Investigating Mills & Wares Park

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Mills & Wares Park is a beloved South Fremantle heritage icon and well-used green space. We're on a fact-finding mission to hear what the community loves and values about the park, how they currently use it and what ideas they might have to enhance the existing open space to make it an even more welcoming, accessible and enjoyable place for all.

The former Mills & Wares Administration Building façade has aesthetic and historic value for its contribution to the streetscape and character of South Fremantle and as a representative remnant of the area’s industrial and manufacturing history. The site has a history of food-related industrial use dating back to the late nineteenth century, including occupation by the Ross Confectionery Company in the late 1880s and later by an Italian pastry cook. Mills & Wares commenced operations on the site in the 1950s, establishing a significant local manufacturing presence. Following the closure of the factory in 1992, The West Australian reported in May 1993 on plans to redevelop the 24,000 m² site as the Biscuit Factory Village, incorporating residential, commercial, and adaptive reuse elements, including retention of parts of the original factory fabric.

Today, the surviving brick façade forms a distinctive streetscape feature in South Fremantle, with the space behind it functioning as a compact communal green space for adjoining residents and visitors. Classified as a Small Park within the City's Public Open Space hierarchy, Mills & Wares Park primarily serves the immediate neighbourhood and supports informal recreation, passive use, and social interaction. However, the park has limited accessible and maintenance entry points and there are also no existing play facilities in space. With these factors in mind, the City's Place and Projects and Community Engagement Team recognise Mills & Wares Park is a unique and treasured local asset and are keen to hear from all residents and visitors who interact with the park.

We're asking the community to help us understand their priorities and values when it comes to Mills & Wares Park - how you use it, what you would like to see preserved, enhanced or added in the future. In summary, we want you to tell us:

  • What could be done to improve the park?
  • Are there any features or facilities the park is missing?
  • How could the park be more accessible and welcoming to everyone in the community?
  • What would benefit the local community?

Possible opportunities or additions could include low-key intergenerational play elements, accessibility enhancements, refreshed historical interpretation and conservation or removal of the existing industrial heritage structures. Once public consultation has ended and feedback is compiled, insights from the community will be collated to help refine and distil any key maintenance works, improvements or additions that could be included in future works for the park.

How can the community influence the project?

We are asking the public to:

  • Learn more about the project and the context of the site by exploring the Frequently Asked Questions and explainer document listed below.
  • Share your experience of the playground, park and what play design elements you would like to see included by completing the Mills & Wares Park Survey.
  • View the associated materials, talk to City officers and provide feedback in person at the Mills & Wares Community Drop-In-Session (details below).

How can you meet with City Officers to discuss the park upgrade and your feedback?

  • Attend the drop-in session: Drop-in sessions allow the public to meet with City staff to ask questions about the project, seek clarification and guidance on how to best submit feedback. These are informal sessions that allow the public to come and go during the time period provided. To learn more, visit our How We Engage page here.
  • Request a 1:1 or group meeting with city staff to discuss your thoughts.

Join the Mills & Wares Park Drop-In-Session at the following date and time:

  • When: 16 April 2026
  • Where: The Meeting Place, South Fremantle
  • Time: 5:30pm-7:00pm

City Officers aim to:

  • Collect feedback on current park experience, existing amenities and key areas where further improvements could be made if more funding becomes available.
  • Keep you informed, listen to and acknowledge concerns and provide feedback on how public input influenced the project.
  • Work with you to ensure that your concerns and aspirations are noted; provide clarity on questions that may arise.

How can you make your submission?
Submissions can be submitted online via the submission form below, or:

A hard copy of the survey can be sent or picked up upon request by emailing the Community Engagement team here: communityengagement@fremantle.wa.gov.au.

Submissions close 5pm, AWST 1 May 2026.

Mills & Wares Park is a beloved South Fremantle heritage icon and well-used green space. We're on a fact-finding mission to hear what the community loves and values about the park, how they currently use it and what ideas they might have to enhance the existing open space to make it an even more welcoming, accessible and enjoyable place for all.

The former Mills & Wares Administration Building façade has aesthetic and historic value for its contribution to the streetscape and character of South Fremantle and as a representative remnant of the area’s industrial and manufacturing history. The site has a history of food-related industrial use dating back to the late nineteenth century, including occupation by the Ross Confectionery Company in the late 1880s and later by an Italian pastry cook. Mills & Wares commenced operations on the site in the 1950s, establishing a significant local manufacturing presence. Following the closure of the factory in 1992, The West Australian reported in May 1993 on plans to redevelop the 24,000 m² site as the Biscuit Factory Village, incorporating residential, commercial, and adaptive reuse elements, including retention of parts of the original factory fabric.

Today, the surviving brick façade forms a distinctive streetscape feature in South Fremantle, with the space behind it functioning as a compact communal green space for adjoining residents and visitors. Classified as a Small Park within the City's Public Open Space hierarchy, Mills & Wares Park primarily serves the immediate neighbourhood and supports informal recreation, passive use, and social interaction. However, the park has limited accessible and maintenance entry points and there are also no existing play facilities in space. With these factors in mind, the City's Place and Projects and Community Engagement Team recognise Mills & Wares Park is a unique and treasured local asset and are keen to hear from all residents and visitors who interact with the park.

We're asking the community to help us understand their priorities and values when it comes to Mills & Wares Park - how you use it, what you would like to see preserved, enhanced or added in the future. In summary, we want you to tell us:

  • What could be done to improve the park?
  • Are there any features or facilities the park is missing?
  • How could the park be more accessible and welcoming to everyone in the community?
  • What would benefit the local community?

Possible opportunities or additions could include low-key intergenerational play elements, accessibility enhancements, refreshed historical interpretation and conservation or removal of the existing industrial heritage structures. Once public consultation has ended and feedback is compiled, insights from the community will be collated to help refine and distil any key maintenance works, improvements or additions that could be included in future works for the park.

How can the community influence the project?

We are asking the public to:

  • Learn more about the project and the context of the site by exploring the Frequently Asked Questions and explainer document listed below.
  • Share your experience of the playground, park and what play design elements you would like to see included by completing the Mills & Wares Park Survey.
  • View the associated materials, talk to City officers and provide feedback in person at the Mills & Wares Community Drop-In-Session (details below).

How can you meet with City Officers to discuss the park upgrade and your feedback?

  • Attend the drop-in session: Drop-in sessions allow the public to meet with City staff to ask questions about the project, seek clarification and guidance on how to best submit feedback. These are informal sessions that allow the public to come and go during the time period provided. To learn more, visit our How We Engage page here.
  • Request a 1:1 or group meeting with city staff to discuss your thoughts.

Join the Mills & Wares Park Drop-In-Session at the following date and time:

  • When: 16 April 2026
  • Where: The Meeting Place, South Fremantle
  • Time: 5:30pm-7:00pm

City Officers aim to:

  • Collect feedback on current park experience, existing amenities and key areas where further improvements could be made if more funding becomes available.
  • Keep you informed, listen to and acknowledge concerns and provide feedback on how public input influenced the project.
  • Work with you to ensure that your concerns and aspirations are noted; provide clarity on questions that may arise.

How can you make your submission?
Submissions can be submitted online via the submission form below, or:

A hard copy of the survey can be sent or picked up upon request by emailing the Community Engagement team here: communityengagement@fremantle.wa.gov.au.

Submissions close 5pm, AWST 1 May 2026.

  • Mills & Wares Park - Explainer

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    Mills & Wares Park is a unique neighbourhood green space in South Freo with great heritage and community value. We've put together this handy explainer to summarise the existing conditions in and around the site, and what could be possible for this precious park. It also poses some questions at the end we would love your help answering! Please review all pages of this explainer before completing the survey.

    Click here to view the Mills & Wares Park Explainer

    Mills & Wares Park is a unique neighbourhood green space in South Freo with great heritage and community value. We've put together this handy explainer to summarise the existing conditions in and around the site, and what could be possible for this precious park. It also poses some questions at the end we would love your help answering! Please review all pages of this explainer before completing the survey.

    Click here to view the Mills & Wares Park Explainer

  • Frequently Asked Questions

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    What is the purpose of this engagement? What changes, upgrades or additions to Mills & Wares Park might be covered in this project? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information.

    Read the FAQ here.

    What is the purpose of this engagement? What changes, upgrades or additions to Mills & Wares Park might be covered in this project? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information.

    Read the FAQ here.

  • Key Document: City of Fremantle Public Open Space Strategy 2024 - 2034

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    The Mills & Wares Park project takes into consideration the aims and directions laid out in the City's Public Open Space Strategy 2024 - 2034.

    In today’s rapidly changing world, public open spaces serve as vital sanctuaries, providing communities with places for recreation, relaxation, social interaction, and connection with nature. As population growth, climate change, and urbanisation pose significant challenges, the value of these spaces becomes increasingly evident.

    The purpose of the City of Fremantle Public Open Space (POS) Strategy is to provide a clear strategic direction and framework for the provision and management of POS within the City. In doing so, the Strategy recognises the challenges presented by the City’s declining POS provision per person and limited opportunities for new POS acquisition. The City’s future directions for public open space is to ensure it continues to serve its purpose to allow the community to participate and connect in a functional, flexible and sustainable environment.

    You can read the Public Open Space Strategy 2024-2034 here.

    The Mills & Wares Park project takes into consideration the aims and directions laid out in the City's Public Open Space Strategy 2024 - 2034.

    In today’s rapidly changing world, public open spaces serve as vital sanctuaries, providing communities with places for recreation, relaxation, social interaction, and connection with nature. As population growth, climate change, and urbanisation pose significant challenges, the value of these spaces becomes increasingly evident.

    The purpose of the City of Fremantle Public Open Space (POS) Strategy is to provide a clear strategic direction and framework for the provision and management of POS within the City. In doing so, the Strategy recognises the challenges presented by the City’s declining POS provision per person and limited opportunities for new POS acquisition. The City’s future directions for public open space is to ensure it continues to serve its purpose to allow the community to participate and connect in a functional, flexible and sustainable environment.

    You can read the Public Open Space Strategy 2024-2034 here.

  • Related: Our Strategic Community Plan

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    The Mills & Wares Park project aims to implement solutions with strategic, long-term thinking and guidance that speaks to the City of Fremantle’s 2024-2034 Strategic Community Plan, as well as the City’s asset renewal program related to parks, reserves and play equipment.

    The City's 2024-2034 Strategic Community Plan is the City’s most significant guiding document and establishes the community’s long-term aspirations and vision for Fremantle’s future. The Plan drives the City’s planning, budgeting, resource allocation and service delivery over the next decade, and was developed in direct collaboration with people who live, work, and play in Fremantle. This project meets a number of key focus areas set out by the community - most importantly that Fremantle is a "Liveable City that is vibrant, socially connected and desirable" with "sustainably designed and optimised urban and natural environments."

    Read the Strategic Community Plan here.

    The Mills & Wares Park project aims to implement solutions with strategic, long-term thinking and guidance that speaks to the City of Fremantle’s 2024-2034 Strategic Community Plan, as well as the City’s asset renewal program related to parks, reserves and play equipment.

    The City's 2024-2034 Strategic Community Plan is the City’s most significant guiding document and establishes the community’s long-term aspirations and vision for Fremantle’s future. The Plan drives the City’s planning, budgeting, resource allocation and service delivery over the next decade, and was developed in direct collaboration with people who live, work, and play in Fremantle. This project meets a number of key focus areas set out by the community - most importantly that Fremantle is a "Liveable City that is vibrant, socially connected and desirable" with "sustainably designed and optimised urban and natural environments."

    Read the Strategic Community Plan here.

Page last updated: 31 Mar 2026, 05:03 PM