Purpose Heritage | ||
Motto For Fremantle people and places Formation January 1, 1972; 45 years ago (1972-01-01) Legal status Association (ASIC registration number: 136085946) Region served Fremantle, Western Australia | ||
The Fremantle Society is a community-based culture and heritage advocacy group in Fremantle, Western Australia. It was formed in 1972 to work to prevent what was seen as undesirable demolition and/or development of historic buildings in Fremantle. As the significance of Fremantle's built heritage came to be more widely recognised and respected (by the City, and property owners), the focus of the Fremantle Society has evolved to include more of the cultural heritage of the area.
Various projects over time have highlighted Fremantle heritage as well as advocating consideration of heritage in planning schemes.
When the City's precinct system was established in the 1990s to provide interaction between the City and groups of residents, the Society became the 'umbrella' precinct of the other eleven precincts. It has remained such, and is the only one not defined by geographical boundaries (the others are mostly representative of a suburb). The work of precinct groups can be supported by financial assistance from the City of up to $850 per year (as long as this is not used to support government election campaigning).
The overall nature of the Society's work is ongoing due to the inherent pressures from developers and others.
Fighting for Fremantle, a history of the Society by Ron and Dianne Davidson, was published by Fremantle Press in 2010. It was launched by the Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett, in Victoria Hall.
Campaigns
The Society has led campaigns to prevent the loss of many significant buildings in Fremantle; not all have been successful. Some examples include:
Other projects have also been undertaken, such as the 1978–80 photographic survey of almost every building in Fremantle, and the Freopedia wikitown project.