31 January 1979

Two ships were accommodated simultaneously at the Authority's recently extended Bulk Cargo Jetty for the first time on 31st January 1979. They were the "Bravenes", unloading 29,685 tonnes of fertiliser and the "Baron Murray" handling general cargo.

April 1978

One of the results of Cyclone Alby, which passed to the west of Fremantle in April 1978, was the extensive damage to the North Mole. Granite boulders up to 7 tonnes in weight were plucked from the sea wall. Over 2,500 cubic metres of granite rock had to be replaced.

20 May 1979

On Sunday 20 May 1979, Fremantle Port Authority arranged a Port Open Day in the Inner Harbour, as part of its contribution to the Western Australian sesqui-centenary celebrations. Despite the wet weather, many thousands of people turned out to enjoy the bands, displays and guided tours of four visiting Royal Netherlands Navy vessels and the Royal Australian Navy destroyer "HMAS Perth" as well as the cargo ship "Wild Rover".

August 1979

The Bulk Cargo Jetty was used to accommodate an LPG tanker for the first time in August 1979, when the "Magellan" discharged 442 tonnes of LPG from Westernport, Victoria, direct into a fleet of road tankers for distribution throughout the State.

October 1979

The oldest serving ship in the Royal Australian Navy, HMAS Diamantina departed Fremantle in October 1979 for the last time after being based there for 20 years.

In October 1979, the USS Midway,visited Fremantle but was a little too long and too deep to be accommodated in the Inner Harbour. Ten years later, Fremantle Ports' dredging project was put to the test and the USS Midway successfully berthed in the Inner Harbour at the Passenger Terminal.

25 November 1979

In 1979, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the settlement of the Swan River Colony an ambitious ocean race was conceived. Fifty-four entrants representing 13 nations set sail on a 12, 000-mile course from Plymouth, England via Cape Town to Fremantle. Named "The Parmelia Race", after the small barque which brought the first settlers to Western Australian in 1829, the aim of the race was to retrace the route taken by the original ship.

The race was organised into two divisions, with staggered starts. Points for timings and for good seamanship guaranteed a fair competition for yachts of all types and organisers were delighted when thousands of spectators turned out to watch the race finish in Fremantle's Inner Harbour. Altogether, twenty-two yachts completed the course.