| 1829 |
Capt C.H. Fremantle claimed the west coast of Australia for the British crown. First settlers landed.
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| 1831 |
Round House built for use as gaol; first school opened.
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| 1833 |
First town plan of Fremantle by Surveyor-General J.S.Roe.
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| 1837 |
Two whaling companies operating at Bathers Bay. Construction of small breakwater and tunnel under Round House for transport of goods.
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| 1848 |
Fremantle Town Trust established (Capt. Daniel Scott, Chairman).
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| 1850 |
First convicts arrived aboard Scindian (June).
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| 1851 |
Construction of Fremantle Prison began. Fremantle Literary Institute established.
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| 1861 |
Construction of Fremantle Lunatic Asylum began; building completed 1865.
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| 1866 |
Convict labour used to build first bridge over river at Fremantle.
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| 1868 |
Last convicts arrived aboard Hougoumont.
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| 1871 |
Municipal Corporations Act passed; Fremantle Town Council established (W.S.Pearse, Chairman).
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| 1876 |
Six Fenian prisoners escaped aboard American whaler Catalpa.
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| 1879 |
Reserve land (now Fremantle Park) vested in Fremantle Town Council.
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| 1881 |
Perth – Fremantle railway opened.
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| 1882 |
St John's Anglican Church built.
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| 1883 |
Fremantle Municipal Council established (Barrington Wood, Mayor). Central Fremantle streets lit by gaslamps.
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| 1887 |
Fremantle Town Hall opened 22 June. Telephone exchange opened in buidling the following year.
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| 1895 |
North Fremantle gazetted as separate municipality. Fremantle Oval first used for football. Fremantle Hospital established.
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| 1897 |
Fremantle Harbour opened with arrival of SS Sultan. Four new hotels opened. High Street (to Adelaide Street) paved with wooden blocks. East Fremantle gazetted as separate municipality.
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| 1898 |
Fremantle Markets built; Mills & Ware opened.
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| 1902 |
Death of C.Y.O’Connor; Princess May School opened.
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| 1906 |
Fremantle Tramways opened. Sea baths built near Long Jetty.
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| 1907 |
Fremantle Railway Station opened adjacent to Fremantle Harbour. Beginning of South Beach development as holiday destination.
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| 1914 - 1918 |
Troops embark from Fremantle for WWI. Port used for naval and military purposes.
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| 1919 |
Bloody Sunday 4 May; lumper Tom Edwards shot in waterfront industrial dispute. Spanish Flu epidemic.
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| 1922 |
Uglieland fairground opened opposite railway station (later, Pioneer Park site); ran till 1936 raising funds for welfare.
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| 1928 |
Fremantle War Memorial on Monument Hill unveiled Armistice Day, 11 November.
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| 1929 |
Centenary of Fremantle’s foundation. Fremantle proclaimed a city 3 June; Frank Gibson first mayor.
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| 1932 |
Hazel Orme Kindergarten opened: one of first in WA, served as model for future Kindergarten Union preschools.
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| 1939 |
New traffic bridge opened. Beginning of Fremantle’s involvement as naval port in WWII.
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| 1948 |
O’Connor Industrial area established. Beginning of postwar immigration programmes bringing migrant ships to Fremantle.
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| 1949 |
Opening of Evan Davies Civic Library in former Fremantle Literary Institute building in South Tce (first wholly rate-supported library in WA).
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| 1952 |
Closure of Fremantle tram service.
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| 1958 |
Last students from Fremantle Boys’ and Princess May Girls’ Schools transferred to new John Curtin High School.
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| 1961 |
North Fremantle re-joined Fremantle City Council.
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| 1964 |
Fremantle Port Authority Building, Fremantle Passenger Terminal and North Fremantle Grain Silos all completed. New rail bridge (upriver from original bridge) opened.
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| 1967 |
Esme Fletcher Day Nursery opened; also South Fremantle High School.
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| 1969 |
Encounter Bay (first container ship at Fremantle) arrived28 March; official opening of first container berth 29 March.
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| 1972 |
Former Fremantle Lunatic Asylum building restored; re-opened as Fremantle Arts Centre, 13 October. Fremantle Society founded.
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| 1974 |
Stirling Traffic bridge opened 17 May.
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| 1976 |
Stan Reilly Frail Aged Lodge opened; Fremantle Arts Centre Press founded.
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| 1977 |
Nunzio Gumina introduced al fresco dining at Papa Luigi’s coffee shop in SouthTerrace, the start of development of the Capuccino Strip.
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| 1979 |
Perth – Fremantle railway line closed 1 Sept.; re-opened 29 July 1983.
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| 1984 |
Work commenced on Challenger Harbour in preparation for the America’s Cup.
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| 1986-87 |
Fremantle hosted world championship sailing events: World 12 Metre Championships, America’s Cup Defence Series, Tall Ships Race. Fremantle Town Hall restored and refurbished.
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| 1989 |
Former Fremantle Boys School re-opened as Perth Institute of Film and Television; later, Film and Television Institute (FTI).
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| 1991 |
Closure of Richmond Raceway at East Fremantle; re-developed as residential sites. Fremantle Prison de-commissioned; building re-opened 1992 as cultural tourism site.
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| 1993 |
Endeavour (historic barque replica) built in Fremantle, launched on 16 April.
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| 1995 |
Fremantle Football Club (The Dockers) played first game.
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| 1997 |
Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle Port Authority and Victoria Pavilion celebrated their centenaries.
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| 2000 |
Booyeembara Park established on former Montreal Open Space site; designed and named to honour Aboriginal heritage.
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| 2001 |
The Whalers tunnel was renovated and reopened to the public. Monument Hill listed on West Australian Heritage Register. |
| 2002 |
Australian Maritime Museum on Victoria Quay opens. Woodside Maternity Hospital closes. |
| 2003 |
Old Papa’s on South Terrace closes. |
| 2004 |
Watson’s Butchers on High Street closes after 75 years. Fremantle Primary School Centenary. |
| 2005 |
Fremantle Prison placed on new National Heritage List. John Curtin Statue in King’s Square unveiled. |
| 2006 |
Roma Restaurant closes after 52 years. Duyfken leaves Fremantle. |
| 2007 |
Royal George in East Fremantle handed over to the National Trust. Fire gutted National Hotel, which has been sold & will be restored. First ‘Cracker Night’ held on Australia Day at Fishing Boat Harbour. |
