Victoria Quay: new government investment is neglecting the connections.

1 May 2024

Not sure who saw the recent WA Government press release “Fremantle port upgrades a win for local amenity, tourism”. It went on to say:

“The Cook Government will invest an additional $40.5 million in the next stage of activation of Fremantle’s Victoria Quay precinct, including improvements to historic B Shed and cruise ship infrastructure at Fremantle Passenger Terminal.

The truth of it is that this is the kind of announcement that once again fails to make the changes to Victoria Quay needed.

Spending $35.5 million on works to strengthen the berth at Fremantle Passenger Terminal is necessary but like the $5 million to fix the floor of the B Shed will not address the key issues that Vic Quay has been calling out for decades.

It will not fix the grim, long walk past parked cars that cruise passengers have to make from Fremantle Train Station to the Fremantle Passenger Terminal.

It will not fix the pedestrian bridge that is still closed and would have made that walk a little better.

It will not get the renovated C Shed activated and full of people (the WA Circus School will go there tomorrow).

Vic Quay continues to be an under-utilized opportunity and one that the state government who control this land need to get on and grasp the opportunity. The planning has been done, time to implement it.