After Steven and I spent several hours on the idyllic yet troubled island of Wadjemup, across from Perth, the capital of Western Australia, we returned by ferry to the port city of Fremantle, known locally as Freo. The two cities have both grown so much that there was no longer any distinct division between them. We looked forward, however, to delving into Freo's unique maritime character and interesting highlights.
The preserved 19th-century streetscapes in the port area were very striking, particularly the former Customs Building from 1888.
The Fremantle Arts Centre, constructed using convict labor in the 1860s, was originally built as a lunatic asylum.
Atop Monument Hill was the Fremantle War Memorial with a 141-foot-tall main memorial dedicated to World War I veterans.
An unusual feature was the US Submariners Memorial, which included a mounted torpedo dedicated to the 52 American submariners who perished during World War II.
When the Fremantle Prison was built in 1855 entirely of convict labor, it took over from the Perth Gaol as the state's maximum security prison. It remained in use until it was closed and decommissioned in 1991. Even though we had only just arrived in Australia, we were already cognizant of its tortured relationship with its Indigenous people. Therefore, the following disclaimer didn't catch us by surprise: "The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage acknowledges the Whadjuk Noongar people, the traditional custodians of Walyalup, the land on which Fremantle Prison is located. The Department pays respect to Elders past and present and all Western Australian Aboriginal communities."
In front was another sign acknowledging the city's and Australia's convict past. "Be transported into our convict past." The forbidding limestone prison was one of 11 convict sites around the country granted UNESCO World Heritage status.
The site was originally selected for its close proximity to both the harbor and the town, with its elevated location to take advantage of the fresh sea winds. The officers' grand residences helped confirm their high status in the young colony.
In the row of buildings on the terrace outside the prison entrance was the Superintendent's Residence. Built in 1853 for the prison chaplain before the prison was constructed, it was later acquired for the Superintendent, who was responsible for security, discipline, and day-to-day management operations.
At the Magistrate's Residence, staff were responsible for hearing the evidence of crimes committed by prisoners.
Visiting the prison was only possible through one of several tours, and while each sounded quite engrossing, we had hoped to take the Convict Prison Tour. We would have liked to find out why almost 10,000 men were transported from Great Britain and Ireland, how they built their own prison, and helped shape the future of Western Australia. The end of the convict era was in 1886.
The prison's Wray Gates, built in 1855 from iron salvaged from convict ships, were designed without the need for welding because of the iron's poor quality.
After the harrowing tales experienced by Aboriginal prisoners for one hundred years on Wadjemup that morning, neither of us wanted to come face-to-face then with the prison's grisly history, its horrible conditions, notorious inmates, and the riots and hangings.
The Prisoner Reception Area, which wasn't constructed until the early 20th century, included a strip-search room, clothes store, and three holding cells.
The city, in an odd bid to boost tourism, had labeled the area around the Prison and Monument Hill the Convict Quarter. To me, it wasn't something to celebrate. With almost a huge sigh of relief, we set out to stroll past Fremantle's heritage sights and landmarks, wanting to put the depressing prison far behind us. First up, a few minutes away, was Freo.Social, a live music venue in the former Artillery Drill Hall from 1895.
In a roundabout in front of the home ground for the South Fremantle Bulldogs, the local football team (or soccer to Canadians and Americans), was a statue commemorating the "most famous mark" or spectacular high-flying catch in WA football history. It pictured South Fremantle full forward John Gerovich resting on the shoulder of an East Fremantle player to 'take the mark' in the 1956 preliminary final at the Subiaco Oval, outside of Perth.
We were surprised and delighted to be able to just walk onto the football field, especially as it was our first time doing so.
The low-key and almost inconspicuous 1897 heritage entrance to Fremantle Markets belied its incredibly impressive interior. We've been in covered markets the world over, but not one I recall that delighted us as much as this one. The vibrant market, which dates to 1897 and was renovated in 1975, included 150 stalls offering everything from local single malts and artisan gins to jewelry and boutiques by local designers.
Another entrance to the market:
Across the street was the Old Synagogue from 1902, now repurposed as a popular eating and drinking establishment. What would its former rabbis think of that! Here are side and front views of the former synagogue:
On another corner was the 1890 Scots Presbyterian Church Fremantle.
On the side of the Norfolk Hotel was a decaying mural of Dame Margaret Tangey, Australia's first female senator.
Yet another entrance to Fremantle Markets that seemed to go on and on forever, much to our delight!
Opposite the markets was the Sail and Anchor Hotel, a historic pub which was characterized as a prime example of the Federation Filigree architectural style. Famous for being one of Australia's first brew pubs, it was also the first in a row of exciting buildings dedicated to drinking and eating and known as the Cappuccino Strip!
On the strip was the historic Metropolis Fremantle, which originally opened as the King's Theatre in 1904, but has operated as a nightclub since 2002.
If there's an award for the most colorful parking garage, this one in Freo should win it!
After retrieving our car near the prison, we encountered yet more heritage buildings along High St., en route to our next destination. Sadly, we'd had too long a day by then to contemplate strolling along the bustling street.
At the end of the street was the Round House, Western Australia's oldest public building, which was again made with convict labor. Dating to 1831, it was used as a prison until 1886. It was yet another painful site for the Noongar people who were kept here before being transported to Wadjemup.
The concept behind the 1831, 12-sided building was that all parts of the prison could be observed from a central post. Inside, there were only eight cells, two privies, a two-story jailers' quarters, and an exercise yard. The flagstones in the entrance had come all the way from Yorkshire quarries before being brought out as ballast on ships. It served as the colony's first prison until it was replaced by Fremantle Prison. It was opened to the public in 1982 as a monument.
The sculpture by the former prison was titled Ship of Stories - Anzac 2014. As I've mentioned in previous posts, Anzac referred to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in the First World War. The artists' research had uncovered historical photographs of the cargo that the Anzac fleets transported, with one from 1915 depicting an Anzac soldier feeding a kangaroo. That was why the animals and kiwis, depicted in the ship's hold, signified the two countries' troops.
A view down onto High St. from the Round House ...
and views toward the shore:
The adjacent Pilots Cottages were constructed in 1904 for the Fremantle Harbour Trust's pilots and occupied by them until the 1980s. They've been adapted since then for shops, cafes, and rental accommodations.
We tried without success to find the 45m-long Whalers' Tunnel, which had been carved out in 1837 by convicts using pick axes to allow access for the Fremantle Whaling Company between the town and jetty.
On the outskirts of Fremantle on our way back to Perth, we couldn't help but spot the 9-meter-high and 19-meter-long sculpted arch overlooking the Swan River. Officially known as the Containbow, it was created by Perth artist Marcus Canning in 2016 from nine recycled shipping containers to symbolize the area's maritime history and creative industry. I liked it so much that it is still my phone's desktop photo!
Next post: Beginning our almost two-week trip south and east of Perth!
Posted on August 9th, 2026, from our home in the Foothills west of Denver. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones.
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