Freopedia

Freopedia began as a project to install QRpedia codes at sites around Fremantle, Western Australia to link people to articles on Wikipedia.^[1] It has since evolved into a WikiTown project aiming to build comprehensive coverage of Fremantle on Wikipedia.

Video about using the Freopedia QR code at the Round House in Fremantle

The original idea came from Monmouth's Monmouthpedia.^[2][3]

Fremantle is the first city in Australia to have such a project, and thus a virtual tour of its historic sites.^[1][4][5] Visitors to Fremantle are encouraged to take a walking tour with the help of a map produced by the City.^[6] The Freopedia Heritage Tour is one of several Fremantle walking tours and trails publicized by the City.^[7]

City of Fremantle mayor Brad Pettitt, President of The Fremantle Society, and President of Wikimedia Australia launching Freopedia

The official launch took place at the W D Moore & Co Warehouse on 26 May 2013.^[1][8] The Fremantle Arts Centre and the Round House were included in the first set of sites.^[8]

The creation of content on Wikipedia and the driving force of the project has come from the work of Wikipedian editors. Subsequently local groups and collaborators have supported the project, however content creation and maintenance of the project has remained with Wikipedians. Installation of plaques has been carried out by Fremantle Society volunteers, the University of Notre Dame Australia, and Fremantle Port Authority. The latter produced eight of their own plaques, of blue plastic, and are (as of March 2014^[update]) installing them around Victoria Quay and the Maritime Museum.^[9]

The collaboration has been between the Fremantle Society and Wikimedia Australia, supported by the City of Fremantle, State Records Office, Fremantle Business Improvement District, Fremantle Port Authority, and other organizations in Fremantle.^[1][4] The project was a finalist in the Heritage Council's 2014 Western Australian Heritage Awards,^[10][11] and inspired the creation of a similar project, Toodyaypedia, in Toodyay.^[12][13]

References

1. "Fremantle's heritage enters the digital age". Local Government Focus. LG FOCUS (AUS). June 2013. ISSN 0819-470X. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
2. "Wikipedia: How a project launched in Monmouth has gone global". WalesOnline. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
3. McCarthy, James (31 January 2013). "It's the Smart Way to Put Your Town Firmly on the Map and in the Picture; A Project Wikipedia Launched in Monmouth Has Gone Global - with Copycat Projects Springing Up from Prague to Australia. One's Even Planned for Cardiff, as James McCarthy Reports". The Western Mail. Cardiff, Wales. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
4. "Australian first for Fremantle heritage". City of Fremantle. May 2013. Archived from the original on 24 November 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
5. "Freopedia on the Streets of Freo". 96FM. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
6. "Freopedia Heritage Tour". Fremantle Story. Archived from the original on 12 March 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
7. "Fremantle walking trails". City of Fremantle. Archived from the original on 19 July 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
8. "App makes us tour guides". Cockburn Gazette. 28 May 2013. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
9. "QR codes for VQ" (PDF). Portfolio. Fremantle Port Authority. March 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
10. "Finalists announced for State Heritage Awards" (Press release). Government of Western Australia. 5 March 2014. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
11. Heritage Council of Western Australia (2014). "Finalists". 2014 Western Australian Heritage Awards. Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
12. Mark Wallace; RPS Australia Asia Pacific (15 May 2014). "Toodyay Economic Development Plan" (PDF). Shire of Toodyay Special Concept Forum Program. Shire of Toodyay. p. 42. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014. Investigate the development of a Freopedia style Wiki Town project for Toodyay
13. Eberle, Margie (March 2014). "New Toodyaypedia: recording online the way we were" (PDF). The Toodyay Herald. No. 322. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.

• Craig Franklin, President of Wikimedia Australia (26 May 2013). "The Way We Were" (Interview). Interviewed by Steve Gordon. Perth: 6PR.

External links

• Freopedia project page
• Freopedia Heritage Tour map showing locations of QR codes, as of May 2014