Bon Scott Memorial Precinct at Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour
The Bon Scott Square has strengthened the entry experience to one of Fremantle’s most significant tourism precincts – the Fishing Boat Harbour by redefining the spaces and surfaces around an existing and well-loved statue of a Freo icon into a place for people.
The Bon Scott Memorial Precinct sits within the Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour Public Domain Plan - a vision for Fremantle’s waterfront that UDLA was commissioned by the Department of Transport to carry out 2018-2022.
The Square has created a defined gateway to the Fishing Boat Harbour precinct. Sandwiched by the Fishing Boat Harbour on one side and Mews Road on the other, at the junction of two heavily pedestrianised zones, a key driver for the project was to create a place for locals and tourists to feel comfortable moving through and spending time in.
Bon Scott, AC/DC’s lead singer, is a Freo icon, having spent much of his youth in and around the port city. Bon Scott’s family migrated to Australia in 1952, and settled in Fremantle in 1956, when Bon was 10 years old.
The existing statue - a cast bronze Bon Scott memorial statue by Fremantle artist Greg James.
“to improve pedestrian access and movement through this popular space by enabling greater interaction with the Bon Scott statue and by providing increased seating opportunities around its edge...”
The revitalisation of this welcome area has created a pedestrian-friendly space within tight constraints. The main point of entry to reach the waterfront of the Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour now feels generous and comfortable – a fitting first impression for visitors at this significant location.
A dual-level deck, able to be used both as a stage and as seating, features the cast bronze Bon Scott memorial statue by Fremantle artist Greg James as a centrepiece. A small oval of turf is encircled by a custom timber seat proving a safe space place for children to play.
The recycled jarrah seating decks have been configured in tiered curves to maximise water view opportunities, and to allow the space to cater for events of varying scales.
Today, the Bon Scott Square is a welcoming, flexible, pedestrian-friendly space that clearly welcomes visitors to the Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour tourism precinct and pays tribute to a much-loved Freo icon.
Details:
Client: Department of Transport
Aboriginal Country: Whadjuk Noongar Country
Location: Walyalup (Fremantle WA)
Dates: 2019 - 2020
Landscape Architect: UDLA
Collaborators: ETC Lighting, Hydroplan Irrigation, ACOR Engineering, Shelford Construction
