Let's meet the neighbours

Matt and his mates bonded over a beer or two in a backyard shed and formed the namesake brewing company of South Fremantle. Matt spoke of a special connection to Fremantle, relishes the local community and knows how beer can bring people together.

Cat lives with her husband Chris and 3 children in South Fremantle. As a younger women Cat had a busy corporate life. She talks about the lifestyle choices that she and Chris have made. Choices that have bought them closer to the beach and created a balanced family life. A few years ago Cat decided on a small one day a week project that would help her artist friends but it grew to be much more than that. To date there have been 3 very successful Artists Open House Fremantle.

Our youngest neighbour in this series, Finn's schedule highlights the busyness of teenage life in 2017. Finn shows us how somethings change and somethings stay the same.

Marta grew up in a small German village, in an area that following WWII came under Russian control. Now, it is a small province between Poland and Lithuania, along the Baltic Coast. During our conversation Marta pointed on a map to indicate the journey her parents walked, with a push cart, during the War. A distance we estimated to be about 400km. Even after all these years, it is still difficult for Marta to talk about this time in her life. She was, however, more than happy to tell us about the joy she felt bringing up her children in the community of South Fremantle.

Phil’s involvement in the music and the pub scene in Fremantle goes back to the early years of MOJO’s. Now he is part owner and manager of the Local Hotel. Phil has a young family living in South Fremantle. He reflects on the challenges raising children today.

Lucie and Ante Surjan and their young son Mario, arrived in Australia in November 1963 aboard the passenger ship, Arcadia. The young family had spent time in Germany in their search for a better life. The household grew to five with the births of Toni and Leo and they set about bringing up their family in a community where kids played in the street and neighbours shared a common language.

Let’s meet the neighbours’ is a podcast series sharing stories from our neighbourhood in Fremantle, Australia.