83-471: Gage Roads is an outer harbour area of Fremantle Harbour . It is situated in the Indian Ocean offshore from Fremantle , Western Australia , and incorporates a deep water sea channel . Gage Roads serves both as a shipping lane and as an anchorage for sea traffic heading towards the seaport of Fremantle. With Rottnest Island lying to the west of Gage Roads and Owen Anchorage and Cockburn Sound to
166-566: A Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa). The regular sea breeze is known as the Fremantle Doctor , as it provides cooling relief from the summer heat when it arrives between noon and 3pm. Fremantle is generally a few degrees cooler than Perth in summer. The Fremantle state seat was continuously held by the Australian Labor Party from 1924 until 2009, when it was lost at a by-election to Greens candidate Adele Carles . The seat
249-455: A waterside clash between police and workers on Bloody Sunday, 4 May 1919, lumper Tom Edwards was struck on the head with a police baton. He died three days later, leaving a wife and three children. A memorial fountain by Pietro Porcelli was erected in Edwards' memory that year, and was moved to Fremantle's Kings Square in 1968. The Fremantle Passenger Terminal was constructed in time for
332-524: A brawl between American and New Zealand servicemen at the National Hotel resulted in many injuries and the death from stab wounds of two Māori soldiers. After Australia won the 1983 America's Cup yacht race, Fremantle hosted Australia's defence of the trophy in 1987. The series was held in Gage Roads and significantly boosted the local economy and tourism. A new Fremantle marina, Challenger Harbour ,
415-558: A ceremony in which the Governor's wife, Lady Robinson, tilted the first truck load of rubble for the North Mole. Blasting and dredging the rocky bar created a channel, dredging deepened the river basin, and two moles were built to protect the harbour entrance. Land was reclaimed so quays and warehouses could be built. The inner harbour was opened on 4 May 1897 when the steamer Sultan drawing just one foot of water with Lady Forrest at
498-421: A community theatre company, Harbour Theatre Inc., which has been performing in the city since 1963. There is also the J Shed situated on Bathers' Beach. J Shed houses four artists studios. Old Customs House , a heritage building just across from the working Fremantle Ports, is home to a not-for-profit artists agency, Artsource, and provides 23 artist studios, and houses several other arts organisations. Known as
581-568: A deep water channel north of Gage Roads, and some seven named channels south. Cockburn Sound is an inlet that extends from the south of the mouth of the Swan River for about 25 km to Cape Peron near Rockingham . The total area of the sound is about 100 km . It is bounded on the east by the mainland suburbs of Cockburn and Kwinana , on the west by Garden Island and Carnac Island , and includes several rocky outcrops and reefs. The Fremantle Outer Harbour consist of, from north to south,
664-864: A large volume of sea containers, vehicle imports and livestock exports , cruise shipping and naval visits, and operates 24 hours a day. It is located adjacent to the city of Fremantle , in the Perth metropolitan region . Fremantle Harbour consists of the Inner Harbour, which is situated on the mouth of the Swan River ; the Outer Harbour , which is 20 km (12 mi) south at Kwinana in Cockburn Sound and handles bulk cargo ports, grain, petroleum, liquefied petroleum gas , alumina, mineral sands, fertilisers, sulphur and other bulk commodities; and Gage Roads , which
747-524: A music hub, Fremantle has given rise to many notable musicians, including AC/DC frontman Bon Scott , who grew up in the city and whose gravesite at Fremantle Cemetery has become a cultural landmark. A statue of Scott was erected in 2009 at the Fishing Boat Harbour. Dom Mariani also grew up in Fremantle, as did James Baker , and in the mid-1970s, fellow punk rock pioneer Kim Salmon resided at
830-574: A pharmacist with a shop in High Street, was admired by all sides of politics for his civic leadership and tireless work for the city, especially during the Second World War, when he is said to have visited every ship that called at the port. He was a leading figure in many civic organisations and his stepson, Roger Dunkley, was medical officer with the 2nd/2nd Independent Company during the Timor campaign in
913-531: A port in the river mouth as he believed it would continually silt up due to lateral sand drift. In 1887 the Fremantle Chamber of Commerce pushed hard for the southern scheme to be chosen, but the Colony could not raise the estimated cost of £500,000. By 1891 Forrest was examining another proposal: an offshore facility at Owen Anchorage south of Fremantle. But by then Charles Yelverton O'Connor had been appointed
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#1732851778251996-477: A variety and unity of historic buildings and streetscapes. These were often built in locally quarried limestone with ornate façades in a succession of architectural styles. Rapid development following the harbour works gave rise to an Edwardian precinct as merchant and shipping companies built in the west end and on reclaimed land. The Round House , the oldest remaining intact building in Western Australia,
1079-473: A wide variety of dining experiences, with a strong emphasis on Italian and Asian cuisine as well as seafood. Various cafés and coffee shops are situated around Fremantle, particularly on the 'Cappuccino Strip', a section of South Terrace known for its al fresco dining culture. The Fishing Boat Harbour has become a tourist precinct, with a mixture of microbreweries , restaurants and some of Australia's largest fish and chip shops. A number of old buildings on
1162-459: Is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth , the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive for Fremantle is Freo . Prior to British settlement, the indigenous Noongar people inhabited the area for millennia, and knew it by the name of Walyalup ("place of
1245-503: Is health care and social assistance – 17.5% of the city's workers are employed in this area, reflecting the important influence of Fremantle Hospital. The transport, postal and warehousing sector employs 12.6% of the workers, followed by retail, employing 10.2%. The Local Gross Product of Fremantle was $ 3,677 million in 2011. Fremantle was served by a Community Newspaper Group paper, The Fremantle - Cockburn Gazette , until 2021 ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Newspaper_Group ) and
1328-520: Is located in what is now known as Fremantle's West End: a collection of streets characterised by late Victorian and Edwardian architecture . A process of gentrification in the early 1990s was accelerated by the establishment of the University of Notre Dame Australia that occupies, and has restored, many of the buildings in the West End. When the first 75 convicts arrived from Britain in 1850 to support
1411-717: Is now a World Heritage Site . Fremantle was charted as a municipality in 1883, and the following decade its harbour was deepened for commercial shipping, transforming the port into a bustling trade centre and gateway at the height of the Western Australian gold rushes . Declared a city in 1929, Fremantle played a key role in World War II as the largest submarine base in the Southern Hemisphere. Post-war immigration from Europe, particularly Italy , helped shape Fremantle's character, and it rapidly gentrified after hosting
1494-545: Is the anchorage between Rottnest Island and the mainland. The Inner Harbour includes northern and southern wharves named North Quay and Victoria Quay respectively. All of this area is managed by the Fremantle Port Authority , a government trading enterprise, under the registered business name Fremantle Ports. Fremantle 's port role began immediately after the Swan River Colony was founded in 1829, but
1577-460: The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games . North Quay is the portion of Fremantle Harbour on the northern banks of the Swan River, built in the late 1890s this area is now primarily used for container shipping. On the western edges is Rous Head a smaller harbour used for vessel maintenance which also includes one of several Rottnest Island ferry terminals. Gage Roads serve as a shipping lane and anchorage for sea traffic heading towards
1660-483: The 1987 America's Cup sailing competition. Today, Fremantle is recognised for its well-preserved Victorian and Edwardian streetscapes and convict-era architecture, and is known as a bohemian enclave with a thriving arts and culinary scene. It is also the traditional home of the Fremantle Football Club , one of two Australian Football League teams based in Western Australia. The original inhabitants of
1743-636: The Fremantle Arts Centre , constructed in the 1860s from locally quarried limestone. It is a former lunatic asylum building on Ord Street, and is one of Fremantle's most significant landmarks. Today, the imposing Victorian Gothic building and its historic courtyards are used for art exhibitions and music concerts. The Fremantle Markets opened in 1897, forming a precinct providing handicrafts, specialty foods, dining halls and fish and vegetable markets. The area also hosts buskers and other street performers. The then premier , Sir John Forrest , laid
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#17328517782511826-744: The Fremantle Declaration , a restatement and affirmation of legal and human rights principles in Australia. In 2011, Prime Minister Julia Gillard launched the Commonwealth Youth Forum in Fremantle as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2011 , held in Perth 28–30 October. Fremantle is renowned for its well-preserved architectural heritage, including convict-built structures and hundreds of gold rush-era buildings, presenting
1909-470: The Fremantle Technical School , Fremantle Synagogue and Scots Presbyterian Church . Some key historical buildings have been lost to development, while others are only extant thanks to community activism that went against the wishes of developers. For example, the art deco Oriana Cinema on the corner of Queen and High streets was demolished in 1972, after only 34 years of operation. This
1992-531: The Round House prison stands) to Point Marquis was called Manjaree , an important meeting place where bush paths converged and a major trading place for Whadjuk and neighbouring Noongars. Today, Whadjuk and other Noongars continue to gather and meet in Walyalup and at Manjaree . The first Europeans to visit the site of modern-day Fremantle were Dutch explorers captained by Willem de Vlamingh , in 1697. They mapped
2075-642: The Tarantella Night Club , where he made his first public performances. John Butler of the John Butler Trio started his music career busking in Fremantle in the 1990s. Alternative rock and folk groups Little Birdy , The Waifs and Eskimo Joe all have Fremantle connections, and belong to what has been dubbed the 'Freo Sound'. Other notable Fremantle musicians include bassist Martyn P. Casey , psychedelic rock groups Tame Impala and Pond , and indie pop band San Cisco . Songs about Fremantle include
2158-795: The West Coast Blues & Roots Festival , the Fremantle Winter Music Festival , and the St Jerome's Laneway Festival . The Fremantle Eisteddfod, running annually at the Fremantle Town Hall , supports young artists with prizes and concerts. Fremantle has served as the setting for several films. Windrider (1986) was shot in Fremantle and starred Nicole Kidman . In the 2004 film Thunderstruck , four devoted AC/DC fans travel across Australia from Sydney to Fremantle to bury their best friend next to Bon Scott's grave. Shooting for
2241-621: The woylie "). Visited by Dutch explorers in the 1600s, Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829, and is named after Captain Charles Fremantle , an English naval officer who claimed the west coast of New Holland as British territory. The settlement struggled in its first decades, and in 1850, with the advent of penal transportation to the colony , Fremantle became Australia's primary destination for convicts . The convict-built Fremantle Prison operated long after transportation of convicts ended in 1868, and
2324-527: The 1890s from the southern point of the Swan River mouth is a breakwater to ensure a safe anchorage for vessels in the Inner Harbour. A light house was added in 1903, initially shining white it conflicted with the Woodman point light house, leading to the South Mole light to change to a green beacon. Built in the 1890s the North Mole was extended almost immediately after completion and on a number of occasions since,
2407-569: The Aboriginal people. The suburb of Fremantle is bounded by the Swan River to the north and north-west, the Indian Ocean to the west, South Street to the south, and the suburbs of East Fremantle and White Gum Valley to the east. The central part of the suburb extends eastwards to include Royal Fremantle Golf Club and a suburban area south of Marmion Street and west of Carrington Street. The City of Fremantle local government area also includes
2490-836: The Alcoa Jetty, the Kwinana Bulk Terminal, the BP Oil Refinery Jetty, the Kwinana Bulk Jetty and the CBH Grain Jetty . Of these, the Kwinana Bulk Terminal and the Kwinana Bulk Jetty are operated by Fremantle Ports and serve for the import and export of bulk cargoes and liquids, among them iron ore, coal, cement clink, gypsum, liquefied natural gas , petroleum and fertiliser. The other three facilities are privately operated. The Outer Harbour deepwater bulk facilities in at Kwinana were first developed in 1955, to service
2573-459: The Colony's Engineer-in-Chief, and decided the best option was an inner harbour built in the mouth of the Swan River. The discovery of gold in Western Australia meant a working port was urgently needed, Parliament finally accepted O'Connor's plan after much political haggling, the capital was raised in London and preliminary work commenced late in 1892. The first stage of the harbour works began with
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2656-640: The Convict Establishment in the Catalpa rescue of 1876. During this period, notorious South Sea pirate Bully Hayes lived in Fremantle with his fiancée Miss Scott, daughter of the Fremantle Harbour Master. In 1897, Irish-born engineer C. Y. O'Connor deepened Fremantle Harbour and removed the limestone bar and sand shoals across the entrance to the Swan River, thus rendering Fremantle a serviceable port for commercial shipping. This occurred at
2739-544: The Fleet ceremony. Fremantle—along with the inner suburbs Northbridge , Leederville and Subiaco —is one of Perth's major nightlife hubs. It attracts people from all over the metropolitan region for its pubs, bars and nightclubs. There are several major annual festivals in Fremantle. First held in 1906, the Fremantle Festival is Australia's longest running community festival. International street performers converge for
2822-660: The Fremantle Street Arts Festival, held over the Easter holiday period. The Fremantle Heritage Festival celebrates local history with a variety of events, tours, concerts and workshops. Fremantle is also home to several galleries and museums. The Western Australian Museum has two branches in Fremantle: the Shipwreck Galleries , housed in convict-constructed commissariat buildings and known for its artefacts from
2905-475: The Gage Roads area. The guns were still operable into the Gage Roads area in the 1950s. Swimmers in the Rottnest Channel Swim (an annual swimming event) start at Cottesloe beach, cross Gage Roads and finish at Rottnest Island . Fremantle Harbour Fremantle Harbour is Western Australia 's largest and busiest general cargo port and an important historical site. The inner harbour handles
2988-533: The Kwinana industrial area, and saw rapid expansion in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1928 the Signal Station at Fremantle was moved from Arthur Head to a site on Cantonment Hill . This building was replaced in 1956 by a new structure, whose functions were superseded in 1964 by the opening of a signal station on the new Port Authority administration building, which was opened by Premier David Brand on 5 March. Built in
3071-521: The Second World War, and is often described as one of the nation's greatest political leaders. The state's largest university and a major secondary school in Fremantle are named after him, and his statue stands in Kings Square near the Fremantle Town Hall. A long-serving mayor of the town, Sir Frank Gibson (1919–1923 and 1926–1952), was also a Liberal parliamentarian from 1942 to 1956. Gibson,
3154-557: The Second World War. Carmen Lawrence , the first female premier of an Australian state, later represented Fremantle in the federal House of Representatives . Fremantle has seen many industrial conflicts , the most famous of which occurred in 1919 when rioting broke out during the Battle of the Barricades , resulting in one death and many injuries. On 10 November 2006, Australian state and territory attorneys general met in Fremantle to sign
3237-570: The Up-River Extensions Scheme, and included new berths at the container terminal. The ship would then proceed to Sydney to unload and uplift more containers before proceeding to Melbourne . By 1970, Fremantle Port had moved 50,000 containers. A statue honouring C. Y. O'Connor was erected on Victoria Quay on 23 June 1911. It now stands near the entrance to the Fremantle Ports administration building on Cliff Street. During
3320-639: The area and went up the Swan River, and Vlamingh reported that it would be an ideal place for a settlement, although no attempts were made at the time. The area was considered as a site for possible British settlement in 1827, when Captain James Stirling , in HMS ; Success , explored the coastal areas near the Swan River. His favourable report was welcomed by the British Government, who had for some time been suspicious of French colonial intentions towards
3403-499: The chief general seaport for Western Australia, though far greater tonnages are exported from the iron-ore ports of the Pilbara . Fremantle lies on a series of limestone hills known by the Nyungar people as Booyeembara ; the sandplain to the east is Gardoo . The original vegetation of the area was mainly Xanthorrhoea and eucalyptus trees, which were traditionally fired annually by
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3486-454: The colony on 25 August after providing much assistance to Stirling in setting up the colony. It was then that Stirling decided to name the port settlement "Fremantle". In early September 1829, the merchant vessel Anglesea grounded at Gage Roads , at the mouth of the Swan River . She did not break up, as had been expected, but instead survived to become Western Australia's first prison hulk . Lotus , which arrived on 10 October 1829, became
3569-568: The colony's dwindling population, it became apparent that the Round House was inadequate to house them. The convicts built a new jail, Fremantle Prison , which was completed in the 1850s and continued to be used as Fremantle's prison until 1991. Fremantle Prison was once one of the most notorious prisons in the British Empire . It housed British convicts, local prisoners, military prisoners, enemy aliens and prisoners of war. In 2010, Fremantle Prison
3652-586: The construction of many pubs, hotels, banks, warehouses, import-export businesses and shipping companies throughout Fremantle, and in 1905, the Fremantle tram network opened. In 1919, a deadly clash between striking waterside workers and police took place at Fremantle Harbour. During the Second World War , Fremantle was the home of the largest base for Allied submarines in the Southern Hemisphere , and
3735-489: The entrance to the Swan River estuary was blocked by a rocky bar, which made the mouth of the river virtually impassable for seagoing vessels. The first steamship to enter the port was HMS Driver on 4 December 1845. Fremantle shipping was served by the Long Jetty that extended into the open sea, where Bathers Beach is today. Cargo was offloaded onto the jetty and then taken down Cliff Street in Fremantle's West End. It
3818-574: The entrance to the harbour where the Western Australian Maritime Museum is now located was also an important part of the wartime role of the harbour. On 28 March 1969, the first container ship to arrive in Australia, Encounter Bay from the United Kingdom docked at Fremantle's new container terminal. The terminal itself was officially opened the following day by WA Premier Sir David Brand. The expansion scheme began in 1965 as
3901-522: The first US submarines to arrive in Fremantle, the USS Sargo (SS-188) , was bombed by an Australian Lockheed Hudson , which mistook it for a Japanese vessel. The movements and presence of USS Sturgeon (SS-187) is a good example of such activity. Fremantle was considered a "veritable Shangri-la " among submariners during the war, however tensions between transient American and non-American soldiers often led to alcohol-fuelled violence. On 11 April 1944,
3984-421: The first time in total tonnage of ships and the following year in the number of ships when it cleared 410 ships (1,045,170 tons) to Albany's 248 ships (540,910 tons). The railway from the harbour was constructed in the 1880s, and continued to be developed with railway workshops (later moved to Midland Junction ), railway sheds, railway marshalling yards, locomotive depots, and in 1907 Fremantle railway station
4067-679: The foundation stone for the markets on Saturday 6 November 1897. Over 150 stalls are housed in the Victorian-era building, which was listed by the National Trust of Australia and the state's Heritage Council in 1980. The Fremantle Markets are adjacent to several other historic buildings, including the Sail and Anchor Hotel (which contains a microbrewery ), the Norfolk Hotel , the Warders Cottages,
4150-497: The harbour have been renovated, including Little Creatures Brewery , which occupies a former boat shed and crocodile farm , and contains a café and art gallery. The harbour's annual Fremantle Sardine Festival on Esplanade Park attracts thousands of seafood lovers every year. Other annual events held at the harbour include Araluen's Fremantle Chilli Festival , the Fremantle Boat Show, and the traditional Italian Blessing of
4233-437: The height of the late 19th-century Western Australian gold rush , transforming Fremantle into a capital of trade and gateway for thousands of gold miners to the inland boom towns of Coolgardie , Kalgoorlie and Southern Cross . Camels and their Afghan drivers were familiar sights, and by-laws regulating the driving of camels through the streets of Fremantle were enacted. The wealth generated during this period resulted in
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#17328517782514316-614: The inner harbour due to size or draft are required to anchor in Gage Roads. In the early 1900s, the local boat SS Zephyr regularly took cruises in Gage Roads. In the 2000s, the STS ; Leeuwin II has used Gage Roads for short sailing cruises. During the World War II era, the Leighton Guns (also known as Leighton Battery ) on Buckland Hill were part of the main anti-aircraft defence of
4399-512: The land on which the city is built are the Whadjuk Noongar people, who called the area Walyalup ("place of the woylie "). To the local Noongar people, Fremantle is a place of ceremonies, significant cultural practices and trading. For millennia the Noongar people met there in spring and autumn to feast on fish and game. Anglesea Point and the limestone hill area at Arthur Head (where
4482-403: The losses of battleships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse on 10 December 1941 and the fall of Singapore in March 1942, many ships sought refuge at Fremantle; at times 30 were at anchor in Gage Roads. "In the inner harbour, it was ... a common sight to see up to as many as four vessels of substantial size lying in tier, and it was due solely to the circumstances forced upon the port and
4565-657: The most recent being in the late 1980s, to allow for the addition of an entrance into the Rous Head harbour that was being constructed. Situated on the western end of the mole is a light house . Initially this shone with green light but was changed to red after it became necessary to alter the white light on the south mole to green. The harbour is listed as a National Engineering Landmark by Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program . [REDACTED] Media related to Fremantle Harbour at Wikimedia Commons Fremantle Fremantle ( / ˈ f r iː m æ n t əl / ) ( Nyungar : Walyalup )
4648-494: The population had no religion, 19.7% of the population was Catholic , 8.1% Anglican and 7.5% not stated. Fremantle's tertiary education institutions are: The city centre is also home to a major teaching hospital, Fremantle Hospital . Fremantle has a diverse economy, with over 2,000 registered businesses operating across a wide range of sectors. Many of the city's enterprises are small businesses, with 75% employing fewer than five people. Fremantle's biggest employment sector
4731-470: The population, and the largest overseas-born groups come from England (8.5%), Italy (2.3%), New Zealand (2.1%), Scotland (1.2%) and Ireland (1.0%). After English, the most common language spoken at home is Italian (3.2%), followed by French (1.1%), German (1.1%), Spanish (1.0%) and Portuguese (0.8%). As of the 2021 census, Fremantle had an unemployment rate of 5.8%. The city has an above-average proportion of rented dwellings (31.7%, vs 30.6% nationally). 54% of
4814-416: The port for some weeks." Fremantle Submarine Base was the largest submarine base in the southern hemisphere during World War II. The first United States submarines arrived at Fremantle in 1942, the US Navy built a submarine repair facility on North Quay the next year, and until 1945 the port accommodated more than 170 submarines from the U.S., British and Dutch navies. The slipway on the south side of
4897-473: The port of Fremantle. The area is the most northern of one of four coastal basins formed from the flooding of a depression between Pleistocene aeolianite ridges running north–south, and the subsequent deposition of east–west Holocene banks. The seabed of Gage Roads is covered by seagrass . The limits of the Inner and Outer Harbour go north beyond Gage Roads and Rottnest to a line west of Trigg , and south into most of Cockburn Sound. The outer harbour has
4980-400: The prevailing weather conditions that such a state of affairs could be permitted. Altogether, some 75 vessels were using the inner and outer harbours at one and the same time, and in the fortnight ending 20 March, a total of 103 vessels, Naval and merchant, and mainly seeking refuge, arrived at the port. Until these vessels could be ordered to some other destination, acute conditions persisted at
5063-488: The proposed federation of Australian colonies unless they agreed. On 3 August 1900, Forrest won when the Postmaster-General in London informed the Post Master-General in Perth that Fremantle would be substituted for Albany as the port of call for Mail Packets. Ten days later the Orient Steam Navigation Company 's RMS Ormuz , homeward bound from Sydney to London, was the first British mail carrier to enter and berth in Fremantle Harbour. In 1901 Fremantle surpassed Albany for
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#17328517782515146-451: The red-painted North Mole Lighthouse , which commenced operation in 1906, located at the end of the westernmost point of the harbour. As the port neared completion, Forrest lobbied the British to have Fremantle as the port of call for the Mail Packets. Victoria and New South Wales fought for the retention of Albany as the Mail Packet port, as they were fearful they would lose business. Forrest threatened Western Australia may stay out of
5229-408: The second largest in the Pacific War after Pearl Harbor . In the lead-up to and during the war, the port's existing batteries were upgraded and new ones were constructed, forming a coastal defence system referred to as Fremantle Fortress . There were up to 125 US, 31 British and 11 Free Dutch submarines operating out of Fremantle , until the Americans moved forward to the Philippines . One of
5312-448: The second vessel to land immigrants at Fremantle. On 1 June 1850, the first convicts arrived at Fremantle aboard Scindian . The thirty-seventh and last convict ship to dock at Fremantle was Hougoumont on 10 January 1868, signalling the end of penal transportation to Australia. Among the 280 convicts on board were 62 Fenian military and political prisoners—members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood —six of whom managed to escape
5395-552: The ships have to lay and discharge at the wharf or pay lighterage.... It is blowing a gale from the SW ... and takes all our time to hold her.... She had done considerable damage to herself.... It is certainly the worst place I or anyone else ever saw. No place to send a ship of this size.... Any man who would come or send a ship a second time is a damned ass." British marine engineer John Coode advised John Forrest an outer harbour near Rous Head, or one that would stretch south from Arthur's Head, could be built. Coode ruled out building
5478-417: The south, Gage Roads was the location of the 1987 America's Cup . The area is the most northern of one of four coastal basins formed from the flooding of a depression between Pleistocene aeolianite ridges running north-south, and the subsequent deposition of east-west Holocene banks. The seabed of Gage Roads is covered by seagrass . Gage Roads was named after Rear-Admiral Sir William Hall Gage who
5561-520: The suburbs of Beaconsfield , Hilton , North Fremantle , O'Connor , Samson , South Fremantle , and White Gum Valley . East Fremantle has its own town council and is not governed by the City of Fremantle. Fremantle is the end of the Fremantle railway line which runs from Perth to Fremantle, run by the Western Australia's Public Transport Authority . Major highways including Stirling Highway , Canning Highway and Leach Highway have Fremantle as their start point and/or terminus. Fremantle has
5644-429: The title track of Paul Kelly 's 1987 album Under the Sun , The Waifs' 2004 single " Bridal Train ", and much of Eskimo Joe's 2004 album A Song is a City . Fremantle is home to a number of independent labels, including Redline Records , co-run by Jebediah frontman and Fremantle-native Kevin Mitchell , and Jarrah Records , co-founded by the John Butler Trio and The Waifs. Music festivals held in Fremantle include
5727-406: The western portion of Australia. As a result of Stirling's report, Captain Charles Fremantle of HMS Challenger , a 603-ton, 28-gun frigate, was instructed to sail to the west coast of Australia to establish a settlement there. On 2 May 1829, Fremantle hoisted the Union Flag in a bay near what is now known as Arthur Head, and in accordance with his instructions, took formal possession "of
5810-456: The wheel was the first ship to enter the partly built port. "While the harbour has been deepened, and facilities extended and modernised over the years, the basic structure of the Inner Harbour remains essentially unchanged to this day, testament to the boldness, brilliance and foresight of its designer." There are two lighthouses on either side of the entrance to the harbour, the green-coloured South Mole Lighthouse, in operation since 1903, and
5893-447: The whole of the West Coast of New Holland " in the name of Britain's King George IV . Western Australia Day (formerly Foundation Day) is observed on the first Monday in June, although it was actually on 2 June 1829 that Captain James Stirling on Parmelia arrived with Surveyor-General Roe and the first contingent of immigrants to set up the Swan River Colony. The settlement of Perth began on 12 August 1829. Captain Fremantle left
5976-459: The wrecked Dutch East India Company ship Batavia and other 17th-century Dutch ships; and the Maritime Museum on Victoria Quay , which contains exhibits related to maritime trade and the Indian Ocean. The Army Museum of Western Australia is housed in an historic Fremantle artillery barracks. The city has a large arts community, with a number of small art galleries and musical venues and
6059-735: Was able to take up an inner harbour berth, and instead anchored in Gage Roads . Other well-known ships to visit included RMS Strathaird , RMS Strathnaver , RMS Orion and RMS Otranto . In 1940 boom defences were installed in the harbour as a security measure and anti-aircraft installations were built. By January 1941 an anti-submarine indicator loop was installed between Swanbourne and Rottnest to warn of any ships passing over it. Outer harbour defences included an anti-submarine net spanning 9370 metres of seabed from Woodman Point to Garden Island along Parmelia Bank , as well as another indicator loop 183 metres further north. Following
6142-451: Was almost destroyed by fire on the night of Sunday, 11 March 2007. Though the interior was gutted, the façade was saved and the building has since been fully restored with an additional rooftop bar. In the 2021 Australian census , the local government area of City of Fremantle had a population of 31,930 people. 64.9% of the population was born in Australia, compared with the national average of 67%. Indigenous Australians make up 1.7% of
6225-559: Was built alongside the existing Fishing Boat Harbour. The City of Fremantle introduced several urban renewal projects in 2012, encouraging mixed-use development by increasing the maximum building height on key sites in the CBD, including Kings Square and the inner East End. In January 2013, the City of Fremantle became the first council in Australia to outlaw the use of non-degradable plastic bags within their local area. Fremantle still serves as
6308-402: Was built as a jail between 1830 and 1831. The Round House had eight cells and a jailer's residence, which all opened up into a central courtyard. In the 1800s, bay whaling was carried out from Bathers Beach below the Round House. As part of the whaling operations, a tunnel was constructed under the Round House to provide whalers with access to the town from the jetty and beach. The Round House
6391-467: Was done to make way for the widening of High Street, but that project was stopped thanks to the campaigning of the Fremantle Society and other community members, and the buildings along the southern side of High Street were retained. The Fremantle Markets nearly suffered a similar fate in the late 1970s due to another road-widening proposal. The National Hotel, one of the city's historic buildings,
6474-537: Was loaded onto barges that sailed up the river on the westerly sea breeze and back to Fremantle on easterly winds. Later it was transported by rail. Sailors disliked the Long Jetty: in 1892 Captain D.B. Shaw of the American barque Saranac described it as "terrible": "... entered and fought against putting the vessel alongside jetty to discharge. It is a terrible place. No place to put a vessel. No shelter whatever. All
6557-421: Was opened. During World War II, the harbour accommodated scores of Allied naval vessels on active service. Battleships, troop transports, hospital ships and support vessels, including many passenger ships , were seconded into the war effort. Visitors to Fremantle during the conflict included passenger liners and converted troop carriers RMS Queen Elizabeth and RMS Queen Mary . Because of their size neither
6640-489: Was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the " Australian Convict Sites ", making it the first built environment in Western Australia to be bestowed this honour. It continues to be accessible to the public for guided tours and as a venue for artistic and cultural activities. Other convict-built buildings in Fremantle include the 1850s Fremantle School building and Commissariat Buildings , and
6723-529: Was replaced by PerthNow - Fremantle . The independent local newspaper, the Fremantle Herald , also serves the region. Fremantle also has two radio stations: Radio Fremantle on 107.9FM and 91.3 SportFM . Online reporting and reviews of events and places within Fremantle are comprehensively covered by a group of local designers on their popular blog, known as 'Love Freo', and by a local photographer with his daily updated blog Freo's View. Fremantle offers
6806-574: Was returned to Labor ( Simone McGurk ) in the 2013 state election . The federal electorate has returned Labor members continuously since 1934, including former Prime Minister John Curtin , and is represented by Josh Wilson . The local government of the City of Fremantle consists of a mayor and council. Hannah Fitzhardinge has been the mayor since the 2021 local government elections. Fremantle has been represented by some significant Australian political figures. John Curtin served as Prime Minister during
6889-556: Was the Royal Navy Commander-in-Chief, East Indies , when James Stirling was surveying the Swan River in 1826. In turn, the local brewery Gage Roads Brew is named after the area. Gage Roads is identified in shipping reports listing ships at anchor prior to entering the port of Fremantle. At certain times, over 10 ships can be seen anchored in Gage Roads waiting to enter the port of Fremantle. In addition to these waiting ships, oversized ships that are unable to enter
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