Fremantle - Western Australia's Coolest Town...

Always - in the weeks or months before I leave for a big trip, I begin hitting up locals and those who have travelled to where I'm going for the best spots to stop, and the Must Do things to put on my list. Always, I find, this group of people (not unlike the great collection of IGOUGO writers) know the spots that are really not to be missed. Unlike some of the standard guide books and even local tourist centres; those who live in a place or have been there often really know what there is to see and do.

I was in a whisky shop on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh just before leaving for my big and much anticipated trip to the wilds of Western Australia to buy a gift for my friend waiting there to meet me at the airport. As it happily turned out, the young man at the counter was from Perth.

Western Australia is still a relatively untouristed place - even considering the exodus of young Brits that visit the country every year - and so finding first hand information about the place had been trickier than I realized. The man at the whisky shop was happy to comply and recommended a few things we had to. The one he thought was the most obvious was Fremantle.

This - we soon discovered - was quickly echoed by every Australian we met and spoke to. They'd ask us what we'd done so far, and what was on our agenda for the next month or so, each time followed by 'Ya been to Freo yet?' (It's worth mentioning here that virtually every name or place you will come in contact with in Australia will be shortened to a local pet name. Once you know this, it's easier to translate the local lingo.

‘Freo’ seems to be just about one of the best liked and most respected towns in Western Australia. In a state filled great little towns with their own idiosyncrasies, Fremantle is the best of the lot - with its own unique culture, wonderful markets, and a completely different feel from its nearest neighbor - the cosmopolitan city of Perth.

Today if someone going to Western Australia were to ask me the same question I posed before I left - I reckon I would share a similar answer. 'You gotta go to Freo.'

Quick Tips:

Because our trip to Western Australia began and ended in Perth (as many do) we decided to leave the wonders of Fremantle until our last little hoo-ra in the capitol.

Arriving in Perth on a Friday night (the night of a big Aussie Rules Football game, no less) we were lucky to find accommodation, and quickly discovered that all the real sight seeing and things to do lie in the close vicinity of the city, rather than in it. Early the next morning we got up and decided to head to the nearest port of call and what we had been hearing so much about - the little bohemian town of Fremantle.

Parking at the docks where the ferries leave to go to Rottenest Island (another big thing on the local's Must Do List) we walked into Fremantle.

Instantly the vibe and feel of the place is different. The weekend, in this case, does seem to be a particularly good time to visit. Even though it will certainly be busier than it will during the week - the almost carnival vibe of the place lends itself to the bustle of crowds. The markets are teeming, but I suspect that this also means that the best wares and products are laid out for the weekends.
As the morning wakes up and the heat increases (I was truly amazed at what a temperature difference there was just an hour north of where we stayed in Bunbury to the city of Perth) the streets fill with performers of all kinds from musicians to magicians and the entire place left me with vague and pleasant remembrances of childhood memories of New Orleans.

The buildings in this area are similarly ornate - and quite staunchly protected by the local government to keep the whole appearance of Fremantle as it should be.

Maybe the nicest thing about Fremantle is that no matter how busy it seems to get (and it did get progressively more and more crowded as the day wore on) there was never an unpleasant amount of people, or a dangerous vibe in the air. It had the feel of enjoyment to it - people come to Fremantle to enjoy themselves.
With the hot smell of cooking fish and some of the best seafood I've had to the quiet and beautiful Indian Ocean discernable from most high points, its' a wonderful place.

Best Way To Get Around:

Because our trip to Western Australia began and ended in Perth (as many do) we decided to leave the wonders of Fremantle until our last little hoo-ra in the capitol.

Arriving in Perth on a Friday night (the night of a big Aussie Rules Football game, no less) we were lucky to find accommodation, and quickly discovered that all the real sight seeing and things to do lie in the close vicinity of the city, rather than in it. Early the next morning we got up and decided to head to the nearest port of call and what we had been hearing so much about - the little bohemian town of Fremantle.

Parking at the docks where the ferries leave to go to Rottenest Island (another big thing on the local's Must Do List) we walked into Fremantle.

Instantly the vibe and feel of the place is different. The weekend, in this case, does seem to be a particularly good time to visit. Even though it will certainly be busier than it will during the week - the almost carnival vibe of the place lends itself to the bustle of crowds. The markets are teeming, but I suspect that this also means that the best wares and products are laid out for the weekends.
As the morning wakes up and the heat increases (I was truly amazed at what a temperature difference there was just an hour north of where we stayed in Bunbury to the city of Perth) the streets fill with performers of all kinds from musicians to magicians and the entire place left me with vague and pleasant remembrances of childhood memories of New Orleans.

The buildings in this area are similarly ornate - and quite staunchly protected by the local government to keep the whole appearance of Fremantle as it should be.

Maybe the nicest thing about Fremantle is that no matter how busy it seems to get (and it did get progressively more and more crowded as the day wore on) there was never an unpleasant amount of people, or a dangerous vibe in the air. It had the feel of enjoyment to it - people come to Fremantle to enjoy themselves.
With the hot smell of cooking fish and some of the best seafood I've had to the quiet and beautiful Indian Ocean discernable from most high points, its' a wonderful place.

If you had told me I was going to fly from the Fish and Chip capitol of the world in Britain, all the way to the other side of the planet to enjoy the same meal - I would have probably balked at the idea.

I'm a fair bit of a food tourist, and love to enjoy the local cuisine of a place wherever I travel. And even though Australia's British roots certainly make Fish and Chips a viable local dish - coming from Britain I probably wouldn't have put a 'chippie' high on my list of eating priorities.

But - as is always the case with the best travel experiences - the locals know best, and our friends who showed us around Fremantle were talking about Cicerellos before we even got in the car.

For those of you not overly familiar with the British 'chippie' this is a great way to experience Fish and Chips at its absolute best. As with most things in Australia, it has taken something Britain does well - and done it Extremely well.

With a tremendous location right on the water in the centre of Fremantle, Cicerellos is a huge dining area, with both indoor and outdoor picnic table seating. We arrived in the middle of the day on the weekend; when it's at its busiest, and managed to get a table with very little wait. It was Extremely busy, however, so if you want a quiet meal this may not be ideal.

The food quality is phenomenal - though it's not a fine dining experience. It is a genuine cross between a British chip shop and an American seafood restaurant (the great kind that offers platters of local food, and free peanuts to eat while you wait.) The portions are huge, wonderfully huge, and the prices are pretty reasonable.

The menu is extensive, offering the standard different fried fish with chips and onion rings, or right down to chowders and lovely grilled fish specialties of pastas and risottos; all caught in local WA waters.

Maybe the most interesting aspect of this particular restaurant is its' aquarium. With in the restaurant there are more than 22 meters of aquariums with over 50 different species of fish and other aquatic animals - part of the reason it offers such a good family environment.

The food itself was wonderful. Really delightful - and with more than enough portion for a hungry Texan who had been walking around all morning.

The average platter seemed to range between $11 - $15au (would be a similar amount in the current US dollar, but about £6 in UK terms) which is very good indeed for the quality and amount of food you get with the ocean air blowing across the docks of sunny Fremantle.

A perfect place to go if you have a large group (especially with kids) but also great to try even if you don't. If you enjoy a good fried fish - this is for you.

Probably the thing that little city of Fremantle is best known for are its markets. They are certainly not the entire package, but the combination of the relaxed and holiday atmosphere of the place along with it's collection of perpetual street performers all collaborate to make a very interesting setting and an easy way to loose an entire weekend wandering around to see what the place has to offer.

The markets themselves are a historic part of this little community, and continue to bring it together today in a very important way. Having been a part of the area since 1897, there are over 150 stalls enclosed in a National Trust and Heritage Victorian building. Bringing together not only the locals of today - but the culture and history of the area and the influences from the various immigrants to the area - this is more than simply a market.

As a market - however - you could do a whole lot worse. As is the case with most great markets, arrive as early as you can. On most days the market is open from 10am - 5pm and from 9am - 9pm on Saturdays.

The stalls range in everything from hand made products and local wares to fresh fruit and vegetables and imports from areas just beyond the borders. It will be hard to find a better place to get that interesting and different souvenir from Western Australia that you have been looking for.

It does get packed pretty quickly - but even so the stalls are so numerous and the area so vast that there is plenty to see and do for all. Also, being in a covered area - the temperature of the place is very pleasant.

The list of stalls and what they offer is truly astounding - and I wouldn't recommend you really try to tackle it with out at least having a full day in which to do so. If a quick wander is all your after - then you might manage to escape with in a few hours. But to truly appreciate the place indulge in a full day of scavenging through the array of stalls and all the interesting things they offer. Hand carved local woods are an especially nice thing which is abundance here. A somewhat oddly placed, yet still wonderful stall took me by surprise as I wandered into a covered room filled with very beautifully made medieval dresses and costumes. Body Airbrushing, records, local jewelry are all part of the wonders of the Freo markets.

Also, I recommend you try what is a popular 'market' treat of corn on a stick. They enjoy this treat the way Americans might have corn dogs or cottoncandy while spending a day at the market. You will quickly begin to see lots of folk wandering around with delicious looking ears of corn, and the smell of the vendors that sell them will certainly draw you in. Give it a try - it's delightful.

As we arrived early on a very mild and sunny Saturday morning, one of our first sight seeing stops in Fremantle was The Roundhouse.

So much of Western Australia's history is apparent in Fremantle, especially in the architecture and maintained areas of its old district. The Round House is a particularly good place to start to get a historical feel for the area, what it came from - and what it has grown into.

For a country which began as a prison colony - a bit of its early prison system is, I think, an interesting and important thing to experience.

Though not quite like visiting Alcatraz - the Round House in Fremantle does over a pleasant little taste of how justice came about in the old days of Western Australia.


The morning was peaceful, and my little group and I were among the first visitors to walk up the steps and arrive into the oldest standing building in Western Australia. Built in 1830-1831, it was the first permanent building created in the colony of Western Australia.

A rather small affair for the prisoners once they began to arrive, the building was soon added on to and remained the Fremantle prison up until the early 1990's.

The Round House itself (a rather pleasantly impressive and photographic building - not what you would expect of a colonial prison) was actually only used as a prison lock up until 1900 when it became the permanent residence of the constable and his family. (Perhaps accounting for the lack of unpleasant vibe in the place almost always accompanying any area where men have been held captive for long periods of time.)

The Round House is staffed with well informed and pleasant volunteer guides and the entrance is at the requests for donations. The building is open daily from 10 am to 330 pm.

Its a rather beautiful setting actually - the white washed stone of the Round House contrasting beautifully on a slight rise just above the city streets with the crystal blue Australian sky. The view of the Indian Ocean and Bathers beach just below the Round House can be seen from many of the look out points, as well as a great view of the old town itself.

There's not a whole lot to see and do here, so you don't need to allow a lot of time - but it is a rather nice place to start your tour of Fremantle - not least of all because of its historical significance. It would be great to bring kids as well as come on your own or with friends.
The helpful volunteers allow each person to be issued a crime (complete with a card you can take home telling you what your crime was - mine (I believe) were pig thief.) and then allowed to try your 'hand' (and head) in the stocks to see what it was like. Not a pleasant experience, but nice for photo opts.

Parking in and around Fremantle is pretty good for it's size, and the parking lot we chose, happily was situated next door to our first stop in our Fremantle exploration.

Though maybe not what you would expect from something as historical as a Maritime Museum, the architecture of this particular building is deeply intriguing and oddly photogenic.

There have been some beautiful photographs of the building itself by local photographers, and I was pleased to see that it is just as interesting and pleasing to the eye in person. (There is a particularly nice view and photo opportunity when it is lit up at night.) The new building (the one with the huge architectural impact) was designed on with the image in mind of a boat stranded on a sandy promontory - not an uncommon sight in the area over the year, leaving the perfect impression of what you are to see inside the building.

One of the things (oddly enough) I found most pleasing about visiting this particular museum was the area around the front door, where carved in a rather large area around the steps are thousands of names of immigrants who arrived in Western Australia over the years, and which ship they arrived on.

Even though my family all comes from Ireland, and I am actually the first of my family I am aware of to set foot in Oz - I couldn't help but browse the lists of names in hopes of seeing some possible kin.

One of the most interesting and luring bits of this museum (especially if you have arrived as a family) is the HMAS Ovens, a submarine docked just alongside the outside of the museum which is part of the tour you can take. The sheer size of the thing is really remarkable; and well worth the interesting look inside at what being inside a submarine is really like.

The tickets aren't the cheapest we encountered in Oz, but neither were they extravagantly expensive. $10au for adults and $3au for kids gets you inside the museum and a proper tour of a submarine.

I highly recommend taking a walk around the dock and museum first as there are some wonderful views and photographic opportunities, and photos are not allowed inside the museum.

Opening times are Monday to Sunday: 9.30am - 5pm.

The architecture and submarine are hardly all this unique museum has to offer. There are 6 themed galleries with in the new museum, each with its own take on the different maritime aspects which have culturally affected the history of Western Australia.

Probably best known and liked is the first, the Indian Ocean gallery - which highlights what a huge impact the Indian Ocean has had on Western Australia and her people over the years.

There are five other galleries as well ranging from 'The Canoe in Western Australia' to 'Naval Defense.' A wonderful first stop on your visit to Fremantle.