Future of Fremantle Frequently Asked Questions

The Future of Fremantle project is working with the community and other key stakeholders to develop a long-term vision (50 years) for the future redevelopment of the Fremantle | Walyalup inner harbour port precinct.

Future of Fremantle is closely connected to the State Government’s Westport planning program to relocate container trade from Fremantle to Kwinana. Removing trade from the Port of Fremantle while retaining its status as a working port for cruise, visiting naval and recreational vessels, will unlock 260 hectares of prime inner urban land in Fremantle to support WA’s growing population.

The project area consists of more than 260 hectares of land (370 hectares including waterways) and approximately 10 kilometres of waterfront.  It encompasses Victoria Quay, North Quay, Rous Head and North Fremantle land situated north of Tydeman Road, between the Fremantle passenger line and coast. 

After container freight services relocate to Kwinana, the Fremantle Port would continue to operate berths and maritime services for visiting cruise and naval ships, and local ferry operators.

The 260 hectares of inner-harbour land previously used for freight services will be available to be redeveloped for other uses.  The scale of this redevelopment opportunity is significant by national and global standards and provides a rare opportunity to diversify the local economy and jobs, and provide housing for WA’s growing population, while complementing and building on Fremantle’s unique appeal and lifestyle.

The staging of future redevelopment of the Fremantle | Walyalup inner harbour port precinct will be timed to ensure the transition out of trades occurs when Fremantle Port reaches capacity, ensuring the State gets the maximum value out of the current infrastructure.

\Westport will deliver a business case, including recommended timeframes for the new Kwinana port and supply chain to the State Government for consideration in mid-2024.

The Western Australian Planning Commission’s Future of Fremantle Planning Committee is leading the Future of Fremantle project. The Committee’s work is supported by:

• an Aboriginal Reference Group
• a Stakeholder Reference Group
• the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
• Strategic Advisor Nicole Lockwood, who is also Chair of the Infrastructure WA Board and the former Chair of the Westport Taskforce.
• a multi-disciplinary consultant team
• Cultural advisory consultants.

It also draws on the expertise and perspectives of members of the community and stakeholders with a long-standing interest, knowledge and involvement in the area.

The Committee has no planning decision-making powers. Its role is to consider strategic land use planning and identify future economic opportunities for the Inner Harbour precinct. It will operate until approximately mid-2024.

The 13-member committee is chaired by Western Australian Planning Commission board member and experienced urban planner Jane Bennett, with relevant expertise from key Government agencies and community representatives.

• Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) – David Caddy
• State Member for Fremantle – Simone McGurk MLA
• City of Fremantle – Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge
• Fremantle community representative – George Kailis
• Fremantle Chamber of Commerce – Pete Adams
• Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage – Damien Martin
• Whadjuk Noongar Representative – Freda Ogilvie
• Whadjuk Noongar Representative – Lance Morich
• Fremantle Port Authority – Chris Sutherland
• Westport – Patrick Seares
• Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation – Marzia Zamir
• Department of Transport – Justin McKirdy
• Tourism Western Australia – Renata Lowe

The Aboriginal Reference Group members are:

• Mr Joe Collard
• Mr Greg Ugle
• Ms Geri Hayden
• Ms Doreen Nelson
• Dr Gerrard Shaw
• Ms Sharon Calgaret

The Stakeholder Reference Group members are:

• State Member for Bicton – Lisa O’Malley MLA
• Fremantle community representatives – Danielle Cattalini and Dr Jennie Gray
• North Fremantle Community Association – Ann Forma
• Property Council of WA – Sandra Brewer
• Heritage Council of WA – Alan Kelsall
• Government Architect – Chris Melsom
• Development WA – Bill Adlam
• Public Transport Authority – Michael Parker
• Main Roads WA – Douglas Morgan

The Future of Fremantle project is being undertaken in three phases that will conclude in mid-2024 when a preferred recommended Economic Development Strategy and Land Use Plan is presented to the State Government for consideration:

• Phase 1 Place and Economic Directions, comprising technical investigations, case study research, and preliminary engagement.
• Phase 2 Visioning and Preliminary Scenarios, comprising collaborative visioning, modelling and design, including community consultation and feedback.
• Phase 3 Economic Development Strategy and Land Use Plan resulting in a recommendation to the State Government in mid-2024.

The project is currently in Phase 2 – Visioning and Preliminary Scenarios (as of November 2023).

After more than 12 months of intensive consultation, the Future of Fremantle project has developed an emerging vision and three different economic and land use scenarios for the future of transformation of the Fremantle | Walyalup Inner Harbour.

The emerging vision and scenarios are aspirational and explore different ideas and possibilities that could be achieved across the precinct’s 50-year planning horizon following the relocation of port activities.

The vision and scenarios were informed by extensive technical investigations and input from the Future of Fremantle Planning Committee, the Aboriginal Reference Group, the Stakeholder Reference Group and considerable community and stakeholder engagement.

An information pack has been prepared that includes details of the emerging vision and three scenarios for community and stakeholder feedback.  

Considerable consultation has been undertaken over the past 12 months including:

• a visioning day, attended by more than 350 people
• two Place Design Forums, over six days, with more than 300 participants
• Aboriginal Elders’ workshops attended by 80 Elders
• Focus groups with 62 participants
• Youth Forums with 43 participants

In all, this amounts to over 100 hours of active engagement.

In addition, further consultation has been carried out with technical experts and representatives of local government and State Government agencies, and business and community leaders, to inform the development of the emerging vision and the three economic and land use scenarios.

For more information about the emerging vision and three scenarios, see (link to information pack).

The emerging vision aims to capture and reflect community values and aspirations for the future redevelopment of the port precinct. It includes a draft aspirational vision statement supported by the below six goals:

• Grow an economy of the future
• Reflects Freo’s character
• Walkable and well connected
• Diverse and healthy
• Celebrates Aboriginal culture
• Reconnect to land and water

For more information about the emerging vision and three scenarios, see (link to information pack).

The scenarios explore different ideas and possibilities of what could be achieved across the precinct’s 50-year planning horizon following the relocation of port activities.

This includes exploring different land uses and development intensities, housing types, job creation, green spaces, waterfront treatments, and transport and social infrastructure investment across the 260-hectare site.

Each scenario poses a different level of economic development and land use intensity, with corresponding transport, community and civil infrastructure to support this growth:   

• Scenario One | Harbour City
• Potential for 15,000-25,000 jobs / 25,000-35,000 residents
• A sustainable and self-sufficient urban neighbourhood that supports the Fremantle City Centre
• Scenario Two | Coastal City
• Potential for 30,000-40,000 jobs / 35,000 – 45,000 residents
• Prioritises landscape, public space and greenery to reposition Fremantle as a major city in the southern region of Perth.
• Scenario Three | Competitive City
• Potential for 40,000 – 50,000 jobs / 45,000 – 55,000 residents
• Enhances economic and population growth to position Fremantle as a key metropolitan anchor to diversify the economy.

For more information about the emerging vision and three scenarios, see (link to information pack).

The starting point for the scenario options were a series of ‘Common Assumptions’ that were strongly supported through the engagement and were identified as being important inclusions across all three scenarios.  They are:

• Be a jobs positive development
• Maintain public access to the waterfront
• Protect heritage listed buildings
• Prioritise active and public transport over cars
• High intensity land use to support self-sufficient neighbours
• Protect Port Beach and acknowledge its role as regional destination
• Maintain cruise and ferries in the Inner Harbour
• Recognise significant Aboriginal cultural sites

The scenarios have been designed to spatially explore potential benefits, but also, to understand what trade-offs might be required, to deliver on community aspirations.

These trade-offs are closely linked to the intensity of land use and building types envisaged for the site. For example, great place outcomes and high-quality, sustainable transportation and other infrastructure are more achievable when coupled with enough intensity of land-use development to support the required level of infrastructure investment.

Similarly, to achieve a larger allocation of land for public open space, it is usually necessary to achieve a higher intensity of development on the remaining developable areas. 

We are keen to receive your feedback on the Future of Fremantle Emerging Vision and Scenarios. A consultation phase is open to 15 January 2024.

A comprehensive online survey and supporting information pack are available at https://consultation.dplh.wa.gov.au/future-of-fremantle/  The survey asks for your feedback on the emerging vision, scenarios and community priorities.

Please read the information pack before you begin the survey.

Once the public consultation phase has concluded, all feedback will be considered by the Future of Fremantle Planning Committee and Western Australian Planning Commission to help inform the final recommendation to the State Government in mid-2024.

The Future of Fremantle project is a strategic visioning exercise about how repurposing the Inner Harbour could deliver social and economic benefits to all Western Australians.

It has a 50-year planning horizon, following the relocation of current port activities.

Are there historic heritage considerations?

Both the Port of Fremantle Passenger Terminal and the West End of Victoria Quay are listed on the State Register of Heritage Places. 

A member from the Heritage Council sits on the Future of Fremantle Reference Group and the Future of Fremantle Planning Committee will work closely with the Heritage Council regarding any future development opportunities at both places. 

Any proposed development impacting State Heritage Listed places – including Victoria Quay and the Passenger Terminal – must be referred to the Heritage Council of Western Australia, the State Government’s advisory body on heritage matters, for consideration.

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Are there Aboriginal heritage considerations?

The Walyalup (Fremantle) area is rich in Aboriginal history and holds great cultural importance to the Whadjuk Noongar people.