Background In 2010 the City of Fremantle applied to the Minister of Indigenous Affairs for consent to use the registered sites for the purpose of ‘maintenance and improvements, landscape preservation, flora and fauna management’. The Minister granted consent in February 2011, subject to a number of conditions being satisfied to protect and appropriately manage the cultural heritage of the sites prior to works commencing, including the preparation of a Cultural Heritage Management Plan. In 2011 the City of Fremantle commenced a project to revitalise Cantonment Hill. Cantonment Hill extends over an area of 2.31 hectares of land purchased by the City of Fremantle in 2010 from the federal government. A master plan was prepared in 2012, proposing works to improve the public facilities and enhance the natural features of the site. The project presents a rare opportunity to establish new parkland in the centre of the city, restore and activate the heritage-listed Fremantle Harbour Signal Station and Naval Stores and share the rich Aboriginal and European history of Cantonment Hill with the broader community. In recognition of the need for a focused dialogue on the project, the City of Fremantle proposed an advisory group of Whadjuk Working Party members be established to assist develop the statements of significance. The Whadjuk Working Party nominated eight members, including Mr Greg Ugle, Mrs Theresa Walley, Mrs Vera Warrell, Marion Collard, Anne Ryder, Neville Collard, Richard Wilkes and Miriam Champion to represent the Whadjuk Working Party on the Whadjuk Advisory Group. The Statements of Significance are based upon consultation and a site visit with the Whadjuk Advisory Group on Wednesday 17 February 2016 and extensive desktop research of literary and oral sources. The report has been written to acknowledge Whadjuk visions and aspirations for Fremantle and values for the recognition and protection of registered sites.
