When I came to Fremantle some 18 years ago I was immediately struck by the homogenous blend of the latest thinking, fashion and community culture with that of the distant historical events which have shaped our city. Oh yes, although some ‘wise men from the East’ may consider Fremantle as little more than a village, in my humble view it has all the heart and soul of a city many times its size. Indeed, I have found the people of Fremantle to have often demonstrated bigger hearts than many of their counterparts in other cities worldwide.

Many attribute this to the local culture of welcoming overseas migrants, for it is readily apparent that Fremantle’s strong economic and cultural growth can be directly attributed to the hard work and skills brought to bear by the many migrant families who settled here, not the least by those from Europe. 

As many of you will know, Fremantle was one of the few places in Australia settled by ‘free people’, not as a convict settlement, and I believe much of this remains evident from the considerable time and effort people freely invest in the local community. 

In the 1920’s-1930’s the Fremantle Ugly Men's Association set a standard of excellence in charitable work, particularly in helping to offset the major community losses as a result of the 1914-1918 war.  This unrivalled work continued through the depression years, most notably the ‘Uglieland Fairground’ (then on the corner of Market and Phillimore Streets) which raised considerable funds for underprivileged children and other well deserving cases within the community. 

Today, in the year 2011, I see continued evidence of a positive community spirit...such as an elderly person being given a helping hand in by a ‘coolly dressed teenager’ who, in many circumstances, would be branded as ‘just another tearaway’...or a local café owner adding an extra helping to a meagre lunch being purchased by a patron who clearly had limited means...and very recently a local shop owner in Fremantle Malls giving freely of his time in helping another small business owner become established within a less than easy trading area. 

This therefore is the basis for your Fremantle Online Directory, to assist in further developing the community spirit by providing links to local businesses, community events and services.  It also aims to provide opportunities for business owners to assist other businesses, and gain rewards in return. 

This Directory is also a platform for sharing within the community.  So, if you have some particular knowledge or expertise you think would benefit others through an interesting article then please Contact Us.   

Areas of interest may include tips on Energy Saving / Sustainability, Gardening, Health, Beauty, and Wellbeing, Pet Care, Personal Safety, and many others, plus of course articles on the good work and many charitable acts carried out in today’s community. 

Submitted articles must be 300 to 800 words in length.  If the article is suitably for publication we will include it within our regular Fremantle Online Newsletter, and also post it during the next update of the Fremantle Online Directory.   

As a ‘thank you’ to published article writers who have freely given of their time we will post a page on this directory, including a link to their business and nominated charity entirely free of charge! 

Please contact us for further information at: info@fremantleonline.com.au