Fremantle Council to close Cappuccino Strip for live AFL Grand Final watch party if Dockers go all the way

Dockers fans will be free to roam Fremantle’s streets on grand final day as the Cappuccino Strip will temporarily close to cars if the team makes it through.

Fremantle councillors voted unanimously last week to close the busy South Terrace strip on September 26 if the Dockers — who finished the season minor premiers — make the AFL Grand Final.

The strip will become a footy fan’s dream with large LED screens showing the game and local venues opening their doors to create a sprawling Grand Final Live Site.

Councillors approved a $232,000 budget amendment to facilitate the event, funded through the carried forward surplus from 2025-26 and savings generated by projects that didn’t proceed. An officer’s reported stated there would be no impact on the closing budget position for 2026-27.

This will cover audio-visual production, staging, event infrastructure, security and crowd management, event operations, temporary amenities and site services.

Mayor Ben Lawver proposed an amendment to source an additional $50,000 to contribute towards rewatch and celebration activities if the Dockers win their first premiership.

He said the timing was perfect, because final funding approval could be made at the September 23 council meeting just before the grand final.

“As local government ... we need to plan for the eventuality of the local team bringing home their first flag. And if we look at the timing of this, the grand final weekend will be just a few days after our next council meeting,” he said.

“So, I’ve got an amendment after talking with staff that would ensure that staff can do those preparations because I’m pretty confident that our team’s going to get there.

“This will also ensure that we have final oversight over any expenditure. So, that being said, I’ll move the proposed amendment that would allow us to also plan for ... a potential grand final celebration.”

Councillor Frank Mofflin said he wanted to see grand final celebrations in Fremantle, but questioned where this extra funding would come from.

“My expectation (would be) that others, namely Fremantle Football Club, are contributing significantly to any celebrations that happen in Fremantle. And obviously our community’s preference is that those celebrations happen in Fremantle and not down the road elsewhere,” he said.

Mayor Lawver said he was “funding agnostic”, but he wanted to give the city enough time to seek funding “internally or externally” and bring it back for council approval on September 23, assuming the Dockers make the final.

His amendment passed unanimously, with other councillors praising the potential financial benefits of the live site in Fremantle.