Fremantle

In a bygone era when passenger ships were the preferred mode of transport for world travellers, Fremantle was the western gateway to Australia. Millions of migrants arrived by ship and many made the area their home. Jet travel changed Fremantle’s prominence as a destination but the port city was rejuvenated when it became the centre of world attention during the Australian defence of the America's Cup in 1987.

Fremantle today retains much of its old charm: its situation at the mouth of the Swan River, its picturesque old buildings, its cultural diversity and what its longtime residents still call the Fremantle feeling. This sets it apart from the capital, Perth. The feeling comes upon you when you cross the bridge over the Swan River from the northern suburbs, pass historic Cantonment Hill from the east or (ideally) drift down river from Perth in a pleasure boat.

Fremantle is a working port, host to a big fishing fleet as well as container ships and the occasional large cruise vessel. It maintains a vibrant commercial life and is a desirable tourist destination. It has, however, retained its cosmopolitan nature and preserved its identity, largely through the good sense and dedication of its modern-day civic managers.

In a few square kilometres, it would be hard to find a bigger variety of sights, sounds and experiences. And they can be encompassed comfortably on foot. Perhaps a visit should begin, mid-morning, with a coffee or a locally brewed beer on South Terrace, sometimes called Cappuccino Strip for its outdoor-cafe atmosphere. A stroll through the venerable Fremantle Markets, also on South Terrace, will produce anything from potted shrimp to a 78 record to a busker wearing a boater. For more informaiton visit the Fremantle Visitor Centre website.

This useful map of Fremantle city and surrounding suburbs is complete with legend, street names and landmarks allows you to plan your extended trip or find where your friends are staying. See many of Fremantle's most interesting attractions on the self-guided Fremantle city walk map. This map also shows the Fremantle CAT bus route and public car parks.

FISHING BOAT HARBOUR

A special feature of Fremantle is its maritime atmosphere and this can be best appreciated on a stroll around the Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour. This is a working harbour all year round and you may see fresh seafood being unloaded from the fishing boats ready for export or local despatch. There are many waterfront restaurants in Fishing Boat Harbour with spectacular views over the Indian Ocean out to Rottnest and beyond. The atmosphere is similar to San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, with cuisine catering for all tastes - Italian influences feature heavily, and, of course, the taste of freshly caught and cooked seafood should not be missed. Savour the flavours of Fremantle at one of the following restaurants. View map for locations.

Kailis Fish Market Cafe Established in 1928 this complex is an Australian institution inducted into the WA Tourism Hall of Fame. This unique dining and tourism complex was voted best fish and chips, seafood BBQ, cafe, wine and beer and a fresh seafood market. Open 7 days. 46 Mews Rd, Fremantle Phone 9335 7755.

Char Char Bull Restaurant Specialising in prime Australian steak, pizza and contemporary dishes. Dine inside or on the deck overlooking the bustling boardwalk and harbour. Enjoy a pre-dinner drink in the cocktail lounge. Open 7 days for lunch and dinner. 44 Mews Rd, Fremantle Phone 9430 5005.

At Dôme Fishing Boat Harbour they're obsessed with sourcing, roasting and brewing the world's finest coffees. Enjoy a diverse menu, created with passion around delicious flavours and the comfortable feel to European-inspired cafes. You'll soon discover why there's no place like Dôme. Open 7 days from 7am. 47 Mews Road, Fremantle Phone 9335 6266.

Cicerello's Australia's best-known fish and chip shop, established 1903. Enjoy freshly caught seafood with a beer, or a glass of wine, at the water’s edge. An informal, friendly atmosphere, perfect for entertaining visitors to Fremantle. Open 7 days. Mews Rd, Fremantle Phone 9335 1911.

Joe's Fish Shack The funkiest seafood restaurant in Fremantle, right on the water at Fishing Boat Harbour. Fresh local seafood – stuffed tiger prawns, chilli mussels, salt and pepper squid – with world-class views. Open 7 days with a selection of world-class WA wines available. 42 Mews Rd, Fremantle Phone 9336 7161.

Mussel Bar Seafood Restaurant Fresh seafood and local produce, creative cuisine and extensive wine list. Fabulous location, the perfect venue for all occasions - romantic dinners, corporate lunches or a family night out. Open 7 days. 42 Mews Rd, Fremantle Phone 9433 1800.

Little Creatures The brewery and ‘cellar door’ give people a chance to see our brewers in action and get a super fresh hops hit whilst relaxing with friends and sharing a pizza or some of our other shared food dishes. Open 7 days. Ph: 9430 5555

The View Fremantle Fall in love with the amazing sunsets of the Indian Ocean whilst relaxing in picturesque surroundings. Tempt your senses with our fusion of scrumptious mouth-watering delights accompanied by a range of local and international wines and beer. Open 7 days. Ph: 9430 5050

Enjoy the buzz that is wagamama Recently opened in december, wagamama at Fishing Boat Harbour offers a delectable fusion of asian inspired dishes. Noodles, rice dishes, salads, desserts, wine, Asian beers, and amazing fresh juices. Set in a sleek contemporary environment with great atmosphere. Excellent for family, friends or dining solo. Take-out and kids menu available. Open from 11.30am, 7 days. No bookings required Phone 9336 6488

For traditional Aussie meals in a rustic setting you can't go past the Fremantle Bakehouse. Premium breakfasts served all day, sandwiches, rolls and wraps, home made chunky pies and sausage rolls, a tempting array of bakery items and premium 5 Senses coffee are all on offer and preservative free breads and gluten free options are available. Drop in and indulge, open 7 days. 52 South Terrace, Fremantle Ph: 9430 9592

GETTING AROUND FREMANTLE

Captain Cook Cruises offers excellent value scenic cruises departing three times daily from both Perth and Fremantle. Jump on board one of their large comfortable boats and enjoy views that you can only see from the river – magnificent riverside homes, famous yacht clubs, the Old Swan Brewery and Kings Park. All cruises include an informative Captain’s commentary, tea, coffee and biscuits and even premium wine tasting if cruising from Fremantle. The ‘Fremantle Lunch Cruise’ also departs daily at 11.00am from Perth and 12.30pm from Fremantle. Enjoy a delicious buffet lunch on board with an ever-changing view. C Shed Victoria Quay Fremantle Ph: 9336 3311.

Fremantle Trams Run hop-on-hop-off guided tours 363 days a year from 9.45am. Taking in all of Fremantle’s famous and historic landmarks your driver will entertain you with a live commentary along the way. All Perth ferries met. Highway to Hell Tours Every Sunday Fremantle Tram Tours celebrate the life of Bon Scott, one of the city’s most famous sons, with a 90-minute tour of the places connected with the legendary former singer of ACDC. The tour includes his former home, schools and final resting place in Fremantle cemetery all with a backing track of your favourite ACDC video. Phone 9433 6674.

Fremantle Trails is a series of trails and walks around Fremantle’s central business district designed to guide you on a personalised tour of Fremantle using maps, signs, street art and landscaping. Most trails will take around two to four hours to walk. You can discover at your own pace the many cultural and historical aspects of this unique and vibrant city. Stop at places of interest, have a cappuccino and a bite to eat or take advantage of the specialty shopping throughout the city. Experience the easy yet vibrant lifestyle, see some of Fremantle’s iconic buildings or learn about the history that makes up the city. There really is something for everyone. For more information go to the Fremantle Visitors Centre in Kings Square or visit the website.

Fremantle CAT bus The easiest way to get around Fremantle apart from walking - the route begins and ends outside the Fremantle Bus/Train terminus, and includes Fremantle Oval, the Fremantle Museum and Arts Centre, the Woolstores Shopping Centre, the Cappuccino Strip and Fremantle Markets. It then travels down to South Fremantle and then back along Marine Terrace, past the Esplanade and the WA Maritime Museum and E Shed Markets, then back to its beginning at the train station. The hours for this route are: Monday to Friday 7am to 7pm every 10 mins, Thursday and Friday 3pm to 10pm every 8 mins, Weekends & Public Holidays 10am to 10pm every 8 mins (except Good Friday, Christmas & Boxing Day). Contact Transperth for further information.

SHOPPING IN FREMANTLE

The E Shed Markets are located dockside in Fremantle and have more than 80 stalls. Until recently the E Shed was an empty warehouse situated nearby; it was disassembled, moved and rebuilt at the present site. The E Shed Markets offer unique gifts and souvenirs, local arts and crafts, an international food court and free entertainment in the fine setting of the historic warehouse. Open Friday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm, plus all public holidays. Victoria Quay, Fremantle Phone 9430 6393.

Cool in summer and warm in winter, you can't go past 100% sheepskin products for natural insulation. Eagle Wools are premium Australian sheepskin specialists, manufacturing slippers and ugg boots, car seat covers, coats and other sheepskin products onsite at their huge showroom at 3 Beach St, Fremantle.

There’s so much to discover at the Fremantle Markets. Located in a grand old Victorian building, the Fremantle Markets literally spill out onto the colourful streets of Freo. Inside you’ll find a dazzling array of goods from around WA and around the world. There’s everything from furnishings, prints, pottery and cane-ware to authentic antiques, unusual jewellery and great clothing. If you’re looking for unique gifts for friends back home, be sure to check out the sheepskin and leather goods, jarrah products, dried wildflowers, opals, local shells and pottery. Of course any trip to the Markets wouldn’t be complete without sampling the local seafood, dew-fresh fruit and vegetables, tasty cheeses, crunchy breads, fine coffees and other gourmet delights. Open Fri 9am-9pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm, Mon p/hols only 10am-5pm. Cnr South Terrace & Henderson Street Phone 9335 2515.

Keysole at 103 High St, Fremantle is an authorized retailer of UGG® AUSTRALIA, the world leader in luxury, comfortable and fashionable sheepskin products. They use the world’s finest Grade-A sheepskin, and offer the latest fashions and limited editions at competitive prices. Take home a pair of their UGG® funky boots as a souvenir of your visit. Ph (08) 9433 3714

Buying a didgeridoo? Didgeridoo Breath in Fremantle can show you what to look for when selecting your instrument. Authentic Australian didgeridoos are created from the finest native timbers, cut by registered permit holders, dried and treated to export quality and uniquely hand painted and finished. They are Australia's largest specialty didgeridoo store. Learn to play for free! Open 7 days a week. Also, visit the upstairs Aboriginal Art Gallery. Open 7 days a week 6 Market St, Fremantle Phone 9430 6009.

Established in 1985, Fremantle Opals is an opal retailer with a wealth of knowledge and experience. They invite you to view an exclusive range of beautiful opal jewellery and unset opals. Specialists in black opal, they buy direct from the mines. Also visit their other shop, the Hat Shack at E Shed Markets, for the humble sun hat, the classic Australian Akubra and Australian-made leather hats and stock whips. Fremantle Opals is conveniently situated just a short walk from the Fremantle railway station, open seven days a week. 18 Market Street, Fremantle (just opposite the Post Office) Phone 9430 4334.

FREMANTLE ATTRACTIONS

The Fremantle Arts Centre is housed in a magnificent neo-gothic building constructed in the 1860s to serve as the colony's first lunatic asylum. An Arts Centre since 1972, it runs a program of exhibitions, concerts and a learning program for people of all ages. It is also home to a shop known as the 'best little art shop in town', it stocks beautiful objects by WA artists, books, fashion, kids stuff and more. Catch the free Cat bus. Phone 9432 9555.

Constructed by convicts between 1851 and 1855, the daunting buildings of Fremantle Prison were in use as a maximum security prison until 1991. It is open from 10am to 6pm every day (last tour at 5) and offers an alternative view to the prevailing vision of Fremantle as a jolly seaside town. Visitors will gain a chilling insight into life in a maximum security in the 1990s. The entry fee of $14.30 adults, $7.15 children (6-15 yrs) includes two fascinating tours of the prison. Why not try out the candlelight tour (although torches are used) which starts around 7.30pm on Wednesday and Friday and takes in the gallows and other macabre attractions. The Terrace, Fremantle Phone 9336 9200.

Located at the west end of Victoria Quay (follow the signs to the E Shed markets just next door, or catch the Fremantle CAT bus to the door), the Western Australian Maritime Museum is an international landmark showcasing Western Australia’s rich maritime heritage. Its position in the working port makes it the ideal place to tell the stories of Western Australia’s early explorers, trade routes, naval defence, migration and the cultural richness that has resulted. With significant historic objects and boats that highlight WA’s sporting and adventure heritage, the exhibitions tell the stories of human endeavour that bring to life our maritime past. On level one you will find “Tin Canoe to Australia II”. The roof of the Museum towers 30 metres above the boats in a display celebrating the boating history of Western Australians, showcasing the adventures of people challenging nature and themselves as they take on the world on the water. Boats on display include the Parry Endeavour, the yacht that took lone yachtsman Jon Sanders three times around the globe (pictured) and Australia II, the racing yacht with the winged keel that won the America’s Cup from the United States in 1983. The WA Maritime Museum is located at Victoria Quay, Fremantle Phone 9431 8444. Other parts of the Maritime Museum’s displays are the decommissioned submarine HMAS Ovens, located on the historic World War II slipway in Slip Street, Victoria Quay, and the Shipwreck Galleries, housed in the restored convict-built Commissariat building in Cliff Street five minutes away.

The Army Museum of WA houses the finest collection of militaria in WA, to collect, conserve, display and interpret our military heritage. Exhibitions include the Pre-1914 gallery, WWI trench scene, WWI & WWII galleries, Prisoner of War gallery and Post-1945 gallery. Burt St, Fremantle Phone 9430 2535.

Fremantle Town Hall This magnificent building, located in Kings Square, was officially opened in 1887 as part of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Celebrations. It has in now been restored to its original beauty and is used for a variety of functions including concerts and plays.

Monument Hill Memorial Reserve is Fremantle's heritage and National Trust listed war memorial, with memorials including the most recent one, for the RAN Vietnam veterans. Recently restored and with further work in progress, the Reserve has great ocean views and is just a short stroll from central Fremantle, up High Street to the east.

Public Artworks In Kings Square you will find the chess table and seating constructed from jarrah and mild steel. Also in Kings Square is a life-size sculpture of Pietro Giacomo Porcelli, who created a number of the pieces in Fremantle, including the monument erected to C.Y. O'Connor, and the Tom Edwards Memorial Fountain in Kings Square. Recent additions to Kings Square are statues of the most highly decorated Australian serviceman of World War II, Sir Hughie Edwards (who was raised in the suburbs of Fremantle) and former Prime Minister and member for Fremantle John Curtin. The City of Fremantle has also developed the concept of the heritage trail which makes it possible to retrace the original shorelines of Fremantle. A limestone path and wall mark the alignment of the old shoreline. Tours of Fremantle's numerous pieces of public art are available, contact Phil Thomson on 9480 4701.

The Round House was built in 1831 as a prison, and is the State's oldest public building. The grounds are still attractive and the building itself is interesting. Guides provide tours of the Round House precinct for visitors, explaining the early history of Fremantle. Located on Arthur Head at the top of High Street, it gives sweeping views of Fremantle, the Harbour and the Indian Ocean. Just next door is a cafe/restaurant for a snack after you've seen everything.

World of Energy An educational facility providing information about WA’s energy industry through the use of interactive displays and multimedia. The centre offers a range of hands-on programs for primary and secondary students. Open weekdays 9am–5pm. 12 Parry Street Phone 9430 5655.