HERITAGE minister David Templeman toured Fremantle’s prime historic sites this week as he announced the formal inclusion of the city’s West End on the state’s heritage register.

“Fremantle’s West End is a rare example of a highly intact port city business district and is notable for its impressive variety of gold boom era buildings that point to its maritime heritage,” Mr Templeman said.

His tour also took in the convict-built Fremantle Prison, where he held discussions about conservation initiatives.

The prison has also been holding consultation with neighbours about concerts at the venue, which it’s held to bring in a new generation of punters.

• Heritage minister David Templeman at the Fremantle Prison. Photo by Stephen Pollock

But the survey’s got under the skin of Stevens Street resident  Angus Morrison-Saunders who says the questions seem deliberately vague.

Mr Morrison-Saunders said there was no definition of what constituted a concert, so he was unable to show his support for an acoustic folk hoedown rather than heavy metal screechathons.

He said there was also no mention of whether events would be during the day or evening, which would make a difference to his support.

“I understand places like the prison need to have income streams and I am fully supportive of live music and cultural events,” Mr Morrison-Saunders told the Herald.

“But I also don’t want to suffer the appalling noise pollution that can with events such as the Blues n Roots festival when it was held in Fremantle.”

by STEVE GRANT