East Fremantle Food Works

Typically, the usual feral pieces of trash broke in and started spraying around the fire hose like wannabe heroes. It's a bit sad when you think about it. Some of these kids must be pretty miserable if this is how they choose to spend their time.

September 2023

September 2023

East Vic Park Swansea Street Markets

Since their establishment in 1979, the Swansea Street Markets have been a familiar part of everyday life in East Victoria Park. Locals came for fresh fruit and vegetables, meat from the butcher, deli goods, spices and imported foods that weren’t always easy to find elsewhere.

Before the markets

Construction of the warehouse-type building at 178 Swansea Street East began around May 1967. Before then, the site had been nothing more than a vacant block of land. At the time, East Victoria Park still contained a significant amount of industrial and light-industrial land and this part of Swansea Street was not intended for retail use.

Constantinos ‘Con’ Kailis, a Greek-Australian businessman active in Perth from the post-war period onward, bought the 580m² property on 12 December 1974. Like many migrants of his generation, he invested in small businesses and commercial property, particularly in inner and middle suburbs that were still industrial or semi-industrial.

The Psaltis and Sardelic Families

Nicholas Psaltis, who came from a Greek family involved in market gardening (p.48), first opened a shop on Albany Highway in the 1950s under the name Saltis Brothers. The spelling was simplified by dropping the “P”, as the original surname was often difficult for customers to pronounce and spell.

Produce was initially sourced from the West Perth Markets and later from the Canning Vale Markets, before being sold through the Swansea Street Markets, which opened in 1979. The former warehouse was adapted with fit-outs such as cool rooms, butcher facilities and deli counters, transforming an industrial shell into a functioning produce market. The building itself remained largely unchanged structurally but its purpose shifted completely.

While the markets are said to have been established with the involvement of both families, the Sardelic family’s role appears to have been limited to that of a co-operator. By the late 1990s and into the 2000s, the markets would publicly and operationally be associated primarily with the Psaltis family.

By the late 1980s and 1990s, the site was well known locally as the Swansea Street Markets, operating as a combined grocery, deli and butcher.

November 2024

I had intended to photograph the entire Swansea Street Markets before they closed and after documenting the exterior of the building, I went inside to photograph The Hive Emporium. Within about 30 seconds of stepping inside, I began having an asthma attack. I was only able to take three interior photographs and none of the market itself.

I meant to go back but as always, time got the better of me and I had no idea The Hive Emporium would close the following month on the 24th, with the Swansea Street Markets closing the following year on 31 May.

Eden Hill Shops

Back in July 2017, tenants of the Eden Hill Shopping Centre were forced to vacate as a result of the building not being, "commercially viable to address compliance issues".

History

Built in 1970, the Eden Hill Church was the main tenant of the precinct at the time of its closure, with their Bridge Op Shop. They leased the rear of the building to the Bassendean Men's Shed Association.

The owner of the property is Birmingham Properties Pty Ltd (first registered on 23 November 1922), who operate under a number of business names, including Eden Hill Village and Eden Village, both originally registered on 13 January 1982.

The Issues

The Town of Bassendean informed the Eden Hill Church of a number of non-complying building code issues, one including the building's sprinkler system. Due to the lessor lacking funds to rectify the problems highlighted, the council revoked the occupancy permit. Interestingly, the Town of Bassendean had been encouraging the owner to redevelop the site for the past few years, with Mayor Renee McLennan also stating that, "this property has been in a state of decline for more than 20 years".

Whilst the Church was left looking for a new premises, particularly in the nearby industrial area, there is no information available to show that they were successful in doing so, nor in continuing their services.

Bassendean Men's Shed Association

They were initially hoping to temporarily move into the old Bassendean fire station and interestingly enough, this suggestion, which was raised with the Town of Bassendean, was reported by the Eastern Reporter, nine days before the non-compliance issues were published in their newspaper.

2014 April - The Council agrees to seek approval from the State Government to, "lease a parcel of land alongside the St Johns Training Centre" on Collier Street, to help establish a Bassendean Men's Shed. The vision is being pushed by the Bassendean Lions Club.
2015 October 18 - The Council votes to lease a portion of the Town's depot on Scadden Street, at a cost of $1.2 million to construct a shed to be used by the Men's Shed.
2016 May 25 - A temporary shed is being fitted at the rear of the Eden Hill Church building, located at the old shopping centre.
2017 June - The Council lodges an application with Lotterywest for a grant to construct a Men's Shed. Lotterywest indicates $500,000 has been earmarked for the grant (p.10)
2017 July - The Council vote positively on finding an appropriate block of land that could be used by the Men's Shed
2017 October 3 - Approval is given for a development application to construct facilities for the Men's Shed in the Council's depot. Quotes are being sourced from builders for a formal grant funding application to be lodged with Lotterywest (p.9),although an initial grant application has been submitted.
2017 December - Upon council members meeting up with Lotterywest to discuss the progress of the grant application, Lotterywest indicate that the available funding has been reduced (p.10).
2018 March 21 - During a Councillor's Workshop, discussions take place on how to move forward with Lotterywest's reduced $200,000 grant. Both the May Holman Reserve and Fire Station are being reconsidered as a result, in lieu of renovating a portion of the council's depot to accommodate the men's shed (p.8)
2018 July 17 - The Council are looking at a property located on May Holman Drive to build the men's shed facility (p.9).
2019 January 22 - The new Men's Shed, to be located on a block of land on May Holman Drive, is formerly approved with final drawings completed and tender documents in the process of being published.
2019 February 12 - Frustration is evident on the Men's Shed Bassendean Facebook page in regards to the time it's taking for the Town of Bassendean to publish the tender to construct the club's facilities.
2019 March 13 - The tender for construction is finally published in The West Australian, with a closing date of 11 April.
2019 April 16 - During the council meeting, the Men's Shed are informed that a number of positive tenders have been received and the evaluation is expected to be completed at the end of April, with construction expected in May.
2019 May 21 - The tender from Outdoor World Wangara, trading as Andanino Pty Ltd, is accepted.
2019 June 25 - Outdoor World Wangara's tender is formally accepted and construction for the shed is given the go-ahead.
2019 August - The Bassendean Men's Shed Association expect to move into their new shed by the end of the month.
2019 September 24 - Progress is at risk when a local resident questions council members on whether or not "a quantitative tree risk assessment (had) been undertaken on the trees at the Men's Shed site". The Executive Manager of Infrastructure responds to the question, stating that he is unaware of one being carried out (p.2)
2019 October 1 - Today Tonight run a segment on both the Bassendean Men's Shed and representatives from the Save the Trees group in relation to some trees on the Men's Shed site that need saving. The Council had raised an issue earlier, in regards to too many trees in the local area were being removed without thoughts to alternatives and cite the Men's Shed as an example (p.121)
2019 December 20 - The Men's Shed lock-in a 20 year lease for their new and permanent club base. Construction is due to be complete at the end of this month, closing an 11 year wait to find a permanent home.

Real Estate

The RealEstate website lists the Eden Hill Shopping Centre as being a land size value of 16,373m with the only history being that of a sale taking place on 23 June 1999 for $2000, the latter being nothing short of ridiculous! Unfortunately and surprisingly, there are no other property websites listing this site.

Property Development

It appears that no.246 is owned by the Town of Bassendean (site of a former petrol station, which appeared to have been demolished in September 2003) and no.248 (the site of the old shopping centre) is owned by Birmingham Properties PtyLtd / Ladrift Pty Ltd / Matax Pty Ltd.

2007 November 27 - The Council agrees to receive a report on whether or not it is feasible to use the former Eden Hill Shopping Centre as a permanent site for the Midland Military Markets. Councillors intend to liaise with representatives from both sites to discuss any potential interest in doing so.
The Midland Military Markets was established in May 1995 on the former site of the Western Command
Headquarters and was destroyed by fire on 25 April 2007.
2008 March 25 - Councillors vote against the proposed idea of moving the Midland Military Markets to Eden Hill Shopping Centre, as it would take away business from those located on Old Perth Road (p.6)
2017 June - The Eden Hill Church vacate the old shopping centre premises.
2017 July 22 - Despite The Bridge Op Shop closing earlier in the month, they open their doors for a final sale.
2018 May 15 - A proposal for secure fencing is submitted to the council by LJ Hooker on behalf of Birmingham Properties Pty Ltd, as a result of criminal activity occurring at the site:
- 19 March 2018 - Electrical cables are vandalised, alerting the Department of Fire & Emergency Services of a communication cut in the fire monitoring system.
- 20 March 2018 - Squatters have moved in, with drug paraphernalia evident inside. All copper piping has been stolen and electrical cables vandalised.
- 20-26 March 2018 - A security guard, now stationed onsite, reports a group of people trying to gain access into the building. The temporary fence is pulled down.
- 04 April 2018 - The water main is turned on, resulting in some 2,700 litres flooding the building as a result of the copper pipes being stolen.
- 17 April 2018 - Communication lines inside the building to the monitoring security alarm and Department of Fire & Emergency Services have been cut. Power has been switched off at the High Voltage Main. The padlock on the Central Electrical Board has been cut as a result of someone attempting to gain access.
2019 March - Taylor Robinson Chaney and Broderick are appointed to prepare the Eden Hill Master Planning Concept.
2019 April 2 - A draft version of the Concept Plan is presented to council members at the Concept Planning Workshop.
2019 April 23 - The Council formally adopt the Eden Hill Master Planning Concept Plan.
2019 July - Concept plans for a proposed redevelopment to be built on the site of the old Eden Hill Shopping Centre is submitted to the owners. The site, zoned as "local shopping", is planned as a mixed use development including residential, retail, food and beverage outlets. A supermarket is, "to be the anchor tenant on the site." The site is described as being in a state of decline for more than 20 years, although other reports have previously praised the Church as tenants, commenting on the obvious reduction of anti social behavior.
2020 April 21 - The Town of Bassendean sell no. 246 to Birmingham Properties Pty Ltd for $1.1 million.

December 2021

July 2023

Shops

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