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Browsing Archive: June, 2012

Brazen daylight attack in Fremantle

Posted by Matt Hayden on Monday, June 18, 2012,
Something I've posted about repeatedly on this blog is the alarming increase in the amount of violence that is committed in this city. Of course I've read or heard about it much more than I've actually witnessed it.

But I did observe a disturbing incident yesterday afternoon in Fremantle. At around 5 PM I started walking up Wray Avenue from South Terrace and I heard yelling from up the street. I saw some blokes beating up one guy near the Hampton Road intersection. He managed to escape and run...
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Old Red Parrot building now houses Street Gallery

Posted by Matt Hayden on Sunday, June 17, 2012,
Back in the mid eighties there was a very popular nightclub in Northbridge called the Red Parrot. It really was the place to be seen for quite some time.

I was only in my early twenties back then, so the whole concept of clubbing was alluring to me and I went a few times. One time, I vaguely recall there being a lot of excitement about the members of the band Duran Duran arriving after the show. I think I actually saw one of them slouched against the bar -- although of course it could have bee...
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Old Steve's Hotel building dwarfed by new apartments

Posted by Matt Hayden on Saturday, June 16, 2012,
Thirty years ago I was studying at the University of WA. Aside from the tavern on the campus grounds, one very popular pub was Steve's Nedlands Park Hotel, down near the water at the end of Broadway.

It seemed to me quite a grand and distinctive building that dominated the surrounding area, with a completely clear view to the Swan River.

Obviously a lot happens in several decades. But when I went there about 18 months ago I was still stunned to see how much that whole area had changed. The hote...
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South Terrace cafes on a sunny Sunday afternoon

Posted by Matt Hayden on Saturday, June 16, 2012,
Even though it's become a good deal more crowded than it used to be, Fremantle is still a very laid back place. And one of its most well known destinations is South Terrace. Along this short stretch of road there are many charming cafes, restaurants and pubs, as well as the iconic Fremantle Markets.

It's really buzzing on Friday and Saturday nights. But it can get pretty rowdy, with lots of young people hitting the bars, and often overdoing it.

The best time to go is during the day on a weeken...
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Perth's Brookfield Place tower (formerly City Square)

Posted by Matt Hayden on Tuesday, June 12, 2012,
The big local construction project that has been getting the most publicity (and causing the most controversy!) recently is the Perth Arena. Perhaps second on the list would be the tower above Brookfield Place (originally called City Square).

This impressive structure is located on St Georges Terrace and looms over the Esplanade Busport.



The cranes in the above shot are gone now, and the building has been pretty much completed. The offices are gradually being filled by the major tenant BHP Bill...
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Charming old shops in Hamilton Hill

Posted by Matt Hayden on Tuesday, June 12, 2012,
I do quite a bit of walking through the suburbs of Perth. There are very few streets that are the same as what I remember from when I was growing up. That's not to say that there are new buildings on every street -- although there are a hell of a lot of them. But even in long established suburbs, there always seems to be evidence of fairly recent refurbishment and extensions having been added, etc.

So I tend to have the sense that the "old Perth" has pretty much gone entirely. However, every n...
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Flag and Whistle next to gleaming new apartments

Posted by Matt Hayden on Friday, June 8, 2012,
Still on the subject of Fremantle and how its obvious sense of history can jar with other aspects of the place: One very distinctive and highly visible old building is the Flag and Whistle Hotel in Beach Street.

This is very close to the railway line and quite near the station itself. You can see it clearly from the train as you travel in or out of Freo.

It's a beautifully ramshackle old pub. I'm not sure if it's currently being used as such. But it certainly was a few years ago because I went ...
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Fremantle Town Hall houses psychic fair

Posted by Matt Hayden on Friday, June 8, 2012,
As anyone who's ever been to Fremantle knows very well, it's a charming old place. You can really feel the history there. The atmosphere is strongest in the town centre, where there are many old buildings that have been well preserved.

The other characteristic of Freo is that it's a haven of tolerance, and there are lots of greenies, hippies and New Agers living there. I find this quite incongruous because the age and history of the place evoke a strong, staid and Christian tradition.

Not so lo...
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Bayview Terrace in Claremont is being upgraded

Posted by Matt Hayden on Thursday, June 7, 2012,
As I've mentioned in previous posts, there's a lot of construction going on in this city. Obviously you tend to see it more in the CBD, where there are some big commercial projects going on. And there are quite a few apartment blocks and the like going up in newer and outlying areas.

But some of the older, more established suburbs have some big projects underway, too. There's the odd "facelift" occurring as well.

Take Bayview Terrace in Claremont. This is a pleasant retail and cafe strip in one...
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Unfinished Oswal mansion is the exception that proves the rule

Posted by Matt Hayden on Tuesday, June 5, 2012,
With Western Australia continuing to enjoy the fruits of the resources boom there's still a lot of construction going on in Perth. If you go through an area that you haven't visited for a long while, you may well see the odd busy building site with lots of big beefy blokes in yellow safety jackets milling about. You pass by again a year later and lo and behold, there's a gleaming new apartment block there!

Sure, some of these big projects have been plagued by long delays. Take the Perth Arena,...
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The Mosman Park Memorial Hall in Lochee St

Posted by Matt Hayden on Monday, June 4, 2012,
Having recently moved to Mosman Park from Yokine, I've been having the occasional stroll through the streets to get a feel for the suburb. It's a unique place and a bit of a mishmash demographically.

It's just on the eastern side of the busy Stirling Highway, which runs right alongside the railway line. On the other side of that is the very upmarket Cottesloe. But right near the train station there's a basin containing a whole plethora of apartment blocks, a couple of which are very tall inde...
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Good books about and set in Perth and Fremantle
Perth
Line of Sight
When War Came to Fremantle
The Devil's Garden
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