 The city of Perth and the port of Fremantle, Western Australia were also invigorated by the new economy.The First World War (1914–1918) had a disruptive impact on economic development.Wartime conditions ensured high prices for agricultural products, but also created inflationary pressures and manpower shortages, while the completion of the transcontinental rail link in 1917 highlighted growing integration into the national economy and a decline in dependence on Britain.