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Road in Fremantle, Western Australia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Queen Victoria Street is the main road entering the city centre of Fremantle, Western Australia, from the direction of Perth. The road was originally named Cantonment Road, but was subsequently renamed Victoria Road, and a few years later Queen Victoria Street, after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, to avoid confusion with similarly named roads in the area.[1]
Queen Victoria Street | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Fremantle Traffic Bridge crossing the Swan River | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Road |
| Length | 2.0 km (1.2 mi) |
| Route number(s) |  State Route 12 |
| Major junctions | |
| North end |  Stirling Highway (State Route 5), North Fremantle |
| |
| South end | Parry Street, Fremantle |
Due to its proximity to Fremantle Harbour it has at times had very heavy traffic.[2]
The road's northern terminus, and of State Route 12, are at a traffic light-controlled Y Junction with Stirling Highway in North Fremantle. The next major intersection, 350 metres (1,150 ft) south, is with Tydeman Road, which leads to Fremantle Port to the west, and to the residential area of North Fremantle to the east. After another 400 metres (1,300 ft), the road reaches the Fremantle Traffic Bridge which crosses the Swan River. On the south side of the river, the road meets Canning Highway, and turns south-west towards the centre of Fremantle. After travelling 500 metres (1,600 ft) south-west, State Route 12 leaves Queen Victoria Street, heading down James Street towards Naval Base. The remaining 400 metres (1,300 ft) of Queen Victoria Street does not have a route allocation, and the road ends at its intersection with Parry Street. Adelaide Street continues south-west from that intersection, to High Street.
In the 1830s ferries operated on the Swan River, including from North Fremantle[3] and from Preston Point,[4][5] further up the river. The North Fremantle ferry only transported people and luggage,[3] whilst the Preston Point ferry also transported livestock.[3][4]
There also existed a capstan, but only the base remains, which is known as the Ferry Capstan Base.[6] There is no clear evidence of the construction date or usage,[6] however there are accounts of it pulling a dredger and barges up the river, via a rope connected to a winch in the capstan.[6][7] The accounts vary as to how it was powered, either by convicts[7] or animals pushing an iron bar to rotate the capstan, which was centred on a vertical axle.[6]
There have been four different bridges at this location since the 1860s,[8] the first of which was a timber bridge was constructed between 1863 and 1867, using convict labour.[8][9][10] The second bridge was constructed between 1896 and 1898 downstream of the existing bridge.[8] Whilst wider and stronger, it was only intended to be a temporary structure while the old bridge was removed and replaced.[8] However, no construction or demolition works occurred until 10 years later, with the old bridge left for pedestrians.[8] The third bridge was a renovation of the original bridge, which had its deck replaced, new support piles added, and existing piles modified.[8] The previous bridge was demolished after this bridge, which also catered for trams, was opened in 1909.[8] The current structure, which opened on 15 December 1939, was also only intended to be used for a few years, but has remained in service since then, with major strengthening and repair works carried out in 1978 and 1982.[8]
The street was the main street of the former Town of North Fremantle (1895–1961). The North Fremantle war memorial[11] and the former North Fremantle Town Hall are located on the street.[12]
Two bars are also located on the north side of the river along Queen Victoria Street: Mojo's Bar and the Swan Hotel, which has been on the street for over 100 years.[13]
In 2011, Queen Victoria Street underwent road works to improve traffic accommodation and the amenity of the area.[14]
| LGA | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fremantle | North Fremantle | 0.0 | 0.0 | Stirling Highway (State Route 5) – Perth, Claremont, Mosman Park | Northern terminus. No right turn from Queen Victoria Street to Stirling Highway southbound. |
| 0.3 | 0.19 |  Tydeman Road (Tourist Drive 204) – Cottesloe, Fremantle Harbour | No right turn from Tydeman Road eastbound to Queen Victoria Street northbound. Access to Sunset Coast Tourist Drive 204 | ||
| Swan River | 0.6– 1.0 | 0.37– 0.62 | Fremantle Traffic Bridge | ||
| Fremantle | Fremantle | 1.1 | 0.68 |   Canning Highway (State Route 6) – East Fremantle, Applecross, Como, Perth Airport | T-intersection. Southbound traffic must turn right. |
| 1.2 | 0.75 | Beach Street – East Fremantle, Bicton | Access to Fremantle railway station. No left turn permitted from Queen Victoria Street northbound to Beach Street. No right turn permitted from Beach Street to Queen Victoria Street southbound | ||
| 1.6 | 0.99 | James Street (State Route 12 southeast) – South Fremantle, Hamilton Hill, Spearwood, Rockingham | State Route 12 southern concurrency terminus. | ||
| 2.0 | 1.2 | Parry Street | Southern terminus. Continues as Adelaide Street to Fremantle city centre | ||
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