June 05, 2007

Foundation Day Derby


Captain James Stirling officially proclaimed the Swan River Colony in Western Australia on 11 June, 1829. Although Captain Fremantle on the HMS Challenger had already claimed, for Britain, this western part of Australia some seven weeks earlier on April 25. Stirling took off up the river thinking he might find a better place to live. Instead, he just found Bayswater and Mt Lawley. What an extraordinary dissapointment for Stirling! And for countless residents since.
Captain Freo, on the other hand, knew he was on to a good thing, and set up camp on Bathers Beach. Stirling agreed he had lost the race to find the best place in the west to live and acknoweldged Fremantle's excellent judgement by naming the place after him. The People of the City of Fremantle have celebrated their Captain's victory ever since by playing a terrific game of Australian Rules Football between the teams of East Fremantle and South Fremantle.


Here you can see South Fremantle warm up in the background while the locals pay minimal respect for their athletic need to warm up those active muscles.


I love WAFL games. Kids everywhere kicking everywhere. Many adults too.

Souths won.
Jeffrey Farmer - the clown - gave away two 50m penalties and got taken out of the game on a stretcher. Ridiculous. Bloody Dockers