Fremantle: Arthurs Head
Arthur Head is a former large limestone headland on what was once a narrow peninsula on the southern side of the mouth of the Swan River, now also the entry to Fremantle Harbour.
In May 1829 the strategic location of Arthur Head led it being chosen by Captain Charles Fremantle RN as the site for his fortified beach camp. Though just a few hectares in size, Arthur Head is phenomenally rich in meaning and cultural significance. It is in the heart of Fremantle, yet it miraculously retains the original elements of an Indian Ocean coastline which has elsewhere turned into harbours. The area was important to the Nyungar people. It was also where colonial settlement began in Western Australia.
It was a major element in the original town plan for Fremantle and is the location of the state's oldest colonial building, which itself was designed as a major component of the townscape. It was one of the most significant sites for contact between Aborigines and settlers. The buildings, structures and archaeological evidence result from continuous use since 1829. It is a microcosm of the state; it is a landmark, where the city meets the sea; it is a park, and a beach.
The headland has been significantly altered since Captain Fremantle RN set up his fortified beach camp there, and has seen a variety of structures built and demolished. The structures remaining on the head are the Round House, the oldest building in Western Australia, and the Pilots cottages, all of which are heritage listed.
The highest part of the headland lies behind the Round House, towards the sea. It has been used, almost since settlement, for sighting or signalling to ships at sea. It is now used, naturally, as a lookout.
Passing through Arthur Head is the Whalers Tunnel that still enables ease of access to Bathers Beach and to remnants of a whaling station, fortifications, and the jetty which served Western Australia during its formative years.
A significant part of the Arthurs Head area was utilised during World War II; the slipway constructed was known as the Arthurs Head Slipway.
The former Kerosene Store is a single storey limestone building which was purpose built in 1884, for the storage of kerosene. Kerosene was widely used for lighting throughout the nineteenth century until replaced by gas and then electricity. Large quantities of kerosene were required for street lighting and domestic use. In 1884, the State Government decided to build a dangerous goods store near Arthur Head, on land reclaimed from the sea during the construction of the long jetty and its sea wall. The site was ideal as it was a safe distance from other buildings and yet near to the long jetty where kerosene was unloaded from ships.
Located between Marquis Head and the Fishing Boat Harbour, Bathers Bay is a small beach in the heart of the oldes section of Fremantle. It is a popular spot for families with small children, particularly as in the morning it is sheltered. In the afternoons though, it is a different story - the Fremantle Doctor blows in to cool the city and it provides the strong wind for one of the best international sailing venues around.
Arthur Head, the site of Fremantle's historic Roundhouse, was always in demand for defences, due to its prominent position and its proximity to the port. The first gun battery built on the headland, one of the new Federal Government's first defence projects, was completed in 1908. The battery existed until 1942 when its 6 inch guns were moved north of Fremantle to Leighton. Part of a gun enplacement can be seen in the shallows at the northern end of Bather's Beach. Three rusty poles carried World War II camouflage netting.
Forrest Landing, located in Fremantle's historically significant Maritime Heritage Precinct on the western end of Victoria Quay, is the remnant of the original limestone bar used by Aboriginal men as a crossing point at the mouth of the Swan River. The Maritime Heritage Precinct also includes the Fremantle Maritime Museum; the entrance to Fremantle Inner Harbour and associated installations; the migrant Welcome Walls memorial; and the World War II submarine slipway area. On display on the slipway is HMAS Ovens, an Oberon class submarine that is open for guided tours and commemorates the World War II Fremantle allied submarine base. It was the largest submarine base in the southern hemisphere, with 170 submarines of the British, Dutch and US navies conducting patrols from there. Forrest Landing formed part of the foundations of Fremantle Maritime Museum.
