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Posted by Allen Newton
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2 June, 2026
FREMANTLE’S North Mole has been closed after sustaining significant storm damage during the weekend’s severe weather, but Fremantle Ports says commercial shipping and cargo operations remain unaffected.
The port authority confirmed the closure on Monday, advising that North Mole Drive and the public breakwater area are shut while engineers assess damage caused by heavy swell and gale‑force winds.
The storm — one of the strongest to hit the metropolitan coast in years — caused widespread disruption across Perth, including power outages and coastal erosion.
A Fremantle Ports spokesperson said the closure affects public access only, with no impact on berths, cranes or navigation channels. “All commercial vessels that were moved offshore as a precaution have now returned, and cargo operations are resuming,” the spokesperson said.
The damage appears to be confined to the seawall and breakwater structure, which has a long history of vulnerability during winter fronts. North Mole has previously required emergency repairs after major storms, including: 2022–23 winter events, which caused armour‑rock displacement and path undermining; 2018 storm surges, which overtopped the breakwater and forced temporary closures; and multiple winter closures over the past decade due to erosion and wave damage.
South Mole remains open to the public.
Fremantle Ports has not provided a reopening date for North Mole, which will remain closed until repairs are completed.
