Fremantle Prison to become home for fledgling small businesses

19/8/94

Fremantle Prison is to become a home for fledgling small businesses and the public is to get greater free access to the prison grounds.

Works Minister Graham Kierath visited the historic prison today to sign a new constitution for the Trust Committee and the lease for the new small business incubator.

Mr Kierath said that the Small Business Incubator would become an important employment generator.

"Through this scheme, cells in Fremantle Prison's New Division will be offered as inexpensive office space to people with business ideas," Mr Kierath said.

"In a positive environment, those people will be able to spark off each and get secretarial back up and business skills advice to help them get off the ground.

"Initially, there will be space for 35 new businesses, each of which will be able to rent space for up to two years.

"We are especially keen to have Aboriginal people launch their own business enterprises through the Business Incubator.

"This scheme has been a great success when tried in other parts of WA -- it creates jobs.

"The New Division fit-out will be partially carried out by unemployed people under a Federal labour market program and I expect space would become available for rental in 1995."

The Minister also signed a variation to the lease of the Fremantle Prison tourist operation, which would enable the general public to enter the prison grounds free of charge.

"There will be public access to an area adjacent to the prison gatehouse, which includes the prison shops and an exhibition centre," Mr Kierath said.

"In addition, the public will have free admission to the grounds every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, except when those days are public holidays, and on one Saturday a month.

"The public will not be allowed into the main prison buildings unless they are on a paid tour, but on open days families will be able to stroll through the grounds and get a feeling for what is probably the State's most important historical site."

To help people appreciate the Building Management Authority administered site, the prison's new curator, Anne Brake, was working with the tour operator to develop a heritage walk inside the prison walls.

A similar walk outside the walls was being planned in conjunction with the Fremantle City Council.

The Fremantle Prison Trust Committee was also involved in developing an Interpretation Centre inside the prison, including displays and an education unit.

"This is an exciting time for Fremantle Prison," Mr Kierath said.

"The former prison hospital is now the Children's Literature Centre, the Francis Burt Law Education Centre is an important feature of the site, and TAFE is using prison workshops as an art centre.

"In the recent Master Builders Association Excellence in Construction Awards, the BMA earned a Certificate of Merit for the renovation of those workshops and the restoration of former prison houses at 2, 4 and 6, The Terrace."

Media contact:   Brian Coulter on 222 9595 or 481 2133