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Fighting for Fremantle

This page is a record of a book relating to Fremantle.

Fighting for Fremantle is the first history of an Australian community heritage group. It is a lively story as is indicated by its opening paragraph:

It is dusk, after a summer afternoon in 1973. Les Lauder is returning to his home in Ellen Street after a string of meetings. He is in for a shock. A red rooster lies headless, in a pool of blood, on the front step. Its message is clear. Aggravation is to be stepped up a notch or two against those opposing the erection of a sixteen storey glass tower near the town hall. The recently launched action group, the Fremantle Society, is to be targeted...

The Fremantle Society has commissioned Fremantle Press to publish the book.

Press Clippings

Fremantle Herald, December 4th: "Our Heritage Warriors"

"It is dusk, after a hot summer afternoon in 1973. Les Lauder, the feisty Fremantle community activist is returning to his home in Ellen Street, after a string of meetings. He is in for a shock. A red rooster lies headless, in a pool of blood, on the front step. Its message is clear: aggravation is to be stepped up against those opposing the erection of a 16-storey glass tower near the Fremantle Town Hall. The recently launched action group, the Fremantle Society, is to be particularly targeted."

This is the riveting opening to Fighting for Fremantle, The Fremantle Society Story. This highly readable and thoroughly enjoyable book traces the organisation from its birth at a time when local politicians and council managers thought the path to progress required the flattening of old buildings and construction of high-rise.

"They disliked 'old-fashioned' Fremantle; they wanted it to be more like Perth," write Dianne and Ron Davidson.

The Davidsons’ book is a must-buy for anyone interested in Fremantle heritage and local politics. As well as documenting what was lost, what was saved and how it all came to be, the book also provides a guide for the future that should prove invaluable for anyone seeking a role in civic leadership.

Amongst the many colourful tales of that dramatic period in Fremantle’s history is that of Les Lauder - by now elected to the council - who emerged from his sickbed to vote against the demolition of the Evan Davies library better known these days as the home to Dome cafe and Kulcha, and perhaps one of the most iconic heritage buildings on South Terrace.

"[He] arrived in pyjamas, escorted by supporters, straight from his Fremantle Hospital bed. He was just in time to tie the vote and bring [mayor] Bill McKenzie’s casting vote into play once again,"

Herald readers have the chance to win their very own copy of Fighting for Fremantle. Send your entries to Herald Fighting for Freo Competition, PO Box 85 North Fremantle 6159 by Tuesday December 14.

If you don't win, the book would make a wonderful gift for friends and family Priced at $39.95 Fighting for Fremantle can be purchased through the Fremantle Society (PO Box 828, Fremantle), at Dymocks in the High Street Mall or phone Ruth Belben or Don Whittington on 9335 6091.

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Freotopia

This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 23 May, 2020 and hosted at freotopia.org/davidson/index.html (it was last updated on 24 July, 2023), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.

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