The new traffic bridge - What shall we call it?

Freo local Errol Allen has written to your Editor asking a timely question – Shouldn’t we be deciding on a shiny new name to go with our shiny new traffic bridge once the Old Traffic Bridge is no more?

Artist’s impression new Fremantle Traffic Bridge

Errol is right. After all, the big traffic bridge a little east of the Old Traffic Bridge has its own name – Stirling Bridge. And given ‘Stirling’ was the first representative of the British Crown in Fremantle and Western Australia, wouldn’t it be appropriate and in the interests of Reconciliation for the new traffic bridge to carry an Indigenous name?

So, here’s Errol’s bid to start the name game rolling!

Hi, Kaya….thanks for the progress update of the new bridge.

Kicking off a couple of suggestions for the naming of the new bridge (Fremantle Traffic Bridge is pretty boring!) and in the spirit of acknowledging Noongar Whadjuk boodja, I would like to suggest:

Dwerdadulardinup (the name also of the hill, Cantonment Hill, adjacent to the new bridge and loosely meaning the dog spirits guarding the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River).

Wangara (the name of that section of the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River) and the name of the artificial shoal built by Fremantle Ports and adjacent to the railway bridge.

These suggestions are made in the spirit of reconciliation in acknowledgement of first nations people of the area.

Thanks for taking in these suggestions and hopefully further thought will be given to the naming of this historic bidi (trail).

Regards and borda….

Errol Allen (address supplied)

The best name for the new traffic bridge, as adjudged by a panel of Fremantle Shipping News nominees, will win a fab new FSN FREMANTLE SHIPPING NEWS T shirt!

So, SUBMIT YOUR NEW BRIDGE NAME TODAY by emailing our Editor right here!

By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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