Bathers Beach, Fremantle - Shark Barrier - SSA

Bathers Beach, Fremantle Shark Barrier

The Brief

A prevalence of shark interactions and sightings, in both the ocean and the Swan river, was driving a growing community need in having safer places to swim. Following an independent study by Stantec Australia of all coastal and river foreshore sites within the City of Fremantle, Bathers Beach was eventually endorsed by Fremantle Council as the preferred location for a physical shark barrier.

This also met the City’s goal to undertake a placemaking initiative at this under-utilised inner-city beach. A safe swimming enclosure at Bathers Beach would be a major attractor, creating a unique experience for residents, visitors and tourists to swim in a protected area surrounded by amenity, serviced by public transport and right in the centre of Fremantle.

The Solution

Local Henderson-based business Franmarine Underwater Services was selected to install the enclosure following a tender process by the City of Fremantle. Franmarine, an experienced marine company specialising in moorings, diving, and infrastructure maintenance, partnered with our team at Safer Swimming Australia, who designed and built the barrier at our O’Connor premises.

The bespoke barrier runs approximately 314m across the bay between the breakwaters and sits about 125m offshore. It is made of semi-rigid braided mesh with internal stainless steel strands for strength and durability, and was deployed using a mooring system that has a low environmental impact on the seabed. Additionally, it was designed with help from a marine biologist specifically so as not to trap or harm marine life, while allowing for tidal movement of sea wracks underneath the barrier.

All the parts of the barrier, including anchor points, mesh panels and floating buoys, were deployed from off-shore vessels, meaning there was no impact to the beach during the installation period.

The swimming enclosure was made possible by a $500,000 contribution from the WA Government as part of its comprehensive shark hazard mitigation strategy.

The Challenges

The unique site of the project – a small beach between two groynes in an inner-city heritage protected area, with the heritage area continuing across the seabed; adjacent to a major port and a fishing boat harbour – meant a number of stakeholders were involved and different levels of consultation and approvals required between local and state government departments. This included a period of community consultation

In addition to the community and the City of Fremantle, stakeholders included:

This required a level of flexibility throughout the design process to address the requirements of all the stakeholders, for instance, the type of mooring type used. Together with our installation partners at Franmarine, a design for the barrier moorings using floats moored to vertical chains rather than pilings in the panel design was finalised. This avoided penetration of the seafloor and subsequent harm to any heritage assets potentially hidden below the surface.

The installation was delayed due to the some additional underwater heritage assessments that Museums WA had to carry out in September 2025. As a result of this work, some further design changes were before the final approvals could be issued.

"It is fantastic to see the new Bathers Beach enclosure going in and I congratulate the City of Fremantle for the work they have done to get it in place.”

Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis

The Result

The safe swimming enclosure was completed and installed at Bathers Beach in January 2026. It is approximately 314 metres long and provides an enclosed swimming and snorkelling area of about 40,000 square metres (that’s around 10 acres!), offering a protected swimming area with a physical barrier to reduce the risk of a shark encounter, while allowing sea wrack movement and minimising harm to marine life. Unlike netting programs used on the east coast, these enclosures are designed to be non-lethal towards marine life.

The barrier is seasonal, meaning it will remain in place from October to April. Each April it will be removed for cleaning and storing over the winter, prolonging the life of the barrier and ensuring regular wave and tidal movement during the rougher winter months.

"I'm proud to be part of a government that is helping to make Bathers Beach at Fremantle safer for locals, visitors and tourists. Beach enclosures are an important shark hazard mitigation strategy to ensure the ocean can be enjoyed as safely as possible and unlike nets, will not trap or harm marine life. This will give people confidence that they are swimming in a protected enclosure when they decide to go for a dip at Bathers Beach this summer."

Fremantle MLA Simone McGurk

Net Benefits

Barrier Lifespan - increased due to the seasonal installation.
Supporting Local Businesses - the project was designed, manufactured and installed by local Fremantle businesses.
Minimising Environmental Impact - All the parts of the barrier were deployed from vessels, so there was no impact to the beach during installation, or disruption to beach access.
Fiscal Accountability - our barriers are considerably more affordable and represent greater value for local governments than other similar products.

“Whether you’re a plunger, a floater, or a lap swimmer, everyone’s welcome at the newly installed beach enclosure at Bathers Beach. We’re spoilt for choice with beaches in Freo. This one gives you a salty hit, with peace of mind, right next to a huge selection of bars, cafes and restaurants.”

City of Fremantle

We don’t make ‘shark nets’

Shark nets, as used on the east coast of Australia, are not only ineffective, they are also dangerous. At Safer Swimming Australia, we make barriers, not nets – and there’s a big difference.

Shark nets are large mesh monofilament nets designed to catch and kill large marine life such as sharks, but they are non-discriminate and kill many harmless marine animals.
These nets are typically strung across bays but do not form complete barriers and do not reach from surface to sea floor. Many sharks and other animals are caught leaving the area, rather than entering it.
Studies show that nets do not necessarily reduce the rate of shark interactions with humans, and the NSW government is moving to remove some of its nets. This move is welcomed by experts who say nets are ineffective at preventing shark bites.
Environmental groups highlight that nets catch many non-target species (dolphins, turtles, rays) and do not fully enclose beaches, allowing sharks to swim around them.
Our beach enclosures offer a protected swimming area with a physical barrier to reduce the risk of a shark encounter and, unlike nets, are designed not to trap marine life such as dolphins, rays or turtles. The barriers go from the sea floor to the surface, so they are completely impenetrable - marine life cannot enter, so cannot be trapped.

As a business based in the City of Fremantle, we’re very proud to have had the opportunity to be a part of the project at Bather’s Beach. Our experience stretches back 15 years and we have a proven track record having designed, built and installed successful swimming enclosures at Dunsborough, Busselton and Ceduna. But there’s nothing like doing one in your own backyard.

“Great work Fremantle Council. Bathers Beach has amazing potential… this will help the inner city and Bathers Beach community thrive. It’s a sound decision with Freo’s future in mind. Thank you.”

Fremantle resident

Safer Swimming Australia can work with your Council to design a solution that is safe, sustainable, and a sound investment.