An Aboriginal-owned hospitality company is set to transform a heritage-listed waterfront site in Fremantle, Western Australia, into what it claims will be Australia’s first immersive Indigenous food and art experience.
Gather Hospitality Group, a local native food manufacturing and events company, has secured a long-term tenancy at Victoria Quay’s historic port workshops.
The development will occupy approximately 1,125 square meters across two large bays of the 1950s industrial buildings, which are located near the Maritime Museum.
The multi-concept venue will feature a café, specialist retail space, an Aboriginal art and literature corner, and event facilities. Its centrepiece will be a permanent immersive art experience using advanced digital technology to showcase 60,000 years of Indigenous knowledge and culture—described as a world-first installation.
The project emerged from a Fremantle Ports tender to activate the waterfront precinct by repurposing portions of the heritage workshops into an entertainment and tourism destination.
Gather’s proposal will see the workshop’s heritage architecture fully retained and enhanced under the design leadership of Leah Paige Designs, a Noongar-owned interior design firm.
“Gather will bring an exciting new dimension to Victoria Quay, showcasing for visitors the deep historical and cultural significance of Walyalup,” said Western Australia Heritage and Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk, using the traditional Aboriginal name for Fremantle. She noted that heritage architect input will be part of the redevelopment to preserve the building’s integrity.
The development is part of broader efforts to revitalise Victoria Quay, occurring alongside the redevelopment of nearby B Shed as a Rottnest Island departure point and performance space. Ports Minister Stephen Dawson said the project “promises to be a wonderful re-use of the heritage workshops, which were used by port tradespeople.”
The venue is scheduled to open in late 2026, targeting cruise visitors, tourists and locals seeking to experience Western Australia’s Aboriginal heritage through dining and cultural engagement.
