Port city transitions are decades in the making.
I clearly have an affinity for port cities, given I was born in Newcastle and now live south of Fremantle.
As gateways for trade, migration and visitation, port cities are hives of activity with ships coming from and going to other ports in the worldwide network.
An estimated 80 per cent of all the world’s goods are carried by sea, with Fremantle Ports’ 2022 report finding that 99 per cent of Western Australia’s container trade is handled at Freo.
The first port of call for assisted-passage migrants arriving in Australia in the middle of the last century, Fremantle more recently welcomed back cruise ships (which certainly gets the place buzzing) as the world has learned to live with COVID.
Often referred to as a ‘must-visit’ destination, Fremantle was put under the microscope in a recent article by WA journalist Mark Naglazas titled, ‘Welcome to Fremantle’, in which our much-loved Freo was described as ‘a tale of two cities’.
I’d make the same observation of Newcastle, my birthplace, which I recently visited after a hiatus of more than 20 years.
Long known as the ‘steel city’, Newcastle’s transition began in 1989 following the devastating earthquake that killed 13 people and was hastened by the closure of BHP’s steelworks a decade later.
A natural disaster followed by an economic shock led to Newcastle’s journey of rebuilding, both physically and economically, and remains unfinished business decades on.
With a new port facility planned for Cockburn Sound, Fremantle will undergo a period of change as the economic centre of gravity moves south, and it was those thoughts I had in mind as I walked Newcastle’s streets and waterways over a weekend in February.
The northern part of Newcastle’s port is industrial and, as home to coal-loading facilities, it is anyone’s guess for how long.
However, on the southern side, the redevelopment of 50 hectares of former wharves has been undergoing planning and development since the Honeysuckle Development Corporation was established in 1992, in part funded by the much-lauded Better Cities program.
Home to both commercial and residential development, it lacks soul to some degree, but the standout of the redevelopment is a generous walkway lined with apartments, hotels and restaurants.
What was once the domain of waterside workers and ships crews is now a democratised space with both the fine diner and fish-and-chips picnicker welcomed and accommodated.
As the sun set on my first walk through, three tugboats did an end-of-shift water ballet to the delight of the gathered crowd.
A walk at dawn the next day and the same area was awash with fishing enthusiasts patiently waiting for a pull on their lines, while runners and cyclists sped past and dog walkers meandered.
As a place, it has clearly won the hearts and minds of locals and visitors.
Nobbys Head is the city’s most photographed icon, and its surrounding beach area was busy with surfers, walkers and swimmers.
This end of town, known as the East End, has a distinct village feel that is also evident in the South Terrace end of Fremantle.
Aside from the usual weekend hubbub, there was a crew setting up for the annual Newcastle 500 Supercars event, to be held March 10-12.
A recent economic assessment of the event by EY found the Newcastle 500, on average, delivered $36.2 million annually in total economic impact.
As with all cities where a natural disaster has disrupted commerce, the economic centre of Newcastle has dispersed, which has had a detrimental effect on the central business district (more recently exacerbated by the pandemic).
A street-by-street examination of the CBD revealed a mixed bag, with packed venues next to vacant premises and empty sites.
Pleasingly, some heritage buildings remain, the best of which have been repurposed and given ongoing life.
The lessons for Fremantle are salient, particularly for any redevelopment of Victoria Quay, which must be undertaken with a people- and place-based approach to have the usability and accessibility for all parts of the community.
Transition, be it due to foreseen or unforeseen events, is lengthy and regeneration takes longer than anticipated.
Our next iteration of Freo must be envisaged and executed with a future state clearly in mind, one in which layers of history and heritage are easily recognisable.
- Marion Fulker is an adjunct associate professor at UWA.
