Council calls for record of power station artwork to be preserved

A PHOTOGRAPHIC record of urban art within the abandoned South Fremantle Power Station could be on the cards.

The power station was closed in 1985 after more than three decades of operation.

Since then, it has become popular with urban artists who have covered every inch of its walls and foundations in street art.

On Thursday, Cockburn councillors voted to call on site owner Synergy to commission a photographic record of the art, prior to a redevelopment.

The idea was put forward by Cockburn councillor Stephen Pratt.

“With the impending development of the Cockburn coast and the old power station site, having a photographic record of the urban art within the station will provide both an historical record and options for future artworks within the development,” he said.

“The Cockburn coast development is an exciting project and having a way of showing before and after images is important.”

Councillor Lee-Anne Smith was also in favour of the recommendation.

“It’s world-renowned,” she said.

“It’s very well recorded globally and I just want to make sure people are aware what is actually inside that power station and how important it is that we do record that visual art.”

While acknowledging the site’s incredible range of artwork, Cockburn councillor Steven Portelli highlighted that graffiti was illegal and that a young graffiti artist had died at the site last year, before questioning whether “we actually want to be encouraging more activities with this (decision)”.

While years away, the power station is due to be redeveloped by LandCorp to feature apartments, shops, cafes, bars, galleries and small offices.