral histories, maps and books. The Newman Court frontage has been covered with a photographic film featuring a wonderful historic scene of High Street.