Collie Street, 6, Fremantle WA 6160
DESCRIPTION
Heritage TitleTrades Hall (fmr)Address6 Collie Street FREMANTLE WA 6160Geo tag[1] Heritage Place No864Construction Commenced1904Construction MaterialRoof – METAL: Corrugated IronWall – BRICK: Common BrickWall – BRICK: Pointed BrickWall – RENDER: SmoothFormer W.A. Heritage ThemesSOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES: Community services & utilitiesStatement Of SignificanceThe former Trades Hall, 6 Collie Street (1904) is a visually imposing civic building designed in the Federation Free Classical style of Architecture and constructed during the gold boom period within the West End Conservation Area of Fremantle. This place is historic significance as the former Trades Hall with strong associations with the trade union movement which gives a social significance especially as Fremantle was the centre of powerful maritime and port unions. The place is of social significance as evidenced by its classification by the National Trust.ArchaeologyConditionCondition assessed as good (assessed from streetscape survey only).HistoryCollie St is named after Dr Alex Collie, R.N. Surgeon on H.M.S. Sulphur, and Colonial Surgeon. With Lieut. Preston, Collie explored the Collie and Preston Rivers. Dr Collie was later Government Resident at Albany. 6 Collie Street was designed and built in 1904 by architect Joseph Allen as the Trades Hall. The foundation stone laid by Sir John Forrest. The building was opened on Foundation Day 1907 by W. H. Carpenter, the Labour Member for Fremantle. The '888' on the façade signifies ‘8 hrs work, 8 hrs leisure, 8 hrs sleep,’ which was the initial aim of trade unions. Thereafter the place was used as headquarters of the Fremantle Trades and Labour movement, including the 50 Port unions, until the 1960s. It was the centre of powerful maritime and port unions, and workplace of prominent leaders such as Paddy Troy, founder of the maritime union and the TLC. The funeral procession for Thomas Edwards left the Trades Hall on 7 May 1919. Edwards had died in a conflict at Victoria Quay on 4 May 1919. The building was empty from 1962-68. It was sold by auction in 1968 for $21, 000. It was then used as a theatre, the Old Trades Music Hall. From 1974 onward it was restaurants, including Jose's Restaurant in 1977 owned by Jose Monterrubio. In 1981 the Raj Neeshee's took out a six-year lease and operated a restaurant, Zorba the Buddha. As the La Maschere Club it won an Architecture Design Award in 1987. In 2002 the place was part of the Esplanade Hotel, used as a convention centre. The place changed ownership c2007 and plans prepared by Gerard McCann Architect subsequently approved by the City of Fremantle included conservation works and conversion to ground floor offices and a first floor residence (2009). A Heritage Assessment was prepared in Aug 2009 by the City of Fremantle for a DA submission to Council for proposed external painting and minor alterations to the ground floor. Physical DescriptionThe former Trades Hall (1904) is a two storey painted (originally tuck pointed) Flemish bond brick and corrugated iron roofed building designed in the Federation Free Classical style of architecture. The building is situated with a slight diagonal setback from the pavement. On the ground floor there is a frontispiece projection in the centre of the façade supported by pillars (both have stone plaques) and archivolt front and sides. The decorative parapet features a pediment where '888' appears in the pediment. A string course joins the stucco arches above the timber framed windows which are mainly casement to the first floor and double hung sash to the ground floor. AssociationJoseph Francis Allen (1869-1933)Union movement - Fremantle Trades and LabourPlace UseOriginal Use – SOCIAL\RECREATIONAL: Trades HallOther Use – OTHER: OtherPresent Use – COMMERCIAL: RestaurantPresent Use – SOCIAL\RECREATIONAL: OtherIntegrity/AuthenticityMedium degree of integrity (original intent partially clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability). Medium degree of authenticity with some original fabric remaining. (These statements based on street survey only).Place TypeIndividual Building or GroupState Registered1
Statutory Heritage Areas
Statutory Heritage Area CustodianHeritage Council of WAStatutory Heritage Area West End Heritage AreaHeritage Area StatusState RegisteredHeritage Area InHerit Number25225Statutory Heritage Area Date18/07/2017
Local Government Statutory Heritage Listings
Local Government Statutory Listing CustodianCity of FremantleLocal Government Statutory Listing TypeHeritage ListLocal Government Statutory Listing StatusYesLocal Government Statutory Listing Date8/03/2007
Local Government Non-Statutory Local Heritage Survey
Local Government Non-Statutory Local Heritage Survey CustodianCity of FremantleLocal Government Non-Statutory Local Heritage Survey Date18/09/2000Local Government Non-Statutory Listing Local Heritage Survey Management CategoryLevel 1B
Non-Statutory Listings and Surveys
Non-statutory Listings CustodianDCCEEWNon-statutory Listings TypeRegister of the National EstateNon-statutory Listings GradingRegisteredNon-statutory Listings Date21/10/1980
Non-Statutory Listings and Surveys
Non-statutory Listings CustodianNational Trust of Australia (WA)Non-statutory Listings TypeList of Classified PlacesNon-statutory Listings GradingClassifiedNon-statutory Listings Date01/08/1983
PARENT PLACE
Parent Place No22576
RELATED
INTERNAL
Heritage EntryYes
Collie Street, 6, Fremantle WA 6160. City of Fremantle Local History Centre, accessed 19/03/2026, https://history.fremantle.wa.gov.au/nodes/view/27266