Rarely A Dull Moment - The Hilton Park Trees Special Edition

In the latest edition of the Fremantle Herald, its Editor, Steve Grant, reports that a number of people ‘confronted’ Freo CEO Glen Dougall at a dawn meeting at Hilton Park on Wednesday morning and protested about what one described as ‘an abject failure of process’ that would see the loss of 26 mature trees, including 6 Norfolk Pines, as part of the Park’s redevelopment for various purposes including a junior AFL oval.

In this Special Edition of RADM, Jenny Archibald – a former Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillor of the City of Fremantle, and a Councillor at material times in 2024 when the Park redevelopment was approved by the Council – brings perspective to the current controversy.

Welcome readers to our RADM report for the 15 August 2026. While this is not a report on a recent meeting, rather it’s a report on an Ordinary Council Meeting held on 25 September 2024 – nearly 2 years ago. This was the meeting at which the Council approved, among other things, Item C2409-10 HILTON PARK MASTER PLAN, which you can see right here. The item was moved by Cr Ingrid van Dorssen and seconded by Cr Ben Lawver (now Mayor) and approved unanimously by Council members.

The approval of the Masterplan was the final piece of a process which started in 2023 with public consultation carried out over some 3 months and Community Engagement Reports being made on results of consultation in September, October, December 2023 and March 2024. Within the Masterplan six options were explored, with only one not having some form of sporting facility development over the area which is now the subject of community debate regarding the removal of trees.

There were many competing interests during the consultation process and a great desire to have not only a place for sport but an improved space for gathering and passive recreation. To achieve the final outcome, it was agreed that a junior Aussie rules football field would be included in the northeast portion of the grounds. This meant that the optimum outcome could be achieved for the various sporting groups, while also meeting the desires of many who walk in the area with or without dogs and enjoy the spaces for informal recreation. To put some history in here, and because its such a wonderful shot, here is a pic of the site taken in 1950s, showing what looks like a number of go-cart tracks with a lonely football field …

The next pic is of a section of the northern portion of the grounds around 2023, when the planning for this project was started. It’s worth noting that the area in question, regarding the removal of trees, is that in the bottom right part of the image and does include a number of mature Norfolk pines.

The following pic shows the inclusion of the junior oval proposed in the Masterplan. The use of this area for a sporting facility was in five of the six options that were considered in this plan.

In recent information from the City, it was stated that the new playing field will require levelling throughout. In preparing for this work, it was identified that “asbestos containing material was present in the earth mounds near the corner of Walton Way and Carrington St. To safely access and remove the asbestos containing material, 26 mature trees within the work area will need to be removed. This includes 11 Peppermint trees and six Norfolk Pines”. And this is now the subject of the current debate.

However, to put forward a bit more of this story, the team developing the Masterplan invested considerable time in planning a new landscaping vision for the park which was so successful that it won an award – Hilton Park Precinct Masterplan won a Landscape Planning award at the 2025 Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) WA Awards. The award was presented jointly to the City of Fremantle and its consultants REALMstudios and Shape Urban.

To give a bit of a hint of what the plan includes for the northeast corner of the site, this area is to be a prime focus for an ecological restoration project. And for the project in general, the landscaping will include “planting out with native species and bush tucker plants. The vegetation structure should support tree, medium and small shrub and ground cover plantings”.

The goal includes “drought tolerant endemic plants and efficient irrigation is proposed to conserve water. This includes choosing plants that need minimal watering and using techniques like mulching to retain moisture, reduce water use…whilst increasing vigour and biodiversity”.

For ephemeral wet planting in areas such as sumps, rain gardens and drainage swales, which are within the northeast portion of the site, these plantings will enhance the “urban landscapes ecological function”.

The works for Stage One works, about to start, include the Brad Hardie refurbishment, realignment of the senior oval and construction of the junior oval, a running and walking track, cricket practice facilities, a pump track, walking paths, gathering spaces and improved accessibility.

Currently there are 683 trees recorded in Hilton Park and at the end of Stage 1 works it is proposed that there will be 718 – accepting that the new trees will be at the start of their growth. There are also a good number of Norfolk pines that will remain within the park.From the My Say website of Council it mentions that “61 new trees are scheduled to be planted including Marri, Tuart, Coastal Blackbutt and WA Weeping Peppermint. Two bird watering stations will also be installed to help support local wildlife”.

While all Norfolk pines are important, it would seem the value of this quality restoration proposal for this area will provide enhanced habitat to local wild and other life, including we humans! It really is a bold vision for Hilton Park.

Here’s the Hilton Park Masterplan.

*By Jenny Archibald

~ For earlier RADM reports look here.

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