THE Fremantle Street Kitchen and other homeless support services have been given a year’s reprieve after being told they’d have to leave their Beach Street car park site because of the Fremantle Traffic Bridge replacement.
The services have been operating from a shelter on the Public Transport Authority car park, but with the authority hoping to add more parking while the bridge is closed, it ended Fremantle council’s lease and told it to clear the site.
But earlier this week the council confirmed to the Herald that the services had been given a 12-month extension, mirroring the breathing room won for the neighbouring skate spot (“A week of backflips for skaters,” Herald, October 17, 2025).
Street kitchen volunteer Jennifer Byrne said the current set-up grew from negotiations between council and the Public Transport Authority.
• Fremantle Street Doctor volunteers Jennifer Byrne, Sean Downs and Roland Ewe. Photo by Steve Grant
“The transport department okayed the location of this.
“The council had very detailed negotiations with them at the time, so they knew it was happening, but I think they hadn’t planned for the bridge, for this extra parking at that stage.”
She said it was the council that delivered the bad news.
“The council said, ‘you know, we need to find a new location for all the services’, because a lot of services use this area.
“It’s not just for a Fremantle Street Kitchen… there’s a street library service… and a couple of church groups… and a Muslim group… and they use the container as well.
“There’s a lot of behind the scenes cooperation that has gone on to get this happening the way it happens.”
Calm hub
Ms Byrne said the spot has become a calm hub.
“What the shelter has done is it has created a safe space that is used more… as a place to sit in the shade, because there’s a beautiful tree there.”
When council upgraded the area, “there were two broken benches… there are now four and our artist did up the benches.
“So it’s got a vibe about it.”
The site has operated for four years, with the shelter and container installed last year.
Ms Byrne said it was cleverly designed by the council to be discreet, and while it was sturdy it wasn’t too inviting so people didn’t start lodging there overnight.
“The umbrella of the Fremantle Street Kitchen is that we feed hungry people in Fremantle, nothing else…
“We do what we feel like doing.
“No one tells us from above what to do.”
Groups take turns: “Some people make sandwiches. Some people have relationships with pizza places that support them… Friday nights was a recent addition… and off they went on their own.”
Ms Burn’s team’s food arrives through a web of generosity. “Copper Chimney, the Norfolk Hotel, Strange Company, Moore and Moore, Clancy’s… and Kakula Sister provides tins of beans… Some of it’s uncooked food, some of it is food that’s donated by local restaurants.”
She estimates about 40 businesses are directly involved,” plus individuals delivering desserts and staples.
“There are little gestures of goodwill… People give what they can, and that’s all.”
by STEVE GRANT