- Fishing
Boat Harbour recognition reflects the harbour's long association with Western
Australia's fishing industry and migrant communities
- Listing takes the number of State-registered
places to 1,397
- New internationally recognised heritage plaque
unveiled at Fishing Boat Harbour, with additional plaques at Fremantle Prison,
the Round House and Fremantle Markets, strengthening heritage tourism links
across Fremantle
- Cook
Government protecting WA's heritage and environment for future generations
Fishing
Boat Harbour in Fremantle has been recognised for its cultural heritage
significance with its inclusion on the State Register of Heritage Places.
The
harbour highlights the growing number of sites protected for their importance
to Western Australia's history and identity.
First
established in 1924, Fishing Boat Harbour has long been at the centre of the
State's fishing industry. It is closely associated with the waves of post-war
migration that shaped Fremantle, particularly families from southern Europe who
built livelihoods on the water and helped define the harbour's character.
While
it remains a working harbour, it has also become a well-known visitor
destination, valued not just for its economic role but for its strong
connections to community life and shared history.
The
State Register of Heritage Places is the official list of 1,397 places
recognised for their cultural heritage significance in Western Australia.
Maintained by the Heritage Council of Western Australia, the Register includes
places that reflect our State's development, communities and stories over time.
Fishing
Boat Harbour's inclusion recognises both its physical fabric and its social
significance, ensuring its history is acknowledged and considered into the
future.
Western Australia's rich and diverse history is also being
celebrated with the unveiling of a new heritage plaque design that recognises
both the State's ancient Aboriginal heritage and its shared stories of
settlement, industry and community.
The distinctive blue heritage plaques align with
internationally recognised heritage markers used across Australia and around
the world.
The new design has been created specifically to acknowledge
Aboriginal cultural heritage, including the naming of the traditional lands on
which each place is located.
Designed by highly respected Aboriginal artist Richard
Walley, the plaque at Fishing Boat Harbour incorporates Aboriginal motifs that
reflect connection to Country, culture and enduring history.
Each plaque includes a QR code, allowing visitors to access
historical information, images and stories about the place, and discover
related heritage sites nearby.
Three additional plaques have been installed at Fremantle
Prison, the Round House and Fremantle Markets and will be rolled out
progressively at other heritage sites across Western Australia.
Visit
www.wa.gov.au/fishing-boat-harbour
for more information about Fishing Boat Harbour heritage listing and www.wa.gov.au/heritage-plaques for more information about
the plague program.
Comments attributed to Heritage Minister Simone McGurk:
"Our
heritage places tell the story of who we are as Western Australians, from the
world's oldest continuing culture to the many communities who have shaped our
State.
"Fishing
Boat Harbour is a place many Western Australians know well, but its deeper
history is just as important.
"This listing
recognises the generations of people who built the fishing industry here and
the migrant communities who helped shape Fremantle.
"Fishing Boat Harbour is a place where Western Australia's
migration story comes to life. For generations, migrant families, particularly
from southern Europe, helped build Fremantle's fishing industry and shaped the
harbour into the vibrant working place it remains today.
"It's
fitting to see it added to the State Register as we continue to recognise
places that matter to our community."
Comments attributed to Heritage Council of WA Chair Darren Foster:
"Fishing Boat Harbour tells an important story about industry, migration
and community in Western Australia.
"Its inclusion on the State Register ensures that story is recognised and
carried forward.
"These new plaques represent an important evolution of the heritage
plaques program, recognising Aboriginal tradition as fundamental to
understanding Western Australia's places.
"The Heritage Council looks forward to seeing the new design rolled out
across the State, enriching the way people experience and value Western
Australia's heritage."
