(17/8/2018) Legacy of Freo's fig trees to live on

The City of Fremantle is calling on artists, community groups and other interested people to submit their claim for a piece of Fremantle’s history – timber from two Moreton Bay Fig trees from Kings Square Fremantle.

In July this year a decision was made by Fremantle Council to remove and replace the two trees which have been in decline for over a decade.

The decision followed an extensive public consultation process in which the community supported removing and replacing the ailing trees rather than trying to manage the ever increasing risks associated with keeping them.

To help the legacy of these trees live on, the timber is being made available to the community via an Expression of Interest (EOI) process which closes on Friday 7 September 2018.

Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said offering up the timber to the community was a simple way of preserving some of the heritage of the two trees.

“These figs have been an important part of Fremantle’s history and although their removal was necessary, it was a difficult decision council had to make and one which was done with a heavy heart,” Mayor Pettitt said.

“We hope offering up some of the wood to artists and other interested groups will in some small way help the legacy of the trees lives on.”

To stake a claim the following questions must be must addressed and a written submission emailed to the City of Fremantle by 5pm on Friday 7 September 2018:

Any individual or community group can apply although preference will be given to those located locally within the Fremantle area.  Preference will also be given to proposals which have some level of artistic merit or community benefit, as opposed to uses of a personal or commercial nature.

To lodge a submission and find out more, applicants are invited to visit the City’s Mysay Freo website.

The City expects to be removing the two trees in early October this year, although a final date has yet to be set.