Telling the Story

Objectives

Our objectives are as follows:

to tell the Fremantle Prison story in an informative and engaging manner that makes the place a living part of the local and national community
to communicate the story of Fremantle Prison in a manner that assists to make the Australian convict story universally understood and valued
to enhance linkages with the other places comprising the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property
to harness the potential of the Fremantle Prison story to generate resources that can be used for the ongoing conservation of the place
to enhance community understanding of the functional, social and historical connections between Fremantle Prison, The Knowle, the Henderson Street Warders’ Cottages, the Fairbairn Street Ramp, the Fremantle Arts Centre (the former Fremantle Lunatic Asylum and Invalid Depot), the Rottnest Island Prison, the Warders’ Terrace on Holdsworth Street and other convict sites further afield, such as the convict depots

Risks to Avoid

We have identified the following risks to be avoided:

the implementation of interpretation measures about a post-convict period of Fremantle Prison that adversely impacts the place’s OUV
an overly narrow focus on the convict story of Fremantle Prison (its OUV) that results in other important post-convict stories being forgotten or lost
inadvertently causing offence or distress by telling the story of Fremantle Prison in a culturally insensitive or exploitative manner, e.g. inappropriate communication of the Aboriginal deaths-in-custody story or of individuals who may still be alive or whose immediate descendants may still be alive
the creation of an alienating experience for visitors because the audience for the Fremantle Prison story has not been appropriately identified and responded to
the presentation of factual errors in telling the story of Fremantle Prison

Statutory Framework

The Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 (Reg. 10.01) include a requirement to ‘present and transmit to future generations’ the heritage values of places on the WHL. There are similar requirements for places on the NHL (Reg. 10.01C).

The EPBC Act governs ‘actions’ that have, or are likely to have, a significant impact on a matter of ‘national environmental significance’. Places on the WHL and NHL (such as Fremantle Prison) are matters of national environmental significance. An ‘action’ may include a project, a development, an undertaking, an activity or a series of activities and might include some interpretation measures. Before taking an action that could have a significant impact on the heritage values of Fremantle Prison, the action must be ‘referred’ to the Australian Minister for the Environment and Energy. The Minister will determine whether or not further and more formal assessment and approval is required, i.e. a ‘controlled action’.

One of the objects of the Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990 (Section 4) is ‘to promote public awareness as to the cultural heritage’ of its state significant places (including Fremantle Prison). This includes dimensions of heritage significance at Fremantle Prison that do not derive from the convict story (OUV).

The Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990 establishes the State Heritage Register, and Fremantle Prison is on that register. Any ‘development’ of a place on the State Heritage Register will require the approval of the Western Australian State Planning Commission, which acts on advice from the Heritage Council. ‘Development’ is widely defined by the Planning and Development Act 2005 (Section 4) to include ‘any development or use’ of land and may capture some kinds of heritage interpretation, e.g. a material change of use, construction of new buildings, or alteration of original structures.

Fremantle Prison is located within the West End Conservation Area (Zone 4), which is administered by the City of Fremantle through the City of Fremantle Planning Scheme No. 4. The ‘Fremantle West End Conservation Area Policy 1992’ establishes a range of policies in relation to such things as streetscape management, approved colour schemes, and new development that may impact the conservation area. Some interpretation measures may be covered by these policy areas.

Telling the Story: About

Non-Statutory Framework

The UNESCO Resource Manual entitled Managing Cultural World Heritage (p. 138) encourages site managers to utilise effective interpretation to raise tourism revenue that can be used for the ongoing conservation of the place (although this must be monitored for adverse physical and other impacts on OUV).

The UNESCO Resource Manual entitled Managing Cultural World Heritage (p. 125) notes that managers of world heritage places must focus on their OUV while also ‘responding to management issues of local relevance’. In the case of Fremantle Prison this will include the communication of non-convict era stories through interpretation.

Fremantle Prison must be managed with regard to the shared vision and responsibilities of all the convict sites on the WHL. The Australian Convict Sites Strategic Plan 2017–2020 includes amongst its ‘core aims’: (a) To present and interpret the Property’s OUV, emphasising each site’s contribution to the whole; and (b) To give the Property a function in the life of the community.

Article 13 of the Burra Charter states: ‘Co-existence of cultural values should always be recognised, respected and encouraged. This is especially important in cases where they conflict.’ This will be especially relevant where the OUV and post-convict heritage values at Fremantle Prison may ‘compete’ for resources in terms of heritage interpretation.

Article 24 of the Burra Charter states: ‘Significant associations between people and a place should be respected, retained and not obscured. Opportunities for the interpretation, commemoration and celebration of these associations should be investigated and implemented.’

Article 25 of the Burra Charter states: ‘The cultural significance of many places is not readily apparent, and should be explained by interpretation. Interpretation should enhance understanding and engagement, and be culturally appropriate.’

The ICOMOS Ename Charter for the Interpretation of Cultural Heritage Sites includes the following relevant principles (among others): ‘The interpretation and presentation of cultural heritage sites should relate to their wider social, cultural, historical, and natural contexts and settings’ (Principle 3); ‘The interpretation plan for a cultural heritage site must be sensitive to its natural and cultural environment, with social, financial, and environmental sustainability among its central goals’ (Principle 5); ‘The interpretation and presentation of cultural heritage sites must be the result of meaningful collaboration between heritage professionals, host and associated communities, and other stakeholders’ (Principle 6).

Telling the Story: About

Constraints

Normally, interpretation measures relating to a post-convict period of the site’s occupation cannot be implemented where this would require irreversible physical intervention in convict-era fabric that embodies OUV. This must be assessed on a case-by-case basis because Fremantle Prison is a multi-layered site and there will be occasions where minor or reversible physical intervention in convict-era fabric will be appropriate in order to communicate aspects of the site’s National Heritage values or state heritage significance.

There may be limits on what stories may be communicated to visitors to Fremantle Prison. Sensitive and distressing stories should only be told after acceptable consultation, e.g. the history of Aboriginal deaths in custody is an important story but it may be determined inappropriate to share it after Aboriginal community consultation.

Opportunities

The Fremantle Prison story (both convict and post-convict era) is a valuable tool for attracting visitor and tourism revenue which can be used for the ongoing conservation of the site. This is appropriate and compatible with heritage management ‘best practice’.

Fremantle Prison is located to the east of Fremantle’s West End Conservation Area. There are clear synergies between the Prison and Heritage Conservation Area and both stand to benefit from an integrated approach to their conservation and development, including the implementation of complementary interpretation measures. This might include interpretation measures that reinforce the historical and functional association between the Henderson Street Warders’ Cottages, The Knowle, the Fairbairn Street Ramp, the former Lunatic Asylum, the Warders’ Terrace on Holdsworth Street and Fremantle Prison.

The Australian Convict Sites Strategic Plan 2017–2020 includes amongst its ‘core aims’: To present and interpret the Property’s OUV, emphasising each site’s contribution to the whole (i.e. the serial listing). Opportunities exist for Fremantle Prison to continue to collaborate with the Australian Convict Sites Steering Committee to identify collaborative approaches to marketing, tourism and the resourcing of complementary interpretative measures.

Dimensions of the post-convict story that lend themselves to heritage interpretation include (drawing on the site’s citation on the WA State Heritage Register): the female prison experience and the post-convict conversion of the Prison into a centre for industrial activities.

The Aboriginal story at Fremantle Prison lends itself to interpretation and may also function as a tool for reconciliation.

The Parade Ground is a physically robust location well-suited to interpretation measures, including interpretation through static devices (e.g. discrete reversible signage), a formal visitor experience (e.g. tours), and new activities and uses where the enhancement of visitor understanding of the site may be incidental to the primary activity (e.g. concerts and shows).

The Parade Ground is an excellent location for realising the stated goal of the Australian Convict Sites Strategic Plan 2017–2020 ‘to give the Property a function in the life of the community’. The garden beds with raised kerbs within the Parade Ground presently inhibit this on health and safety grounds. If it can be demonstrated that their removal or burial (an adverse heritage impact) would be counter-balanced by other significant positive heritage outcomes (especially in relation to an appreciation of the site’s OUV) then it is conceivable that this might occur. If it does, this would present an opportunity for the interpretation of the form and location of the garden beds and kerbs through sympathetic design in the new surface.

The reactivation of the Prison gardens that existed on the South Knoll in the early twentieth century may be an appropriate measure for telling the story of an important dimension of the Prison’s history (but should only be implemented after due consideration is given to ‘Setting’ and potential impacts on the site’s OUV). If this occurs, further research into the original layout of the Parade Ground should be undertaken to inform the design.

Building 23 (the New Division building) is a generally robust location that is well-suited to interpretation measures including educational tours (e.g. school visits) and conversion with minimal physical intervention into sleeping quarters for a ‘night in prison’ experience.

The part of the Fairbairn Street Ramp impacted by later twentieth century road construction would benefit from interpretation measures that communicate the Ramp’s original form and function to the public.

The preparation of a new Masterplan for Fremantle Prison (updating the 2003 Masterplan) presents an opportunity for the integration of interpretation measures with new development, new uses, and site activation measures. Masterplanning and interpretation planning should proceed in tandem.

Fremantle Prison’s location in a port city with cruise ship facilities, and its proximity to Perth, make it an ideal promotional and marketing tool for ‘Tourism WA’.

Capitalise on the existing Fremantle Prison Collection including archives for interpretation and story telling (see also the Movable Heritage Overarching Policy).

Overarching Policy Framework

POLICY 83
Fremantle Prison will pursue an active and integrated program of heritage interpretation. It will ‘tell the story’ of the place in an informative and engaging manner so that Fremantle Prison remains a living part of the local and national community.

POLICY 84
Fremantle Prison will tell the story of the site’s use as a convict establishment/prison with particular emphasis on its convict history (i.e. the site’s OUV). This will be balanced against the need to communicate other heritage values that co-exist with the OUV at the site, including the post-convict era stories.

POLICY 85
The resourcing and communication of interpretation measures at Fremantle Prison will be guided by assessed heritage values, augmented and updated through an ongoing program of research. This will require a flexible approach to the design and delivery of interpretation measures as new data become available.

POLICY 86
Interpretation measures will be assessed for potential adverse heritage impacts on a case-by-case basis by reference to assessed heritage values. Adverse impacts on the site’s OUV will be avoided as a priority. However, OUV should not be used as grounds to justify the removal of other layers of the site’s history or heritage (and the communication of those stories) where the multiple values may effectively co-exist.

POLICY 87
Fremantle Prison may pursue a program of interpretation in relation to the post-convict occupation of the site, even where this may have an adverse impact on the ability to tell the convict story in discrete locations, provided (a) the interpretation measures in those discrete locations are temporary and reversible and (b) the OUVs in those locations can be effectively communicated through other means.

POLICY 88
Fremantle Prison will continue to coordinate with the Australian Convict Sites Steering Committee in order to capitalise on opportunities for collaborative and complementary interpretation (including tourism and marketing opportunities).

POLICY 89
Fremantle Prison will seek to re-establish and/or enhance the physical and historical relationships between the Prison, The Knowle, the Fairbairn Street Ramp, the Henderson Street Warders’ Cottages, the former Rottnest Island Prison, the former Fremantle Lunatic Asylum and the Warders’ Terrace on Holdsworth Street through a program of interpretation and in consultation with the City of Fremantle and WA Department of Health (and private owners where practicable).

Proposed Action

ACTION 50
Fremantle Prison should revise and update the document entitled ‘Fremantle Prison Interpretation Policy’ (by Luke Donegan, 2007) to reflect the place’s OUV and to convert it into a site-wide Interpretation Plan. This should be done having regard to any proposed new Masterplan for the place. A primary focus of the Interpretation Plan should be (a) to present and interpret the place’s OUV, emphasising its contribution to the serial World Heritage listing, and (b) to give the place a function in the life of the community.

ACTION 51
In relation to Aboriginal heritage interpretation, the Interpretation Plan should be prepared having regard to the results of the Reconciliation Action Plan process (see ‘Overarching Policy – Aboriginal Cultural Heritage’).

ACTION 52
Establish a working group that includes representatives of the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, the City of Fremantle, the Department of Health (‘The Knowle’) and the managers of the former Fremantle Lunatic Asylum and Rottnest Island Prison, to ensure an integrated and complementary approach to the communication of the Fremantle Prison story. A primary focus of this working group will be to identify interpretation options that will re-establish and/or enhance the historical and functional relationships that exist between the Prison, The Knowle, the Warders’ Cottages, the Fairbairn Street Ramp, the former Fremantle Lunatic Asylum and Rottnest Island Prison. The results of this process will be incorporated into the Interpretation Plan.

ACTION 53
Maintain existing stakeholder consultation processes with former inmates and immediate descendants of former inmates to ensure that interpretation measures remain sensitive to their expectations and feelings.

ACTION 54
Continue to make representations to Tourism WA, including the relevant Minister, to ensure that the tourism and marketing potential of Fremantle Prison is realised for a local, state, national and international market. This may be done by reference to the Statutory Obligations of the Australian Government to ‘present and transmit to future generations’ the heritage values of places on the WHL and NHL, and to the stated goal of the Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990 (Section 4) ‘to promote public awareness as to the cultural heritage’ of its state significant places (including Fremantle Prison).

ACTION 55
On an ongoing basis, monitor the outcomes of all interpretation measures for (a) unintended adverse impacts on heritage values and (b) their success (or otherwise) in telling the story of Fremantle Prison to the widest audience.

ACTION 56
Fact-check all interpretation measures prior to their implementation to ensure accuracy. It will be the stated role of the Heritage Conservation Manager to ensure that final review of all interpretation measures is conducted by relevant personnel prior to implementation, which may include the Curator, qualified historians, archaeologists, heritage architects or others.

ACTION 57
Assess all interpretation proposals for statutory compliance, which may require a referral to the Australian Minister, approval from the Western Australia Planning Commission or consultation with the City of Fremantle. It will be the stated role of the Heritage Conservation Manager to ensure that statutory compliance is achieved.

ACTION 58
Continue to develop and enhance the existing guided tours and exhibition programs.