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Olympia Skating Rink
In the early 1900s, the population of Fremantle was rapidly growing and so was the interest in new kinds of leisure and entertainment. Emerging from this era came the Olympia Skating Rink, a bold and modern addition to the town’s social life.
Reginald G. Webb first opened an Olympia Skating Rink on Goderich Street, East Perth, in June 1893. He later operated another at the Perth Town Hall from July 1903, and by June 1908 an Olympia Skating Rink had also been established at Boulder’s Engine-driver’s Hall. These ventures, however, do not appear to have been connected.
Launching the Rink
The Olympia opened on 9 June 1909 in a building owned by Jane Marion Waldeck and John Joseph Higham and was advertised as being on High Street, near the Commercial Hotel. It was actually located behind it, with its main entrance on Leake Street. It was common to advertise the nearest busy main street, the one people knew best, to attract more visitors. At the time, “Olympia” was a fashionable name for entertainment venues, evoking cultural prestige and suggesting an experience beyond just a skating rink on “midget wheels”.
Right from the beginning, Olympia promised something unique. It boasted a brand-new granolithic skating floor - a smooth and extremely hard surface made from cement mixed with granite chips and polished to perfection. This was a major selling point. Unlike wooden hall floors, a granolithic surface was purpose-built for roller skates: durable, smooth and easy to clean. Evening sessions featured a live band to keep the tempo and entry was only sixpence (about 85 cents today), with an extra fee for hiring “Winslow’s Ball-Bearing Extension Full Clamp Fibre Wheel Skates”.
The rink was partly open to the weather at first but by July 1909, a roof had been added, turning Olympia into an all-weather venue. It’s almost certain the roof was constructed from corrugated iron on a timber frame, which meant skaters could keep rolling through winter rains and the place quickly became popular.
Skating, Carnivals and Hockey
The Olympia was more than casual skating. It staged regular fancy-dress carnivals, where skaters dressed as everything from poster advertisements to national costumes. Special nights were a drawcard, with prizes given for the best outfits and the fastest skaters.
The rink also embraced the roller hockey craze. By 1914–1915, Olympia was advertising hockey nights, alongside novelty races and even “musical chairs on skates.” With the claim of having the largest skating floor in Western Australia after extending it in 1910, it was the best place for competition, as well as social fun.
From Rink to Cinema
Like many large halls of the era, Olympia quickly diversified. In December 1909, they began screening films under the banner of Olympia Pictures, run by the Star Amusement Limited (managed by Charles Sudholz and deregistered on October 15, 1925). Skating would take place in the cooler months, while the warmer summer season was devoted to moving pictures.
Advertisements promised the latest pictures with comfortable seating and for a few years, Olympia was Fremantle’s picture house, alternating between film screenings and skating. Evening showings often doubled as community gatherings, with picture programs ranging from short dramas to newsreels.
The final advertised screening at the Olympia Skating Rink appeared on April 8, 1913, though two later notices on April 13 suggest the program continued a little longer.
During the winter months, Olympia Pictures often shifted their shows to other venues, including Victoria Hall. By 1913, however, the tide was starting to turn. Fremantle now had purpose-built theatres like the Princess Theatre and the King’s Theatre, which offered bigger screens and more comfort.
The Decline of Skating
Skating continued through the First World War but its popularity was starting to wane. By the 1920s, evenings were increasingly spent at dances or cinemas, which had become the popular choice and the big Olympia hall offered higher profits as commercial space, than as a seasonal skating rink.
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Fremantle Provedoring and Marine House
The building was soon taken over by the Fremantle Provedoring Company, a business that supplied ships docking at the busy port. Provedoring meant providing food, water and a full range of ship stores—from preserved meat to ropes, sails and fittings. The open-plan hall was now stacked with crates and shipping supplies.
It was around this time that the building came to be known as Marine House (another Marine House is located at 1 Essex Street), reflecting its new role in Fremantle’s maritime economy. The name “Olympia” stayed in people’s memory but the building was no longer about fun and fancy dress.
What Remains Today
The old skating rink is long gone but the site lives on. The Leake Street frontage still carries the name “Olympia”, as part of a terrace of shops and apartments.
