Alcoa Fair 2, 2020

South Fremantle Power Station

Original building 1954

SOUTH FREMANTLE POWER STATION
South Fremantle Power Station is a former electric power generating installation, located at Cockburn Sound, Coogee, south of Fremantle, Western Australia.
The installation reached full power capacity in 1954 as part of the State Electricity Commission electric power grid servicing the metropolitan region and the southwest region of the state. The power station ceased operations in 1985.
Design for South Fremantle Power Station began in 1943 and work began on site in 1945. Power generation commenced in May 1951 from the first turbo-alternator; the second came on line in September 1951; number three in January 1954 and number four in December 1954. Each unit produced 25,000 kilowatts, a total of 100 megawatts of power. 5 The building was designed and constructed to be developed and operational in stages.
South Fremantle Power Station now stands large and languishing on the shoreline at Cockburn Sound at Coogee, south of the Catherine Point Reserve formed recently out of former abattoirs and animal holding paddocks. The place survives as a relic of former industrial development in a region now cleared of active industrial uses and is in the process of rehabilitation for public open space, recreational uses and community access activities. The site of the power station is sublime. This massive and now empty building sits quietly and in a state of deterioration on the shoreline of the sound. The opportunity remains to resolve the future use for this exceptional building without degrading the dunes environment.
This noble giant, set in a sublime location on the shore of Cockburn Sound, is slowly rotting away while bureaucracy vacillates from afar.
The challenge is clear and Western Power Corporation is keen to move on so that the future of the place can be resolved. They have done everything in their power to facilitate disposal.
The dilemma has been the damage done to the fabric by acts of vandalism such as graffiti, the smashing of glass and the destruction of internal finishes and railings including the staircase and treatment to the main entrance foyer. The deterioration of steel, concrete and glass in a building where little if any maintenance has been carried out since 1985 in a location of extreme exposure has been extensive.
Sadly, the dilemma is likely to prevail over the challenge.

Sports Day

Backyard Frog

This little guy has been visiting my backyard for quite a while now, I have a water feature that he rather enjoys every night.

The motorbike frog is a frog well known in Southwest Australia. It is a ground-dwelling tree frog of the family Hylidae, one of only three species of hylids occurring in that region. Its common name comes from the male frog’s mating call, which sounds similar to a motorbike changing up through gears; it is also known as Moore’s frog, the western bell frog, western green and golden bell frog, and western green tree frog.

A cool place to be

Wiltshire, England, 2

Fremantle streets

Longleat

To wander through the sweeping corridors and grand rooms of Longleat House is to be transported back in time. Exploring this stunning example of high Elizabethan architecture – and the Capability Brown landscaped grounds surrounding it – is a day out in itself. It was substantially completed by Sir John Thynne in 1580. And today, his descendants are still lucky enough to call it their home.

Fremantle Buildings.

Fremantle is a major Australian port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829. It was declared a city in 1929, and has a population of approximately 27,000.

Fremantle is a fascinating place with hundreds of heritage listed buildings. It’s a popular tourist destination with heaps of Australian history.

Halloween 2017

We do love Halloween in our house. Once a year we get to dress up, hand out goodies and scare people. All in good fun.