BEACH ST -riverside road

Riverside Road runs from Beach Street to Preston Point to Wauhop Road.

In 1830, 2 years after settlement- John Weavell made a jetty at Preston Point and operated a cross river ferry to Rocky Bay. In 1833 he mentioned that he had seen about 80 Aboriginal people fishing and camping in this area. A few years later Yagan was also sighted here.

Riverside Road runs into Wauhop Road named after William Wauhop MBE (1887 – 1971), Mayor of East Fremantle, 1961 to 1964.

On 16 August 1832, one of the only duel’s fought in the Swan River Colony happened at William Temple Graham’s home, Richmond House, from which East Fremantle’s Richmond Ward takes its name. William Temple Graham was a career soldier and publisher of the newspaper Western Australian and Colonial News. (see more info on duels in WA in reference)

The first Mayor of East Fremantle- Matthew Lewis Moss 1897–1900 lived in a 20 room mansion called ‘Wanaka’ at 124 Beach St, (then 6 Riverside Road) on the corner of Canning Highway and East St (entrance via East St) The house was built for Moss in the late 1880’’s- and had electric light, gas and telephone. and was especially popular for garden parties. Moss left to work in London in 1914 and the mansion was sold in 1925 and sadly demolished in 1979.

Daily News, Thursday 9 February 1899, page 3

FIRE AT EAST FREMANTLE, MR M. L. MOSS'S RESIDENCE. While Mr. M. L. Moss, Mayor of East Fremantle was attending the council meeting of that suburb last night a small fire occurred at his residence, which, but for the presence of mind of Mrs. Moss, might have resulted in a serious conflagration. Mrs. Moss, who behaved very pluckily throughout, was considerably upset by the occurrence, but she is all right this morning.

The John Dolan Reserve, formed in 1982 was named after John Dolan (1901 – 1986) who was a MLC (1963 – 1974) and a Cabinet Minister. He was also a teacher at Beaconsfield, Fremantle Boys School, Fremantle Boys High School and John Curtin High School.