About George

I love George Street, I pretty much always have.

I first visited the street with my father when I was 10. I fell in love with the cherubs and goddesses looking down from the terraces and boarded-up shop fronts.

I also love its history – George Street has had quite a journey. Earlier in the 19th century it was a bustling high street catering to the Italian migrant community, among others, who landed at the Fremantle Port and found their way to the streets surrounding George. In those days the street had three butchers and three general stores, and when the children heard the ship’s horn they would run with hoop and stick to the corner store to collect their comics and have an ice cream, if they were lucky. Then as time passed and Perth fell in love with shopping centres, the businesses along George began to close and the street gained a somewhat seedy reputation.

Thankfully, that didn’t last long. Nestled in the heart of East Fremantle, the beach is a stone’s throw away and you can almost kick a pebble into the river from the curb. Perhaps it was this ideal location that drew ‘the new folk’ to the area. Or maybe it was the architecture, the idea of living alongside a Nonna and Nonno, or the desire to be part of an old-style, community-loving ‘hood.

Whatever the reasons, people came and a community was formed that is full of folk who care for their neighbours, love a chat on the sidewalk, and whose kids play together in the park and skateboard down the street.

And with the new breed of people, the street changed again. The buildings are being restored and what were once empty spaces are now bulging with fashion, food and wine and gifts. We also have hair, beauty and health covered; and a cultural centre full of dance and music at the end of the street.

But it’s the people and their passion that makes George Street what it is today – the people who live on and around it, business owners, and most importantly, the people who visit. Come and linger in a cafe, share a meal, browse the shops, meet and make friends and, if you’re lucky, hear the sound of jazz wafting down the street.

You’ll love it – I do.