Community grant recipients March 2022

Fremantle Audiowalk 

The Fremantle Audiowalk is a self-directed walk that begins near the E Shed and follows the pedestrian path to the fishing harbour and around Esplanade Park. Participants download an MP3, at no charge, wherein noted actor Monica Main, whose performance of The Swashline Secret at the Shipwreck Museum was nominated for the Performing Arts WA award, narrates the social and natural history along the path. Unlike walking tours, this audiowalk is free to use and allows listeners to leave and pick up again when they want.

 The walks are designed with diverse mobilities in mind, the walks are also accessible for community groups and health organisations to take members and clients. 

Organisation: Audiowalks WA  I  Grant: $5,000

“My Home” Congdon Street  

Building 18 single occupant homes on land owned by the PTA and leased to “My Home” at a long term peppercorn lease. The project is underpinned by Housing First principles, providing homes and wrap-around support services to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Focusing on Women over 55 who are homeless or at risk or becoming homeless.

Organisation: My Home Australasia Limited  I  Grant: $4,976.06

Annie St Community Garden Startup and Event

This project will establish an efficient reticulation system and hold an event to celebrate the Annie St Community Garden in Beaconsfield that includes a bush tucker garden, orchard and vegetable beds. This event aims to encourage wider community and local business participation in the garden.  Their garden committee consists of a group of  local residents who meet at the garden monthly without fail over the last 2 years. Once of the goals of this project is to raise awareness, increase volunteering and involvement in the garden from members of the local community to counteract social isolation and provide a safe, outdoor meeting place for gardening and sustainable living events.  

The Winterfold Primary School is also excited to see the garden well managed and are supportive of the project. They envisage more involvement with local parents and the broader community once the Annie St Community Garden is able to run productive gardening sessions. 

Organisation: Annie St Community Garden Inc.  I  Grant: $4,800

Youth Place Drop-In

The ‘Youth Place Drop-In’ program is designed to create a safe space where young people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness can be taught vital skills to help them live securely and independently as valued and connected members of the Fremantle Community. The first of its kind in Fremantle, the program will be aimed at young people aged between 15 and 25 who are experiencing hardship due to relationship breakdowns, family and domestic violence, mental health and drug and alcohol challenges.

Delivered as a series of 12 free workshops over a 12-month period, by the Youth Place team, it will include neighbouring support networks and volunteers from across the Fremantle community. Each workshop will combine education and practical skills development with positive, social engagement in a welcoming and accessible group setting in Fremantle, to help young people overcome barriers which prevent them from accessing safe support services in the community. The projects workshops will cover; Family Domestic Violence, Sexual Health, Support Networks in Fremantle for Young People, Financial Information, Employment skills such as resume building or interview preparation, Meal preparation and cooking skills, Skate Session at the skate park at Montreal Street, White Gum Valley, LGBTQI+ Safe Space session, Art Therapy Session, Parenting Sessions.

Each workshop will be incentivized to boost participation with food vouchers, SmartRiders, journals and other prizes. The workshops will also cater to young people with families and couples, and take place in accessible and inclusive locations such as 3 Beach Street, Fremantle. One of the key goals of the Youth Place Drop-In program is to connect with young people unfamiliar with - or who have previously faced barriers to - safe, local support services and to integrate them with service providers such as Youth Place.

Organisation: St Patrick's Community Centre - Youth Place  I  Grant: $4,088

The Dragon's Den

Indian Ocean Dragon Boat Club is a social and competitive dragon boat paddling club with over thirty members and growing. The club has two shipping containers and an erect a fence as storage space to help with the expanding club and alleviate ongoing issues the club have faced due to the space becoming a hotspot for vandalism and burglaries, with the sheds broken into numerous times.  The club is aware that shipping container may become a hotshot for graffiti and have applied for this Community Grant to install better security so that this does not happen through a community project.

This project will collaborate with the local primary school and community to paint a mural on the shipping container, erect a security fence and install security lighting. All volunteers involved from the school and community have an opportunity to try dragon boating and the  Indian Ocean Dragon Boat Club are hosting a BBQ.

Project Organisation: Indian Ocean Dragon Boat Club Inc  I  Grant: $5,000

Bringing Choral Music to the Community in and around Fremantle

Fremantle Choir Incorporated a.k.a. Fremantle Women’s Choir has existed as a community group for over 30 years!  They are made up of mostly retirees but do have a few younger members.  They are currently canvassing for additional members and would be delighted to welcome anyone who is interested.  They hire a musical director and an accompanist to train and support us in our rehearsals and concerts. In previous Fremantle concerts, they had equipment, technical and acoustic failure. Through the Community Grant we were able to purchase new equipment and you can see them in action for the Christmas concert 2022, we have booked the Fremantle Town Hall. 

Organisation: Fremantle Choir Incorporated   I  Grant: $2,753

Hilton Primary School, Upper School Play/Connection Space Enrichment Project

Hilton Primary School is located at the heart of Hilton in the City of Fremantle, and nurtures the future community members of Hilton, the children! The school community is growing, thanks to the increasing number of young families settling into the garden suburb. Currently the upper school children Years 3-6 only have a choice of playing in the playground (which is in full sun during recess and lunch), or playing sport on the oval or ball courts (full sun). The proposed project aims to offer alternative play and connection opportunities under the tree-lined space adjacent to the oval (on the outside of the school’s perimeter fence - accessible to the general public).

The Community Grant supports the incorporation of the cultural and environmental history of Walyalup, the Whadjuk people as the traditional owners; and the cultural significance of the Derbal Yerrigan. Therefore, Nature Based Play's design will incorporate educational opportunities (through subtle carvings, murals and signage) for users to learn and connect.  All of which will work towards creating a strong sense of place, and reflect the Fremantle Port environment as part of WA's unique and diverse culture and environment. Local Indigenous Artist (and past Hilton Primary School student) Turid Calgaret will facilitate 2 consultations with students and interested Hilton Community members, with a view to incorporate ideas/artwork into the space (e.g. murals, wood carvings).

Organisation: Hilton Primary School P&C Assn Inc  I  Grant: $1,000

Nature biodiversity strip

Nannine Common community garden aims to provide a safe inclusive space for the White Gum Valley community to connect, grow, share food, and provide habitat for local wildlife. The community garden will be located in the currently vacant block immediately south of Sullivan Hall adjacent to the Sustainable Housing Artists Collective on Nannine Avenue in White Gum Valley. A concept diagram has been developed after several meetings of interested community members in 2021 and 2022.

The nature biodiversity strip (community garden) will connect existing native landscaping in the White Gum Valley development with Booyeembara Park and verge plantings in White Gum Valley to provide habitat for local wildlife. The nature biodiversity strip will feature local endemic plants with large tree canopy and layered planting of shrubs and ground covers. Species selection will encourage pollinators such as native birds and insects, as well as food and habitat trees for endangered Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos.

Project Organisation: Nannine Common  I  Grant: $2,000

Winter Solstice Lantern Walk

In our climate and on Whadjuk Boodja, we see the Winter Solstice as a chance to welcome the Noongar season of Makaru - our wet rainy season which revives and nourishes our habitats, gardens and replenishes our water sources. It is an opportunity to come together around fires and ‘crafting’ activities. 

The event objective is linked to the White Gum Valley Community Orchard mission to provide events which celebrate the seasons and bring people together for play and community celebration. This event connects the community to these winter / Makaru seasonal activities. This has grown from a small celebration initiated by a few families in the White Gum Valley playgroup, to an annual event that involves the local school and kindergarten, and a broad cross-section of the community through the event activities and Lantern walk. In 2022 it be the 9th year the Winter Solstice has been celebrated in White Gum Valley.

Organisation: White Gum Valley Community Orchard Inc.   I  Grant: $1,850

Walyalup to Wadjemup: Crossing Over & Walking the Land

The Rottnest society will Collaborate with local Whadjuk Noongar William Hayward who is an esteemed Aboriginal consultant and Curtin University Lecturer who conducted the Roundhouse Smoking Ceremony with Dr. Brad Pettitt. William's extended family will also be apart of the interpreted nature walk / island hike that shares the stories and connection of our first nations people with Wadjemup. Enabling us to connect to the stories and spiritual importance of this place for the Whadjuk Noongar, the wider Western Australian aboriginal community and with the integrity, beauty and biodiversity of the land.

 Creating a hike along one of the bidis towards the West End of Wadjemup to Rottnest on September 18, 2022. Tickets are free for all people of aboriginal decent and Rottnest Society Members.

• Immediate aim:  educate, integrate local and ancient knowledge and captivate our community with the deep significance of this island as an icon and place to channel energy and support the healing of our local Aboriginal community at this historic site.
•  Long term goal: this becomes an annual event.

Organisation: The Rottnest Society  I  Grant: $2,798

GO Community 

Institute 361 facilitates Go classes for libraries, communities and maker spaces. Introducing strategic board games to your Library is a wonderful way to engage community in a fun and meaningful way. Playing Go contributes to sustainable, connected, safe and diverse places for everyone.  The “GO Community” project is of significance, as it will be the first project of this kind in Australia, and the first ever project to include formal Go programs.

Go fosters innovative thinking, and adds a playful element in creating inter-cultural and inter-generational socially cohesive society. The long term goal is to create a GO Community in the City of Fremantle that is inclusive for everyone to socialise, learn and most importantly, have fun!

Organisation: Institute 361 Auspiced by Multicultural Futures  I  Grant: $4,990

Pet Therapy Library and Wishing Wall

Forget-me-not cafe's encourage carers and their partners, living with dementia, to coexist in a social atmosphere, with no fear of embarrassment, misunderstandings, or judgement, as they share a morning with others who are travelling down the same road. With the Community Grant the Forget-me-not cafe is able to provide therapeutic but fun activities for its visitors.

Pet Therapy Library

This grant will allow for the purchase of doll and pet therapy supplies for member's use while visiting the Forget-Me-Not Cafe. Members can loan these items and take them home with them for the month between visits. Doll Therapy is a recognised therapeutic intervention for people living with dementia and is regularly recommended by occupational health professionals to assist with the management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. Unfortunately, many members who attend the Cafe do not have the means to purchase the items themselves. The Therapy Library will provide a free service and assist community participation and engagement.

Wishing Wall

The Wishing Wall, allows people living with Dementia and their carers to write wishes on the leaves provided which are then placed on the wall.  When the wall is full with leaves a book will be created made of wishes along with a variety of photos taken throughout the year at the memory café. Funding from this grant will assist in publishing this book and help create memories for the community who attends the Cafe.

Organisation: Forget-Me-Not Dementia Support   I  Grant: $4,560