Green Space
Community enthusiasm for expanding and improving Fremantle's green spaces is high, with particular focus on the Esplanade Reserve, underutilised verges, and urban heat mitigation through tree planting. There is broad consensus that the City's tree canopy is insufficient and that heat island effects are worsening. Three proposals focus on street tree planting programs, verge greening, and a community garden network. The City has responded positively, referencing the Urban Forest Strategy. No elected response has been posted yet. A recurring theme: residents want more shade and seating in the Esplanade Reserve.
City Response
The City's Urban Forest Strategy 2024–2034 commits to planting 2,000 new trees across Fremantle over 10 years. The first year targets have been met — 210 trees planted across 18 suburbs since July 2025. Community nominations for street tree planting are open now at fremantle.wa.gov.au/trees.
Elected Representative
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Esplanade Reserve upgrade: shade, seating, water fountains
Upgrade the Esplanade Reserve with additional shaded seating, a drinking water fountain every 50 metres, and expanded lawn areas. The current facilities are inadequate for the volume of users, especially on summer weekends. Prioritise shade trees and covered structures over hard landscaping.
Proposals (3)
Verge greening: remove low-risk permits + free native plant kits
Allow and actively encourage verge greening across all residential streets — remove the permit requirement for low-risk plantings (no roots in pipes, no sight-line obstruction) and provide a free native plant kit to households who register. Fremantle summers are getting hotter. Every verge matters.
One community garden per suburb on council land
Establish a network of community gardens across Fremantle's six suburbs — one per suburb, on existing council-owned land. Model on the Hilton Community Garden which has operated successfully for 8 years. Benefits: food security, community connection, heat mitigation, biodiversity.
Comments (7)
The Esplanade Reserve upgrade is scheduled in the 2027–28 capital works program. I'll be advocating to bring it forward. A heat event last summer sent four elderly residents to hospital — we can't wait two years.
South Beach Road in North Fremantle has zero shade trees for 600 metres. On a 38-degree day it's genuinely dangerous for elderly residents and children to walk there. This needs to be on the priority list.
The Hilton Community Garden has a 3-year waitlist. That tells you the demand is there. The City needs to commit to at least 3 new gardens in the next 12 months, not one per suburb over 5 years.
Green space and shade are not luxuries. For rough sleepers in Fremantle, adequate tree cover and outdoor seating is a health and safety matter. Please consider this when prioritising locations.
The City's tree nomination portal is great but trees take 3–5 years to provide meaningful shade. What's the plan for interim heat management? More shade sails? Temporary structures?
The Department of Communities supports green space investment in areas with higher concentrations of social housing. We'd welcome a joint initiative with City of Fremantle in Hilton and Beaconsfield where our housing stock is most dense.
Registered for the tree nomination portal. Very easy process. I nominated two trees for my street and got a confirmation email within 24 hours. Good to see a functional system for once.