Old Kerosene Store facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Kerosene Store |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Former names |
|
| Alternative names | Kidogo Arthouse |
| General information | |
| Location | Bathers Beach |
| Address | 49 Mews Road |
| Town or city | Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Current tenants | Kidogo Art Institute |
| Completed | 1884 |
| Landlord | City of Fremantle |
| Design and construction | |
| Main contractor | Harwood and Son |
| Official name | Kerosene Store (former) |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Designated | 20 November 1992 |
| Part of | Round House and Arthur Head Reserve (8965) |
| Reference no. | 846 |
The Old Kerosene Store is a cool historic building located at Bathers Beach in Fremantle, Western Australia. It sits right next to the old Fremantle Long Jetty ruins. This single-storey building is made of limestone and is part of the important Arthur Head Reserve area.
Contents
History of the Old Kerosene Store
Building a Store for Kerosene
This building was constructed way back in 1884 by a company called Harwood & Son. Its first job was to store dangerous goods, especially kerosene. Back then, kerosene was super important for lighting up streets and heating homes. The building has one floor, is made of strong limestone, and has a hipped iron roof.
Changing Uses Over Time
In 1919, the state government's Harbour and Light Department started using it. It became a warehouse and later a shed for shipwrights, who are people who build and repair ships.
Saving the Building for Art
Luckily, in 1972, the building was saved from being torn down. It was restored to become a place for creative arts. From 1975 until 1997, a local artist and potter named Joan Campbell used it as her pottery studio and gallery.
The City of Fremantle took ownership of the site and building in 1982. It was restored again between 1986 and 1987 as part of a big project for Australia's 200th birthday.
Why the Old Kerosene Store is Special
Recognized for its Heritage
The Old Kerosene Store is considered very important for its history. The National Trust of Australia (WA) says it's a great example of an early colonial building. It's one of the few buildings of its kind left in Western Australia. It also forms an interesting group with the Round House and other old government stores.
Official Heritage Listings
Because it's so special, the building was officially listed on the State Register of Heritage Places on November 20, 1992. This listing was done by the Heritage Council of Western Australia. It's also on the City of Fremantle's own list of important heritage sites.
What the Old Kerosene Store is Used For Today
-
Bathers Beach location – taken from the north – the building in mid-left, fishing boat harbour behind
The Kidogo Arthouse
Since 1998, the building has been leased by artist Joanna Robertson. She founded the Kidogo Art Institute and turned the building into a popular art center. It's now known as the Kidogo Arthouse. The word "Kidogo" means 'small' in the Swahili language.
In 2010, the City of Fremantle received a special grant to help fix up and explain the history of the Old Port area. This included the former Kerosene Store. This work happened before the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships. During that big sailing event, the Kidogo Arthouse even had a temporary small bar called the Kelp Bar.
The Kelp Bar Experience
The Kelp Bar was a big hit during the 2011 sailing championships. Because of its success, Joanna Robertson tried to make the bar a permanent part of the gallery. One challenge was adding proper toilet facilities to the historic building.
In November 2013, the City of Fremantle still hadn't given permission for permanent toilets inside the heritage building. However, on December 13, 2013, they allowed an occasional liquor license without needing permanent toilets. The Kelp Bar reopened on December 20, 2013, and operated on weekends through January 2014.
