Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FREMANTLE
POP 28,100
Creative, relaxed, open-minded: Fremantle's spirit is entirely distinct from Perth's. Perhaps
it has something to do with the port and the city's working-class roots. Or the hippies, who
first set up home here a few decades ago and can still be seen casually bobbling down the
street on old bicycles. Or perhaps it's just that a timely 20th-century economic slump meant
that the city retained an almost complete set of formerly grand Victorian and Edwardian
buildings, creating a heritage precinct that's unique among Australia's cities today.
Whatever, today's clean and green Freo makes a cosy home for performers, profession-
als, artists and more than a few eccentrics. There's a lot to enjoy here - fantastic museums,
edgy galleries, pubs thrumming with live music and a thriving coffee culture. On weekend
nights the city's residents vacate the main drag, leaving it to kids from the suburbs, who
move in to party hard and loud.
FREMANTLE FOR CHILDREN
You can let the littlies off the leash at Esplanade Reserve, watch buskers at the market, make sand castles at Bath-
ers Beach or have a proper splash about at South or Port Beaches. Older kids might appreciate the creepier aspects
of the prison and the innards of the submarine at the Maritime Museum, where they can also poke about on actual
boats. Adventure World (
Click here
) is nearby for funfair rides. Finish up with fish and chips at Fishing Boat Har-
bour.
History
This was an important area for the Wadjuk Noongar people, as it was a hub of trading
paths. Some of these routes exist to this day in the form of modern roads. Before the har-
bour was altered, the mouth of the river was nearly covered by a sandbar and it was only a
short swim from north to south. The confluence of the river and ocean, where Fremantle
now stands, was known as Manjaree (sometimes translated as 'gathering place'). The Fre-
mantle coast was called Booyeembara, while inland was Wallyalup, 'place of the eagle'.
Manjaree was mainly occupied in summer when the Wadjuk would base themselves here
to fish. In winter they would head further inland, avoiding seasonal flooding.
Fremantle's European history began when the ship HMS
Challenger
landed in 1829. The
ship's captain, Charles Fremantle, took possession of the whole of the west coast 'in the
