Rarely a Dull Moment - Matilda Bay Brewery Site, Cantonment Street Public Realm, Convenience Stores,

Welcome back to our regular feature, Rarely a Dull Moment where we report on the highlights of City of Fremantle Council meetings and activities. We would have titled the feature Never a Dull Moment, but didn’t want to overpromise!

In her last RADM for 2025, Gayle O’Leary, our pioneering RADM reporter, said Cheerio to readers of her column explaining that after two years, she was hanging up her hat and looking forward to using her extra time to find other interesting tidbits to write about on FSN, noting that ‘there’s no shortage of those in Fremantle after all.’

In 2026, we are very pleased to welcome Jenny Archibald to the RADM desk. Jenny will be well known to many Freo folk as a former Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillor of the City of Fremantle. Jenny obviously brings a wealth of experience to her new role as our RADM reporter and we are sure many Shipees will look forward to her regular RADM reports.

Jenny’s very first RADM focused on the recent City of Freo Annual General Meeting of Electors held on 2 February. Here’s Jenny Archibald’s second RADM for 2026, this time reporting on the first Ordinary Council Meeting of City of Fremantle Council for the year held on 11 February 2026.

Welcome readers to our RADM report for the first Ordinary Council Meeting in 2026, held on 11 February 2026, following a sound Xmas break. The year was off to a speedy start with several comprehensive topics for consideration, including skateboarding and the proposed public realm planning project for Cantonment St, the future structure plan for the Matilda Bay site in North Fremantle and improvement for control of convenience stores in our CBD.

Public Question Time

To start the night with our well used Public Question Time, a North Fremantle resident presented a petition seeking lower speeds for Leighton Beach Boulevard given the road is “a vibrant year-round precinct …and is a service road and not a throughway”. Some were there to speak on planning items on the agenda (a couple of residential proposals and a pottery studio). And a sound contingent of skater supporters were there to input into the proposed Public Realm Cooperation Deed for Cantonment St – in particular to support an amendment proposed by Councillor Williamson Wong – more below.

Elected Member Communication

Under the Elected Member Communication, thriving input was made by Cr Mofflin (Fremantle Swim Thru Event which first started in 1922, and the success of the Fremantle cricket groups), Cr Williamson Wong (the “Invasion Day” event in Perth’s CBD and the WA Music Awards held at the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre), Cr Clarke (recent Indigenous film presentations at WFAC along with a heartwarming presentation by Thomas Mayo (who is amazing to listen to) and added that Cr Williamson-Wong is now officially a lawyer) and the Mayor (the excellent work of Fremantle’s Australia Day awardees – congratulations).

Matilda Bay Brewery Site Structure Plan

But to focus on the big topics, first cab off the rank was consideration of item C2602-7 for the Modification to the former Matilda Bay Brewery Site Structure Plan at 130 Stirling Highway, North Fremantle. This redevelopment area, a magnificent heritage site overlooking the Indian Ocean, has been the topic of much ongoing community concern and debate on how to get what would be considered by Freo folk a reasonable outcome. With the first structure plan approved in 2020, in June 2025 Council was informed of the “intent to revoke Local Planning Policy 3.11: McCabe Street Area, North Fremantle – Height of New Buildings (LPP 3.11) upon adoption of draft Local Planning Policy 3.22: North Fremantle (LPP 3.22). Building height requirements contained in the structure plan refer to the provisions of LPP 3.11, meaning an update is required to ensure height provisions are maintained in the planning framework for this potential development site”. As opportunity presents, Councillors hop to action with Cr Sullivan moving an amendment seeking, among other things, simplification of height controls, review the opportunity for mixed use on the south side of Coventry Parade and a road network that supports integration with the surrounding road network. With an intent to work with the landowners, he adds that “we need a structure plan that is fit for purpose” and that “intends to protect the community”. Needless to say, the amended motion was approved unanimously.

Cantonment Street Public Realm

And next, the proposed Cantonment St Public Realm Co-operation Deed (Item C2602/9) covers an area where several large developments have been approved, including the approx $100m Point St residential project and the approx $110m Elders Woolstores redevelopment. This project was foreshadowed within the City Plan for CBD area and which was approved by Council in August 2025. The total budget for the project is estimated at $4.2M, of which half will be delivered by the private sector stakeholders and half by the City of Fremantle. The parties to the Deed are the City and the two key developers associated with the project – Sirona and H-U. But the deed apparently had no mention of inclusion of other stakeholders in the area.

Ever a supporter of the skaters, Cr Williamson Wong led the rescue, proposing an amendment to ensure that the WA Skating Association in particular, was considered in the planning of the precinct. In support, she comments “over the past two years we have heard and seen clearly that the skating history of Cantonment St precinct is not only ongoing, but it is world class and something we should be proud of.” While the intent of the project was outlined, there was no mention of skateboarding, an activity of some 35 years at the Elders Woolstores. And as noted at the meeting by Michael Cortis, their skating had in fact been used to showcase Fremantle’s vibe in the City’s This is Fremantle marketing campaign. In response to a query, it was also noted by staff that it was the JDAP conditions of approval that allowed the developers to invest their required “percent for art” contributions in the project, to which Cr Sullivan expressed “great concern that a State Government authority can rewrite Council policy”. But when all was said and done, the amended motion was approved unanimously, and this exciting project can proceed.

Convenience Stores

Then onto agenda item C2602/10 which was the proposal to investigate measures to curb the proliferation of convenience type shops within the city. An ongoing topic of concern for many, Council debated what measures may be effective that may be implemented given traction for controlling this issue has been problematic. Council staff members have met with relevant WA State Government authorities to seek support in resolving this issue, and feedback from the State Government states “…In recognition of the increasing complexity of illegal tobacco investigations and links to organised crime, a new approach will be put in place to boost capability both now and in preparation of enforcement of updated legislation”.

Aside from the above, Elected members were keen to explore whatever action may be practical for the City to take. To date frustration has reigned, with Cr Sullivan adding “we need to close the ridiculous legislative loopholes so we can get on with it” and Cr Mofflin stating agreement that the State Government “were sitting on their hands watching…that the best we can do will make very little difference but we need to continue ….so the scourge is shut down”. Cr Clarke won the day with her clarification that these were “con stores not convenience stores and they created a risk to those who are above them and around them”. Mayor Lawver moved an amendment to “request that the Chief Executive Officer prepare a scheme amendment, prior to the preparation of a new scheme, that changes the land use permissibility of Convenience Stores to be an ‘A’ use in all zones except in Residential zones where it should remain an X use”. Following clarification on how practical this might be, the amended item approved unanimously. It included actions to investigate measures to curb the proliferation of convenience type shops as part of the new Local Planning Scheme and continued engagement with relevant authorities as well as the above proposed scheme amendment.

Everything else

And that not being all – other items approved unanimously and without debate included scheme amendment advertising and updates, Fremantle Park event consideration and tenders for HVAC and landscaping services. Signed off at 8.31pm.

Goodnight Freo!

By Jenny Archibald

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