Samson Park

Sir Frederick Samson Memorial Reserve, to give Samson Park its full title – might be considered, along with Booyeembara Park, one of Freo’s mini answers to City of Perth’s Kings Park.

Accessed from Sellenger Avenue in Samson and not far from trendy Hilton and industrial O’Connor – lies one of the Freo’s most surprising green escapes: Sir Frederick Samson Memorial Reserve, a 14‑hectare pocket of bushland that feels older than everything around it. However, many, including many Freo folk, are blissfully unaware of its existence.

Named for Sir Frederick Samson

The Reserve honours the memory of long time Mayor of Fremantle, Sir Frederick Samson, whose grandfather, Lionel Samson, was among the first British settlers to arrive in Fremantle with Captain Stirling in 1829.

Not virgin bush

The Park isn’t virgin bush – indeed, the site once hosted the WWII Melville Military Camp – but what survives today is some of the last intact Jarrah-Marri-Tuart woodland in the Fremantle district, a rare reminder of what the region looked like before British settlement in 1829, and the various developments and land uses that have reshaped the traditional Whadjuk Noongar coast since then.

A Bush Forever refuge

The park is listed as a Bush Forever site, and for good reason. Two substantial woodland blocks remain largely undisturbed, their canopy dominated by Jarrah, Marri and the increasingly uncommon Tuart, with Banksia stands and Balga grass trees threading through the sandy understorey. In spring, the place lights up with wildflowers – a seasonal spectacle that draws birdwatchers, botanists and families on weekend strolls.

Birdlife in the canopy

More than 50 bird species have been recorded here. Red‑tailed black cockatoos drop in to feed on Marri nuts; honeyeaters and wattlebirds work the Banksia blossom; koolbardies (magpies) patrol the open spaces; and microbats emerge at dusk from old tree hollows. The Friends of Samson Park regularly lead guided walks, helping locals tune into the quieter rhythms of the reserve.

What lives on the ground

The fauna list includes reptiles typical of coastal woodland — skinks, geckos and, occasionally, dugites – along with a healthy invertebrate community.

Kangaroos, however, are not residents. The park is too small and too isolated from larger bush corridors to support them, and none have been recorded in surveys or community sightings.

A park shaped by people

After the military camp was demolished in the 1950s, the land sat largely untouched until 1971, when it was reserved for public use. In 1985 it was vested in the City of Fremantle, and since then the focus has been on restoration, weed control and community stewardship. The central grassed area – with its playground, BBQs and off‑lead dog zone – sits in contrast to the protected bushland on either side, where dogs must remain on‑lead to protect wildlife.

As recently reported on the Shipping News, the Albanese Government in 2026, committed $1.7 million to ecological upgrades, including new paths, drainage improvements and a seasonal wetland restoration – a significant investment in the Park’s long‑term health.

Walking the trails

Four short trails – the Banksia, Woodland, Tuart and Koolbardi – loop through the reserve, each offering a different glimpse of the park’s layered history and natural character. They’re gentle, family‑friendly walks, but rich in detail for those who slow down and look.

A hidden Freo treasure

So, while Samson Park isn’t ‘wilderness’, it is still something quite precious: a living remnant of the country that once covered Fremantle, protected and cared for by a community that understands its value. In a city shaped by industry, migration, maritime life and modern city hustle and bustle, this patch of bushland offers a rare moment of stillness – a reminder that nature, even in fragments, can be so beautiful and calming.

Visit Samson Park soon!

*By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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