Fremantle Harbour
Work commenced on a harbour inside the entrance of the Swan River at Fremantle in 1892. The first task was to build the breakwater which was the first large scale use of random tipped rock walls in Australia.
The harbour was completed in 1900 and the first ship to use the facility was a Royal Mail steamer on 13 August 1900. The harbour was dredged to a depth of 9m which was deeper than most Australian harbours at that time.
The work was planned and managed by Engineer in Chief C Y O'Connor during the period 1892 to 1902. There was much controversy with various experts involved and much political interference. O'Connor persisted and the harbour proved his skills by providing for generations of changes in ship types and cargo handling methods with minimal modification over more than a century.
Engineering Heritage Recognition Program
| Marker Type | National Engineering Landmark (NEL) |
| Award Date | 4 December 1990 |
| Prominent People | Sir John Forrest, Charles O'Connor, Charles Palmer, Arthur Bell, James Thompson |
| Nomination Document | Available here |
| Ceremony Report | None available |
| Ceremony Booklet | Available here |
| Interpretation Panel | None installed |
