GROWING up in suburban Perth – Western Australia in the 1960s I developed a strong affinity with our port city of Fremantle… affectionately known as ‘Freo’. 

This could be deemed unusual because we lived in a riverside suburb called Salter Point, 20 kilometres upriver from Freo… and eight kilometres from Perth City itself. 

In those days they were big distances. 

There was no public transport directly to Freo, from our suburb (Fremantle is a port at the mouth of the Swan River, where it meets the Indian Ocean – on the west coast of Australia. Perth city – the capital of Western Australia – is also on the Swan River, 20km upstream to the east).

However there were several good reasons for this!

Firstly, my father Bob was a Commonwealth Government customs officer based in the port itself. 

His job was to help ensure that people (and goods) arriving into the port from overseas were legally acceptable… and in today’s jargon – ‘didn’t pose a security risk’ or a ‘threat to our national interests’.

He often regaled stories about the characters he met through his work at the Freo port. 

Occasionally he would take us when a visiting ship arrived from faraway lands.

One such boat Dad organised to visit was a Dutch immigrant ship called the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt’

I remember it had wonderful polished teak timber throughout its interiors.

Records say that the 100,000th Dutch immigrant into Australia arrived on her in 1958.  

It was a 42-day (6 week) journey from Holland to Fremantle… and she had the capacity for 770 passengers (Why do we always assume boats and ships are feminine?).

Sadly in December 1963 as a 10 year old, I read that she caught fire at sea and sank, with 128 people drowning. 

I remember thinking it was probably the marvellous polished timber that fuelled the fire… the smooth enamelled teak that felt so luxurious to touch.

The population of greater metropolitan Perth (which included Freo as a suburb) in the 1960s was just 400,000. 

So we were a small provincial city (or large town) very isolated from the rest of Australia … and more so the rest of the world.

Freo port – also known as Victoria Quay – was in those days a major immigration centre (North Wharf, on the opposite side of the port – a distance of 200 metres – handled all the commercial cargo ships).

Immigrants

It was the first port of call for European immigrants arriving into Australia… before the ships sailed to Melbourne and Sydney on the east coast.

Australia had a legal proclamation of Parliament for immigration, known as the White Australia Policy.

So the massive post war immigration into Australia was from war torn Europe – mainly English, Scottish, Irish, Dutch, Italian and Greeks.

And so Dad and his colleagues were kept busy processing these immigrants, who were in search of a new and better life in Oz (The Customs officers were also responsible for clearing the cargo ships of their freightload). 

After the dreadful Second World War (1939 – 1945) Europe was left an absolute mess, with millions of homeless people searching for a better life.

Australia then and now certainly offered that, in a more simple, unsophisticated way.

In my class at the Manning Primary School there were numerous immigrant kids – mainly English, Scottish and Dutch.

I remember one poor lass had a strong body odour… probably resulting from the European habit of only washing every few days, or even just once a week. 

That didn’t go down well during the hot Aussie summers!

Anyway… back to the Freo story.

The second reason for my strong connection with  Freo was because of my number one passion in life then … footy. 

I loved the game called “Aussie Rules” and played with the local Manning club. 

As a boy I was extremely competitive and hated to lose. 

Probably still am.

Through Dad’s work connection with Freo I followed him… and started barracking for East Fremantle. 

They were a leading team in the WA state league, which comprised eight clubs. 

They were (and still are) the most successful club in the whole of Australia – when measured by the number of premierships won. 

They were known as Old Easts and their colours were royal blue and white. 

Our arch rivals were the other Freo team – South Fremantle. 

They wore red and white jumpers and were known as the ‘Bulldogs’. Still are. 

They each had their own grounds, approximately five kilometres apart. 

Fremantle Oval  – home of the Bulldogs – is located in the centre and remains an historical feature of the town.  

Old Easts’ ground in suburban East Fremantle has recently been redeveloped. 

When they played against each other the games were known as Derbies… and were fierce contests.

I vividly remember as a young boy watching these games in awe – in what seemed huge crowds of probably only 5,000 to 10,000… and the vivid colours of their guernseys. 

South’s all white jumper in particular with a bold cardinal red V on the front, made a lasting impression on me – especially when they wore matching white shorts.

A momentous occasion was the last Saturday in September 1965. 

After losing three grand finals in a row (1962 – 1964) Old Easts came from well behind at half time, to win the coveted premiership. 

As a twelve year old having suffered three years of extreme disappointment, this was a euphoric event. 

Like me, our deputy head master at Manning School (Mr McManus) was also a fanatical Old Easts supporter. 

Elated, he called a special school assembly the following Monday morning. 

And so about 400 children and teachers were called to attention by Mr McManus – just to be informed that after many disappointing seasons our beloved Old Easts had finally won the premiership. 

But before he made this major announcement he unexpectedly called me up to join him in front of the assembly – to share the excitement. 

As an extremely competitive youngster this was a glorious moment that I still vividly remember. 

I suspect it even resulted in me suffering from ‘Euphoric Stress Syndrome’ for days thereafter .. ha ha.

Mr McManus was from a large and well respected Freo family. 

His grandson Shaun played for the Freo Dockers in the prestigious national AFL completion, 30 years after that glorious September afternoon in 1965.

A ‘Docker’ is the name given to labourers working at the port. Because of the working class background surrounding the port, the Fremantle football teams were renown for their toughness and competitive spirit. 

Hence Old Easts’ remarkable record of winning premierships.

By the 1980s Freo was struggling and not the thriving commercial town it had been. 

That all changed however in 1983 when an Australian yachting syndicate based in Freo won the coveted Americas Cup yacht race – off Newport Rhode Island near New York. 

This was a monumental event as America had never lost this premier yacht race in over 150 years. 

The actual Cup trophy was said to have been bolted to the floor of the New York Yacht Club.

And so in 1987 Freo hosted the follow up Americas Cup Regatta, in the Indian Ocean offshore. 

This was the first ever away from it’s home base at Newport. 

Freo came alive like never before.

The lead-up to and month-long regatta brought international recognition and attention to the port city.

Yachting syndicates with their yachts and crew arrived from all over the world – along with a huge influx of curious tourists. 

My wife and I went to the official Americas Cup Ball during this time. 

It was a huge event, housed in a disused Woolstore that was massively re-furbished for the occasion. 

Prime minister Bob Hawke was there, along with many national politicians and high profile business people.

Sadly for us Aussies the Americans won back the coveted Cup that year, after the seven race regatta. 

And so The Cup returned to the New York Yacht Club in Newport. 

However… the impact of that sporting event restored Freo to its rightful place as Western Australia’s unique and colourful port… and the state’s premier tourist destination.

As a city of major cultural heritage Freo has unique architectural features, with many of its historical buildings constructed in sandstone and limestone. 

Today over 250 of Freo’s buildings – described as ‘charming heritage sandstone buildings’ – have been classified by the National Trust. 

Restored colonial heritage buildings built in the 1800s are easily spotted… and a stroll through the West End of the city is like walking back in time. 

The West End is a collection of streets characterised by their late Georgian and Victorian style architecture, at the southern end of the port. 

The ‘Round House’ which opened in 1831- is here. 

It was built as a jail with eight cells and a gaoler’s residence… and is the oldest remaining public building in Western Australia. 

This area is now also home to the University of Notre Dame Australia, spread out over numerous buildings.

Its students and staff of over 12,000 add greatly to the life and vitality of this  unique West End Heritage Area… and Freo overall.

There are 3000 heritage listed properties in the greater Freo area… and the city has been recognised as the best preserved example of 19th century port streetscape in the world. Wow! 

It was this unique architecture which resonated with me every time I visited the area as a boy. 

One occasion I remember was going to the West End after school with a teenage mate, to meet his mother who was working in a shop. 

The lovely Mrs Hill took us for an early dinner at the well known Roma Restaurant near the Round House, close to the Ocean.

It was for decades an institution known for its wonderful Italian dishes. 

I still remember having chicken Maryland, which to my delight was half a chicken with a banana fried in bread crumbs. For many years I continued going there with my wife, and always had seafood marinara in white creamy sauce. 

Usually we had to wait in a queue on the footpath outside, for a table to become available. 

Another indelible boyhood memory is of the Fremantle Prison / Gaol (located immediately to the east of Fremantle Oval ); not because I have ever been there – but because  occasionally there would be a break-out by a few of its inmates.

These escapees would be at large for a few days… and their photos plastered across the front page of  The West Australian –  Perth’s only daily newspaper. 

Fear reigned across Perth’s suburbs, until they were apprehended.

One such villain was Kenneth James Roffey who was doing time for continual minor offences.

His younger brother Michael was in my class at Manning Primary School. 

During one of his breakouts, Kenny – as he was affectionately known – found his way to our classroom to see his kid brother. 

Needless to say this caused great consternation for all concerned. 

The two brothers were however re-united briefly, which was nice. 

I have often wondered what happened to the Roffey boys. 

Western Australia’s last public hanging occurred at the goal in the early 1960s when serial killer Eric Edgar Cook was ‘hung by the neck until dead’. 

He had terrorised suburban Perth for several years, randomly entering homes at night and shooting residents.

The Fremantle Gaol was closed to prisoners in 1991. 

It is now classified as a World Heritage Site and open to the public as one of Freo’s main tourist attractions. 

I wonder what Kenny Roffey would think about all that!

Dad was a great lover of Freo and the adjoining port. 

However he grew up in country South Australia and had a strong allegiance with Adelaide. 

He struggled with living in suburban Perth and its parochialism. 

He thought West Aussies were too conservative and inward looking, compared to the eastern states folks he had encountered during his air force days in the War.

But Freo, with its unique charm and gritty character, was always to his liking.

Today both of my daughters live in the greater Fremantle area… with their husbands and my four grandchildren. 

And so when I return to Perth every year for Christmas – from my current home in Greece, I invariably spend most of my time around Freo. 

By comparison Perth city and my boyhood suburb of Salter Point are now distant fading memories.

Also… my two brothers are living in neighbouring suburbs which is very convenient for our family catch ups. 

For similar reasons they too share a strong affinity with Freo.

On my last trip back I read in the local rag that Fremantle Oval, still home of  the South Freo Bulldogs, is going to be redeveloped with a mix of commercial and residential apartments, surrounding the football ground. 

It will of course be continued as the home of the Bulldogs. 

Instinctively this appealed to me as an ideal place to live when I return to Perth permanently. Watching the footy from my balcony… and being able to easily access this wonderful town by foot, stirred up my emotions. 

And in the distance I will be able to see the old Freo Gaol.

No doubt all my childhood memories will come flooding back!

Epilogue

In 1995 the two Fremantle football sides joined forces, to enter a team in the more prestigious national competition, known as the AFL. 

They were and still are known as the Freo Dockers. 

Sadly after 30 years we have had limited success and are yet to win a premiership. 

Regardless, I have maintained my strong allegiance – the result of wonderful childhood memories following Old Easts.

by GAVIN WOODWARD