Fremantle Harbour heritage interpretation strategy and implementation framework

Challenge

Fremantle Harbour’s Masterplan highlighted that stakeholders wanted the harbour to reflect its rich cultural significance. The Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI) faced a complex challenge - the harbour has a deep history, yet much of its cultural narrative remains under‑recognised, limiting opportunities for future planning, investment, and community connection.

The project needed to reveal the history of the harbour in a way that would maximise future opportunities and enhance understanding and appreciation of its layered heritage. DTMI sought a clear, strategic approach to ensure that culturally significant places and narratives were acknowledged, preserved, and meaningfully integrated into the harbour’s evolving identity. The strategy directly addresses this challenge, guiding future actions and investments while honouring the harbour’s cultural depth and significance.

Solution

Element Advisory, now SLR, led a staged approach that included:

• Historical research to establish cultural context and a timeline of significant events.
• Stakeholder and community engagement delivered with Whadjuk Consultants, industry representatives, and local groups to identify stories of significance.
• Preparation of a Heritage interpretation strategy informed by the ICOMOS Charter, which defines cultural values and priority themes.
• Development of a management framework outlining objectives, actions, and governance processes to support long-term heritage stewardship.

All of which resulted in a strong foundation of cultural knowledge, local insight, and regulatory alignment.

Impact

The delivered strategy provided the following impacts:

• Provided DTMI and all future proponents with a clear pathway to ensure heritage values are recognised, respected, and acknowledged in future projects and proposals.
• Celebrated diverse perspectives, including Aboriginal cultural heritage, maritime industries, migrant history, and community identity.
• Ensured the community and visitors can learn about and appreciate the harbour’s history through engaging and accessible interpretation.
• Strengthened decision-making through a single guiding document that reflected agreed values and priorities.
• Established processes that support the protection of tangible and intangible heritage at the harbour.