Fremantle, Western Australia
Encyclopedia
Fremantle is a city
in Western Australia
, located at the mouth of the Swan River
. Fremantle Harbour
serves as the port of Perth
, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists
in 1829. It was declared a city in 1929, and has a population of approximately 25,000.
The city is named after Captain Charles Howe Fremantle, the English naval officer who had pronounced possession of Western Australia
and who established a camp at the site. The city contains well-preserved 19th-century buildings and other heritage features. The Western Australian vernacular
diminutive
for Fremantle is Freo.
and eucalyptus
trees, which were traditionally fired
annually by the Aboriginal people.
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 is subject to weather and climate relative to seaside communities - to the point that the regular sea breeze is known as the Fremantle Doctor
, as it has a cooling effect to provide relief from the summer heat.
The Noongar
people inhabited the area that is now Fremantle, which was known as Walyalup.
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 the western portion of Australia. As a result of Stirling's report, Captain Charles Howe 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 the whole of the West Coast of New Holland" in the name of George IV of the United Kingdom
.
Foundation Day
is observed on 1 June, although it was actually 2 June 1829 that Captain James Stirling
on the 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 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 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 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
. The wealth generated during this period resulted in the construction of several prestigious hotels throughout Fremantle (see heritage buildings). Fremantle still serves as the chief general seaport for Western Australia
, though far greater tonnages are exported from the iron-ore ports of the Pilbara.
Fremantle has seen many industrial conflicts
, the most famous of which occurred in 1919 when rioting broke out during "the lumpers' strike", resulting in one death and many injuries.
During World War II
, Fremantle was the second largest base for Allied submarines operating in the Pacific theatre. 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
. The movements and presence of USS Sturgeon (SS-187)
is a good example of such activity.
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 federal electorate
has returned Labor members continuously since 1934, including former Prime Minister John Curtin
, and is currently represented by Melissa Parke
.
The local government of the City of Fremantle
consists of a mayor and council. Greens member Brad Pettitt has been the mayor since the 2009 local government elections.
Fremantle has been represented by some significant Australian political figures. John Curtin
served as Prime Minister of Australia
during World War II, 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, 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 World War II, 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, Dr Roger Dunkley, was medical officer with the 2nd/2nd Independent Company during the Timor
campaign in World War II. Carmen Lawrence
, the first female premier of an Australian state, later represented Fremantle in the federal House of Representatives
.
On 10 November 2006, Australian state and territory attorney-generals met in Fremantle to sign 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.
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, was built as a gaol between 1830 - 1831. The Round House had eight cells and a gaoler'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 is located in what is now known as Fremantle's West End: a collection of streets characterised by late Georgian
and Victorian-style architecture
at the southern end of the port. A process of gentrification
in the early 1990s was accelerated by the establishment of the University of Notre Dame Australia
, which occupies, and has restored, many of the buildings in the West End.
When the first 75 convict
s arrived from Britain
in 1850 to support the colony's dwindling population, it became apparent that the Round House was inadequate to house them. The convicts built a new gaol, 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. On 1 August 2010, a meeting of the UNESCO
World Heritage Committee
in Brazil placed Fremantle Prison and 10 other "Australian Convict Sites
" on the World Heritage List - 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.
The Fremantle Arts Centre
is another building constructed in the 1860s by convicts 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, speciality foods, dining halls and fish and vegetable markets. The area also hosts buskers and other street performers. The then premier
, Sir John Forrest
, laid 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 & Anchor Hotel (which contains a microbrewery
), the Norfolk Hotel, the Warders Cottages, the Fremantle Technical School, 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 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 70s due to another road-widening proposal.
The National Hotel, one of the city's historic buildings, was almost destroyed by fire on the night of Sunday, 11 March 2007. Though the interior was gutted, the historic façade was saved and the building has since been fully restored.
, Fremantle had a population of 24,835 people. For a city of small size, Fremantle is very diverse. Only 62% of the population was born in Australia, compared with the national average of 76%. Indigenous Australians
make up 1.6% of the population, and the largest overseas-born groups come from England (8.6%), Italy (4.4%), New Zealand (2.2%), Scotland (1.4%) and Portugal (1.0%). After English, the most common language spoken at home is Italian (6.4%), exceeding the national average of 1.6%. Croatian and Portugese are each spoken by 1.1% of the population, followed by Spanish and French with 0.7% and 0.5% respectively. The Fremantle Football Club
's traditional team colours of red, white and green are an acknowledgement of the city's large Italian community.
It has a broadly mixed-class of professions, and in 2006 had an unemployment rate of 4.5%. The city has an above-average proportion of rented dwellings (33.2%) of which a larger-than-average proportion is owned by the State Department of Housing (27.7%).
54.3% of the population is Christian
, largely Roman Catholic (28.6%) and Anglican (15.7%). Buddhism
, Islam
, and other religions comprise 3.9% of the population, and approximately 42% of Fremantle residents profess no religion
or did not state a religion.
. UNDA occupies many buildings throughout Fremantle, particularly in its historic West End. The use and refurbishment of these buildings by the university assisted in their preservation.
The Central Business District is also home to a major teaching hospital, Fremantle Hospital
.
Secondary Schools
Primary Schools
Fremantle offers 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 alfresco
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 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 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 the Fleet
ceremony.
Next to the Fishing Boat Harbour is Bathers Beach, a flat beach popular with swimmers. Fremantle is home to other beaches such as South Beach, Leighton Beach and Port Beach. Cottesloe Beach
is located 8 kilometres (5 mi) north, halfway between Fremantle and Perth. The city's strong afternoon sea breeze (known locally as the 'Freo Doctor
') has made its beaches a prime location for wind
and kite surfing. The Fremantle Surf Life Saving Club
has been active since the 1930s. Fishing takes place at the many jetties and groynes surrounding Challenger, Success Boat and Fishing Boat harbours, and along Blackwall Reach at the Swan River, which is also used for canoeing
, rock climbing
and cliff diving. A chain of islands listed as A Class nature reserve
s lie within 20 km (12 mi) of Fremantle, and are accessible by ferry
or private boat. The largest and most well-known island is Rottnest Island
, followed by Garden Island
and Carnac Island
. Each island is home to endemic flora and fauna, and provide opportunities for water-based activities such as sunbathing, surfing
, snorkeling
and scuba diving
.
Fremantle—along with the inner suburbs of Northbridge
and Leederville
—is one of Perth's major nightlife hubs. It attracts people from all over the metropolitan region for its pubs, bars and nightclubs.
The city has a large arts community, with a number of small art galleries and musical venues and 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.
paper, The Fremantle - Cockburn Gazette, and by an independent local newspaper, the Fremantle Herald
.
Fremantle also has an independent local radio station Radio Fremantle 107.9FM.
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.
Global attention turned to Fremantle when it hosted the America's Cup
yachting race
in 1987, after Australia was the first country to ever win the race, aside from the USA, in 1983
. The unsuccessful cup defence was conducted on the waters in Gage Roads
, and is considered a hallmark event of the late 20th century revitalisation and gentrification of the city. Fremantle has subsequently served as a stopover in the Clipper, VELUX
and Volvo
Round the World yacht races.
Organised Australian rules football
was first played in Fremantle in the 1880s with the Fremantle Football Club
, which in 1886 won its first WAFA premiership. Founded in 1882, the Fremantle-based Unions Football Club entered WAFA in 1886 after the original Fremantle club disbanded. The Unions dominated the competition with ten premiership victories, and were superceded in 1899 by East Fremantle
(1898–), South Fremantle
(1900–), and North Fremantle
(1901–1915). The East Fremantle Sharks are by far the most successful club in the West Australian Football League
, winning a total of 29 premierships. East Fremantle Oval
has been the team's home ground since 1953. Today Fremantle is represented in the Australian Football League
by the Fremantle Dockers, who train at the historic Fremantle Oval
, shared with South Fremantle, and play their home matches at Patersons Stadium in Subiaco
. The Dockers share a rivalry
with the West Coast Eagles
, and their best performance was in 2006 when they finished 3rd on the ladder, however they have yet to appear in a Grand Final
.
As in many other parts of Australia, Fremantle has seen a rise in popularity of association football (soccer) since the arrival of Southern European immigrants. In 1978, members of Fremantle's Portuguese Australian
community founded Benfica United, now known as the Fremantle Spirit
. The Fremantle Croatia Soccer Club
is supported by local Croatian Australian
s. Both teams compete in the Football West State League.
In 2011, Fremantle will host the ISAF Sailing World Championships
. The Fremantle to Bali Yacht Race started on 23 April 2011 and the yachts reached the finish line at Benoa
harbour after completing their 1,440-nautical journey.
, lead singer of the Australian rock band AC/DC
, lived in Fremantle as a boy. After his death in 1980 his ashes were interred in Fremantle Cemetery
. His grave site has become a cultural landmark. In 2009, a statue of Scott created by Fremantle sculptor Greg James was erected at the Fishing Boat Harbour.
Singer-songwriter John Butler
(frontman of the John Butler Trio
) lived in Fremantle during his teenage years, and he started his music career busking in the city's streets. Former John Butler Trio member Gavin Shoesmith
is also based in Fremantle with his band The Groovesmiths
. Alternative rock/folk groups The Waifs
, Little Birdy
and Eskimo Joe
all have connections with Fremantle, and belong to what has been dubbed the 'Freo Sound'. This music scene, and that of neighbouring Perth, were explored in the 2008 documentary Something in the Water
. Other notable musicians from Fremantle include bassist Martyn P. Casey
, member of The Triffids
and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
; American-born slide guitarist Lucky Oceans
; indie pop group San Cisco
; rock musician and manager Vince Lovegrove
; and Australian Idol
finalist Cosima De Vito
. Songs by these and other artists have been written about Fremantle; the city is the setting for the title track of Paul Kelly
's 1987 album Under the Sun, and The Waifs' 2004 single "Bridal Train
" follows a World War II
-era war bride on a journey from Fremantle to the USA.
American metal band Fear Factory
filmed the video for their 2004 single "Cyberwaste" inside the derelict South Fremantle Power Station
.
Redline Records
is a Fremantle-based independent label founded in 2000 and co-run by members of Jebediah
including frontman and Fremantle-native Kevin Mitchell
. Redline's primary focus is on Fremantle and Perth indie
bands. In 2002, the John Butler Trio and The Waifs established Jarrah Records
in Fremantle.
The West Coast Blues & Roots Festival
is held annually at Fremantle Park. RTRFM
's annual Fremantle Winter Music Festival features many local Fremantle and Perth performers and is held at multiple venues. From the months of October to March, the Fremantle Arts Centre hosts Courtyard Music, a weekly outdoor music event for picnickers at the property's front garden. Larger concerts are held throughout the year on the Fremantle Arts Centre's 3000 capacity South Lawn. During the early 90s, Fremantle Oval was one of two venues used during the Perth leg of the Big Day Out
music festival. Local, national and international acts continue to perform at the oval.
, 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 the 2006 film Last Train to Freo
took place outside Fremantle railway station, and the 2010 musical film Bran Nue Dae
had scenes shot in Fremantle's West End. Windrider
(1986) was filmed in Fremantle and stars a young Nicole Kidman
. Other films shot and set in Fremantle include Wind
(1992), Teesh and Trude
(2003), and Two Fists, One Heart
(2008).
Actors and actresses from Fremantle include Emma Booth
, David Frankflin
, Mary Ward
and Simon Lyndon
. Sam Worthington
and Megan Gale
attended their first acting classes at John Curtin College of the Arts
in Fremantle. In 2009, Fremantle model Tahnee Atkinson
won the fifth cycle
of Australia's Next Top Model
.
The children's television series The Sleepover Club
and Streetsmartz
—premiering in 2003 and 2005 respectively—were shot and set in Fremantle. In 2006, Fremantle Prison was featured on an episode of the American version
of The Amazing Race
. Episodes of the BBC World
documentary television series Peschardt's People
have been filmed in Fremantle, including an episode with Australian actress Toni Collette
and another with Fremantle-based English comedian Ben Elton
.
relationships with five other cities. They are (in chronological order): Seberang Perai
, Malaysia (since 1978) Yokosuka
, Japan (since 1979) Capo d'Orlando
, Italy (since 1983) Molfetta
, Italy (since 1984) Funchal
, Portugal (since 1996)
Fremantle also has friendship-city relationships with three cities: Surabaya
, Indonesia (since 1996) Padang
, Indonesia (since 1996) Korčula
, Croatia (since 1999)
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, located at the mouth of the Swan River
Swan River (Western Australia)
The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow....
. Fremantle Harbour
Fremantle Harbour
Fremantle Harbour is Western Australia's largest and busiest general cargo port and an important historical site. The inner harbour handles a large volume of sea containers, vehicle imports and livestock exports, cruise shipping and naval visits, and operates 24 hours a day.The harbour is also...
serves as the port of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists
Swan River Colony
The Swan River Colony was a British settlement established in 1829 on the Swan River, in Western Australia. The name was a pars pro toto for Western Australia. In 1832, the colony was officially renamed Western Australia, when the colony's founding Lieutenant-Governor, Captain James Stirling,...
in 1829. It was declared a city in 1929, and has a population of approximately 25,000.
The city is named after Captain Charles Howe Fremantle, the English naval officer who had pronounced possession of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and who established a camp at the site. The city contains well-preserved 19th-century buildings and other heritage features. The Western Australian vernacular
Western Australian English
Western Australian English is the collective name given to the variety or varieties of English spoken in the Australian state of Western Australia . As with the other regional varieties within Australian English, the vocabulary spoken in Western Australia also varies slightly by region...
diminutive
Diminutive
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
for Fremantle is Freo.
Geography
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 XanthorrhoeaXanthorrhoea
Xanthorrhoea is a genus of flowering plants native to Australia and a member of family Xanthorrhoeaceae, being the only member of subfamily Xanthorrhoeoideae. The Xanthorrhoeaceae are monocots, part of order Asparagales. There are 28 species and five subspecies of Xanthorrhoea.-Description:All are...
and eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
trees, which were traditionally fired
Fire-stick farming
Fire-stick farming is a term coined by Australian archaeologist Rhys Jones in 1969 to describe the practice of Indigenous Australians where fire was used regularly to burn vegetation to facilitate hunting and to change the composition of plant and animal species in an area.Fire-stick farming had...
annually by the Aboriginal people.
Fremantle is the end of the Fremantle railway line which runs from Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
to Fremantle, run by the Western Australia's Public Transport Authority. Major highways including Stirling Highway
Stirling Highway
Stirling Highway is, for most of its length, a four-lane single carriageway and major arterial road between Perth, Western Australia and the port city of Fremantle in Western Australia on the northern side of the Swan River. The speed limit is 60 km/h...
, Canning Highway
Canning Highway
Canning Highway is a mostly 4 lane single carriageway major arterial road in Perth, Western Australia. The speed limit is 60 km/h. It is located south of the Swan River and links Perth with Fremantle, running between The Causeway in Victoria Park and Queen Victoria Street in...
and Leach Highway
Leach Highway
Leach Highway is a major dual carriageway arterial road in Perth, Western Australia, which varies between 4 and 6 lanes wide. The speed limit is either 70 or 80 km/h. It is located south of the Swan River and links Fremantle with Kewdale, a distance of ....
have Fremantle as their start point and/or terminus.
Fremantle is subject to weather and climate relative to seaside communities - to the point that the regular sea breeze is known as the Fremantle Doctor
Fremantle Doctor
The Fremantle Doctor, the Freo Doctor, or simply The Doctor, is the Western Australian vernacular term for the cooling afternoon sea breeze which occurs during summer months in south west coastal areas of Western Australia...
, as it has a cooling effect to provide relief from the summer heat.
History
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
people inhabited the area that is now Fremantle, which was known as Walyalup.
The area was considered as a site for possible British settlement in 1827, when Captain James Stirling, in HMS Success
HMS Success (1825)
HMS Success was an Atholl-class 28-gun sixth-rate wooden sailing ship notable for exploring Western Australia and the Swan River in 1827 as well as being one of the first ships to arrive at the fledgling Swan River Colony two years later, at which time she ran aground off Carnac Island.- History...
, 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 the western portion of Australia. As a result of Stirling's report, Captain Charles Howe 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
Union Flag
The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
in a bay near what is now known as Arthur Head, and in accordance with his instructions, took formal possession "of the whole of the West Coast of New Holland" in the name of George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
.
Foundation Day
Foundation Day (Western Australia)
Foundation Day, officially 1 June, but celebrated on the first Monday in June, is a public holiday in Western Australia , commemorating the foundation of the Swan River Colony in 1829...
is observed on 1 June, although it was actually 2 June 1829 that Captain James Stirling
James Stirling (Australian governor)
Admiral Sir James Stirling RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. His enthusiasm and persistence persuaded the British Government to establish the Swan River Colony and he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Western Australia...
on the Parmelia
Parmelia (barque)
The Parmelia was a barque that was used to transport the first civilian officials and settlers of the Swan River Colony to Western Australia in 1829....
arrived with Surveyor-General Roe and the first contingent of immigrants to set up the Swan River Colony. The settlement of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
began on 12 August 1829.
Captain Fremantle left 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 1897, Irish-born engineer C. Y. O'Connor
C. Y. O'Connor
Charles Yelverton O'Connor CMG was an Irish engineer who is best-known for his work in Australia, especially the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme.-Early life:...
deepened Fremantle Harbour
Fremantle Harbour
Fremantle Harbour is Western Australia's largest and busiest general cargo port and an important historical site. The inner harbour handles a large volume of sea containers, vehicle imports and livestock exports, cruise shipping and naval visits, and operates 24 hours a day.The harbour is also...
and removed the limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
bar and sand shoals across the entrance to the Swan River, thus rendering Fremantle a serviceable port for commercial shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
. This occurred at the height of the late 19th century Western Australian gold rush
Western Australian gold rush
In the latter part of the nineteenth century, discoveries of gold at a number of locations in Western Australia caused large influxes of prospectors from overseas and interstate, and classic gold rushes. Significant finds included:...
, 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
Southern Cross, Western Australia
Southern Cross is a town in Western Australia, 371 kilometres east of Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. It was founded by gold prospectors in 1888, and gazetted in 1890. It is the major town and administrative centre of the Shire of Yilgarn...
. The wealth generated during this period resulted in the construction of several prestigious hotels throughout Fremantle (see heritage buildings). Fremantle still serves as the chief general seaport for Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, though far greater tonnages are exported from the iron-ore ports of the Pilbara.
Fremantle has seen many industrial conflicts
Organizational conflict
Organizational conflict is a state of discord caused by the actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests between people working together. Conflict takes many forms in organizations. There is the inevitable clash between formal authority and power and those individuals and groups...
, the most famous of which occurred in 1919 when rioting broke out during "the lumpers' strike", resulting in one death and many injuries.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Fremantle was the second largest base for Allied submarines operating in the Pacific theatre. There were up to 125 US, 31 British
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and 11 Free Dutch submarines operating out of Fremantle
Allied submarines in the Pacific War
Allied submarines were used extensively during the Pacific War and were a key contributor to the defeat of the Empire of Japan. During the war, submarines of the United States Navy were responsible for 55% of Japan's merchant marine losses; other Allied navies added to the toll. The war against...
, until the Americans moved forward to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The movements and presence of USS Sturgeon (SS-187)
USS Sturgeon (SS-187)
USS Sturgeon , a Salmon-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the sturgeon.Her keel was laid down on October 27, 1936 by the Mare Island Navy Yard. She was launched on March 15, 1938 sponsored by Mrs. Charles S. Freeman; and commissioned on June 25, 1938...
is a good example of such activity.
Politics
Electoral district of Fremantle
Fremantle is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia.The district is located in the inner south-west of Perth, centring on the port of Fremantle....
was continuously held by the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
from 1924 until 2009, when it was lost at a by-election
Fremantle state by-election, 2009
A by-election was held in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly district of Fremantle on 16 May 2009. It was triggered by the resignation of sitting member Jim McGinty.The Labor Party was defending a seat that they had held continuously since 1924...
to Greens candidate Adele Carles
Adele Carles
Adele Simone Carles is an Australian politician. She has been a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since May 2009, representing the electorate of Fremantle. Initially elected as a Greens WA member, she resigned from the party on 6 May 2010 to sit as an independent...
. The federal electorate
Division of Fremantle
The Division of Fremantle is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia.The division was created at Federation in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
has returned Labor members continuously since 1934, including former Prime Minister John Curtin
John Curtin
John Joseph Curtin , Australian politician, served as the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. Labor under Curtin formed a minority government in 1941 after the crossbench consisting of two independent MPs crossed the floor in the House of Representatives, bringing down the Coalition minority...
, and is currently represented by Melissa Parke
Melissa Parke
Melissa Parke is an Australian Labor parliamentarian representing the Division of Fremantle, Western Australia, in the Australian House of Representatives. She was elected to office in November 2007 and re-elected in August 2010...
.
The local government of the City of Fremantle
City of Fremantle
The City of Fremantle is a Local Government Area in South Metropolitan Perth. The City covers an area of , and lies about southwest of the Perth central business district.-History:...
consists of a mayor and council. Greens member Brad Pettitt has been the mayor since the 2009 local government elections.
Fremantle has been represented by some significant Australian political figures. John Curtin
John Curtin
John Joseph Curtin , Australian politician, served as the 14th Prime Minister of Australia. Labor under Curtin formed a minority government in 1941 after the crossbench consisting of two independent MPs crossed the floor in the House of Representatives, bringing down the Coalition minority...
served as Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
during World War II, and is often described as one of the nation's greatest political leaders. The state's largest university and a major secondary school
John Curtin College of the Arts
John Curtin College of the Arts is a high school with student intake from the greater Fremantle area, in Western Australia. The school currently has over 1100 students attending....
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
Frank Gibson (politician)
Sir Frank Ernest Gibson was an Australian politician.Born at Egerton, Victoria, to Irish-born policeman Alexander Gibson and Louisa Herring, he attended Grenville College and the School of Mines at Ballarat before moving to Western Australia as a qualified pharmacist, setting up a business in...
(1919–1923 and 1926–1952), was also a Liberal parliamentarian from 1942 to 1956. Gibson, 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 World War II, 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, Dr Roger Dunkley, was medical officer with the 2nd/2nd Independent Company during the Timor
Timor
Timor is an island at the southern end of Maritime Southeast Asia, north of the Timor Sea. It is divided between the independent state of East Timor, and West Timor, belonging to the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island's surface is 30,777 square kilometres...
campaign in World War II. Carmen Lawrence
Carmen Lawrence
Carmen Mary Lawrence is a retired Australian politician; a former Premier of Western Australia and the first woman to become Premier of a State of the Commonwealth of Australia....
, the first female premier of an Australian state, later represented Fremantle in the federal House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
.
On 10 November 2006, Australian state and territory attorney-generals met in Fremantle to sign the Fremantle Declaration
Fremantle Declaration
The Fremantle Declaration was a restatement and affirmation of legal and human rights principles in Australia.It was signed in Fremantle, Western Australia by all of the Attorneys-General of all the Australian States and territories on November 10, 2006...
, a restatement and affirmation of legal and human rights principles in Australia. In 2011, Prime Minister Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
launched the Commonwealth Youth Forum
Commonwealth Youth Programme
The Commonwealth Youth Programme, also known as CYP, is an international development agency working with young people between the ages of 15 and 29. Part of the Commonwealth Secretariat, CYP is active in the Commonwealth's 54 member countries...
in Fremantle as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2011
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2011
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2011, commonly known as CHOGM 2011, was the twenty-second Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations...
, held in Perth 28 - 30 October.
Heritage buildings
Fremantle is renowned for its well-preserved architectural heritage, including convict-built colonial-era buildings, an old jetty and port, and prisons; presenting a variety and unity of historic buildings and streetscapes. These were often built in limestone with ornate façades in a succession of architectural styles. Rapid development following the harbour works gave rise to an EdwardianEdwardian architecture
Edwardian architecture is the style popular when King Edward VII of the United Kingdom was in power; he reigned from 1901 to 1910, but the architecture style is generally considered to be indicative of the years 1901 to 1914....
precinct as merchant and shipping companies built in the west end and on reclaimed land.
The Round House
Round House
The Round House is the oldest building still standing in Western Australia. It is located at Arthur Head in Fremantle, and recent heritage assessments and appraisals of the precinct of the Round House incorporate Arthur Head....
, the oldest remaining intact building in Western Australia, was built as a gaol between 1830 - 1831. The Round House had eight cells and a gaoler's residence, which all opened up into a central courtyard. In the 1800s, bay whaling
Whaling in Western Australia
Whaling in Western Australia was one of the first viable industries established in the Swan River Colony following the arrival of British settlers in 1829...
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 is located in what is now known as Fremantle's West End: a collection of streets characterised by late Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
and Victorian-style architecture
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
at the southern end of the port. A process of gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
in the early 1990s was accelerated by the establishment of the University of Notre Dame Australia
University of Notre Dame Australia
The University of Notre Dame Australia is a private Roman Catholic university established in 1989 in the Western Australian port city of Fremantle, . While the University of Notre Dame Australia has "strong collegial links" with the American University of Notre Dame located in Notre Dame, Indiana,...
, which occupies, and has restored, many of the buildings in the West End.
When the first 75 convict
Convict
A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison", sometimes referred to in slang as simply a "con". Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates. Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences often are not termed...
s arrived from Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
in 1850 to support the colony's dwindling population, it became apparent that the Round House was inadequate to house them. The convicts built a new gaol, Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison is a former Australian prison located in The Terrace, Fremantle, in Western Australia. The site includes the prison, gatehouse, perimeter walls, cottages, tunnels, and prisoner art...
, 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
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. It housed British convicts, local prisoners, military prisoners, enemy aliens and prisoners of war. On 1 August 2010, a meeting of the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Committee
World Heritage Committee
The World Heritage Committee establishes the sites to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties...
in Brazil placed Fremantle Prison and 10 other "Australian Convict Sites
Australian Convict Sites
"Australian Convict Sites" is a World Heritage property consisting of 11 remnant penal sites originally built within the British Empire during the 18th and 19th centuries on fertile Australian coastal strips at Sydney, Tasmania, Norfolk Island, and Fremantle; now representing:" ....
" on the World Heritage List - 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.
Fremantle Arts Centre
Fremantle Arts Centre is a multi-arts organisation, offering a program of exhibitions, residencies, art courses and music in a historic building in the heart of Fremantle, Western Australia....
is another building constructed in the 1860s by convicts from locally quarried limestone: it is a former lunatic asylum
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
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
Fremantle Markets
The Fremantle Markets are a public market located on the corner of South Terrace and Henderson Street, Fremantle, Western Australia.Built in 1897, the markets house over 150 shops for craftspeople, fashion designers, and merchants in the historic Hall, and fresh food producers, vegetable growers...
opened in 1897, forming a precinct providing handicrafts, speciality foods, dining halls and fish and vegetable markets. The area also hosts buskers and other street performers. The then premier
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
, Sir John Forrest
John Forrest
Sir John Forrest GCMG was an Australian explorer, the first Premier of Western Australia and a cabinet minister in Australia's first federal parliament....
, laid 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
National Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
and the state's Heritage Council in 1980. The Fremantle Markets are adjacent to several other historic buildings, including the Sail & Anchor Hotel (which contains a microbrewery
Microbrewery
A microbrewery or craft brewer is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer, and is associated by consumers with innovation and uniqueness....
), the Norfolk Hotel, the Warders Cottages, the Fremantle Technical School, 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
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
Oriana Cinema on the corner of Queen and High streets was demolished in 1972, after only 34 years of operation. This was done to make way for the widening of High Street, but that project was stopped thanks to the campaigning of The Fremantle Society
The Fremantle Society
The Fremantle Society is a community-based culture and heritage advocacy group in Fremantle, Western Australia. It was formed in 1972 to work to prevent what was seen as undesirable demolition and/or development of historic buildings in Fremantle...
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 70s due to another road-widening proposal.
The National Hotel, one of the city's historic buildings, was almost destroyed by fire on the night of Sunday, 11 March 2007. Though the interior was gutted, the historic façade was saved and the building has since been fully restored.
Heritage trails
The City of Fremantle has published a range of sheets related to the history of the port including:- Art and Culture Trail - including a wide walk that moves between the Fremantle Arts CentreFremantle Arts CentreFremantle Arts Centre is a multi-arts organisation, offering a program of exhibitions, residencies, art courses and music in a historic building in the heart of Fremantle, Western Australia....
and the Maritime Museum - C.Y O'Connor Trail
- Convict Trail
- Discovery Trail
- Fishing Boat Harbour Trail - that moves around Bathers Beach, Challenger HarbourChallenger HarbourChallenger Harbour is a marina in Fremantle, Western Australia, adjacent to the Fishing Boat Harbour. Part of the harbour uses reclaimed land which once included the Fremantle Long Jetty. A stone breakwater protects the harbour from the ocean....
and Fishing Boat HarbourFremantle Fishing Boat HarbourFremantle Fishing Boat Harbour is a commercial marina in Fremantle, Western Australia adjacent to the more recently constructed Challenger Harbour... - Hotels and Breweries Walk - known as a Top Trail
- Manjaree Heritage Trail - local indigenous people the Whadjuk lived in the area prior to European settlement
- Maritime Heritage Trail
- Retail and Fashion Trail
- Waterfront Trail
- Writers Walk - Tim WintonTim WintonTimothy John "Tim" Winton , is an Australian novelist and short story writer.-Life:Winton was born in Perth, Western Australia, but moved at a young age to the regional city of Albany....
, Joan LondonJoan London (Australian author)Joan Elizabeth London is an Australian author of short stories, screenplays and novels.She graduated from the University of Western Australia having studied English and French, has taught English as a second language and is a bookseller...
, John Boyle O'ReillyJohn Boyle O'ReillyJohn Boyle O'Reilly was an Irish-born poet, journalist and fiction writer. As a youth in Ireland, he was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, or Fenians, for which he was transported to Western Australia...
, Xavier HerbertXavier HerbertXavier Herbert was an Australian writer best known for his Miles Franklin Award-winning novel Poor Fellow My Country . He is considered one of the elder statesmen of Australian literature...
, Kim ScottKim ScottKim Scott is an Australian novelist of Indigenous Australian ancestry. He is a descendant of West Australian Noongar people.- Biography :...
and their associations with Fremantle
Demographics
In the 2006 Australian Census conducted by the Australian Bureau of StatisticsAustralian Bureau of Statistics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is Australia's national statistical agency. It was created as the Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics on 8 December 1905, when the Census and Statistics Act 1905 was given Royal assent. It had its beginnings in section 51 of the Constitution of Australia...
, Fremantle had a population of 24,835 people. For a city of small size, Fremantle is very diverse. Only 62% of the population was born in Australia, compared with the national average of 76%. Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
make up 1.6% of the population, and the largest overseas-born groups come from England (8.6%), Italy (4.4%), New Zealand (2.2%), Scotland (1.4%) and Portugal (1.0%). After English, the most common language spoken at home is Italian (6.4%), exceeding the national average of 1.6%. Croatian and Portugese are each spoken by 1.1% of the population, followed by Spanish and French with 0.7% and 0.5% respectively. The Fremantle Football Club
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
's traditional team colours of red, white and green are an acknowledgement of the city's large Italian community.
It has a broadly mixed-class of professions, and in 2006 had an unemployment rate of 4.5%. The city has an above-average proportion of rented dwellings (33.2%) of which a larger-than-average proportion is owned by the State Department of Housing (27.7%).
54.3% of the population is Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, largely Roman Catholic (28.6%) and Anglican (15.7%). Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and other religions comprise 3.9% of the population, and approximately 42% of Fremantle residents profess no religion
Irreligion
Irreligion is defined as an absence of religion or an indifference towards religion. Sometimes it may also be defined more narrowly as hostility towards religion. When characterized as hostility to religion, it includes antitheism, anticlericalism and antireligion. When characterized as...
or did not state a religion.
Education
Fremantle is home to the main campus of the private Roman Catholic University of Notre Dame AustraliaUniversity of Notre Dame Australia
The University of Notre Dame Australia is a private Roman Catholic university established in 1989 in the Western Australian port city of Fremantle, . While the University of Notre Dame Australia has "strong collegial links" with the American University of Notre Dame located in Notre Dame, Indiana,...
. UNDA occupies many buildings throughout Fremantle, particularly in its historic West End. The use and refurbishment of these buildings by the university assisted in their preservation.
The Central Business District is also home to a major teaching hospital, Fremantle Hospital
Fremantle Hospital
Fremantle Hospital is a 24 hour acute-care public teaching hospital situated in central Fremantle, Western Australia, south of Perth.Fremantle Hospital and Health Service provides 575 beds across all campuses, including a 66 bed psychiatric and psychogeriatric service.The main facility of Fremantle...
.
Secondary Schools
- John Curtin College of the ArtsJohn Curtin College of the ArtsJohn Curtin College of the Arts is a high school with student intake from the greater Fremantle area, in Western Australia. The school currently has over 1100 students attending....
- South Fremantle Senior High SchoolSouth Fremantle Senior High SchoolSouth Fremantle Senior High School is a comprehensive co-educational state high school located in Beaconsfield, south-east of Fremantle in the south-western suburbs of Perth, Western Australia...
. - Christian Brothers' CollegeCBC FremantleChristian Brothers College Fremantle is a private, Catholic, day school for boys situated in Fremantle, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia...
(CBC). - Seton Catholic College.
Primary Schools
- Beaconsfield Primary School
- Christ the King Primary School.
- East Fremantle Primary School
- Fremantle Primary School.
- Hilton Primary School
- Lance Holt School
- North Fremantle Primary
- Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School
- St Patrick's Primary School.
- Samson Primary School
- Winterfold Primary School.
Leisure and recreation
En plein air
En plein air is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors.Artists have long painted outdoors, but in the mid-19th century working in natural light became particularly important to the Barbizon school and Impressionism...
dining culture. The Fishing Boat Harbour
Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour
Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour is a commercial marina in Fremantle, Western Australia adjacent to the more recently constructed Challenger 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 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 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 the Fleet
Blessing of the Fleet
The Blessing of the Fleet is a tradition that began centuries ago in Mediterranean fishing communities. The practice is predominantly Catholic and a blessing from the local priest was meant to ensure a safe and bountiful season...
ceremony.
Next to the Fishing Boat Harbour is Bathers Beach, a flat beach popular with swimmers. Fremantle is home to other beaches such as South Beach, Leighton Beach and Port Beach. Cottesloe Beach
Cottesloe, Western Australia
-Transport:Cottesloe is served by Swanbourne, Grant Street, Cottesloe, Mosman Park and Victoria Street railway stations on the Fremantle line. Various bus routes along Stirling Highway and through the suburb's western and eastern sections link Cottesloe to Perth and Fremantle. All services are...
is located 8 kilometres (5 mi) north, halfway between Fremantle and Perth. The city's strong afternoon sea breeze (known locally as the 'Freo Doctor
Fremantle Doctor
The Fremantle Doctor, the Freo Doctor, or simply The Doctor, is the Western Australian vernacular term for the cooling afternoon sea breeze which occurs during summer months in south west coastal areas of Western Australia...
') has made its beaches a prime location for wind
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
and kite surfing. The Fremantle Surf Life Saving Club
Surf Life Saving Club
Surf Life Saving Clubs are volunteer institutions at Australia's beaches. The clubs conduct surf lifesaving services on weekends and public holidays and host many beach sport activities, such as Nippers, surf carnivals and other competitions...
has been active since the 1930s. Fishing takes place at the many jetties and groynes surrounding Challenger, Success Boat and Fishing Boat harbours, and along Blackwall Reach at the Swan River, which is also used for canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
, rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
and cliff diving. A chain of islands listed as A Class nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s lie within 20 km (12 mi) of Fremantle, and are accessible by ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
or private boat. The largest and most well-known island is Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island is located off the coast of Western Australia, near Fremantle. It is called Wadjemup by the Noongar people, meaning "place across the water". The island is long, and at its widest point with a total land area of . It is classified as an A Class Reserve and is managed by the...
, followed by Garden Island
Garden Island (Western Australia)
Garden Island is a slender island about ten kilometres long and one and a half kilometres wide, lying about off the Western Australian coast, to which it is now linked by a man-made causeway....
and Carnac Island
Carnac Island
Carnac Island is a 19 ha, A Class, island nature reserve about 10 km south-west of Fremantle in Western Australia.-History:In 1803, French explorer Louis de Freycinet, captain of the Casuarina, named the island Île Pelée . It was also known as Île Lévilian and later Île Berthelot...
. Each island is home to endemic flora and fauna, and provide opportunities for water-based activities such as sunbathing, surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, snorkeling
Snorkeling
Snorkeling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn...
and scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
.
Fremantle—along with the inner suburbs of Northbridge
Northbridge, Western Australia
Northbridge is an inner city suburb of Perth, Western Australia, separated from Perth's central business district by the Fremantle and Joondalup railway lines...
and Leederville
Leederville, Western Australia
Leederville is a locality within the City of Vincent within the Perth metropolitan region of Western Australia.It is home to Aranmore Catholic College, The Schools of Isolated and Distance Education, Central Institute of Technology Leederville Campus and St Mary's Church.-External...
—is one of Perth's major nightlife hubs. It attracts people from all over the metropolitan region for its pubs, bars and nightclubs.
The city has a large arts community, with a number of small art galleries and musical venues and 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.
Local media
Fremantle is served by a Community Newspaper GroupCommunity Newspaper Group
The Community Newspaper Group is a community newspaper business in Perth, Western Australia, Western Australia.It publishes seventeen community newspapers within the metropolitan region of Perth....
paper, The Fremantle - Cockburn Gazette, and by an independent local newspaper, the Fremantle Herald
Fremantle Herald
Fremantle Herald and similar names have been used for three different newspapers serving Fremantle, Western Australia: The Herald , Fremantle Herald and a current publication, founded in 1989....
.
Fremantle also has an independent local radio station Radio Fremantle 107.9FM.
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.
Sport
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
yachting race
1987 America's Cup
The 1987 America's Cup was the twenty-seventh challenge for the America's Cup and the first time for 132 years that it had not been defended by the New York Yacht Club....
in 1987, after Australia was the first country to ever win the race, aside from the USA, in 1983
1983 America's Cup
The 1983 America's Cup was the occasion of the first winning challenge to the New York Yacht Club who had successfully defended the cup over a period of 132 years...
. The unsuccessful cup defence was conducted on the waters in Gage Roads
Gage Roads
Gage Roads, is the sea channel in the Indian Ocean offshore from Perth, Western Australia. It was the location of the America's Cup defence in 1986/7, and serves as a shipping lane and anchorage for most sea traffic heading towards the seaport of Fremantle....
, and is considered a hallmark event of the late 20th century revitalisation and gentrification of the city. Fremantle has subsequently served as a stopover in the Clipper, VELUX
VELUX 5 Oceans Race
The VELUX 5 OCEANS Race is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed in stages, managed by Clipper Ventures Plc since 2000. Its current name comes from its main sponsor, VELUX, a Danish company. Originally known as the BOC Challenge, for the title sponsor BOC Gases, the first edition was...
and Volvo
Volvo Ocean Race
The Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. It is named after its current owner, Volvo...
Round the World yacht races.
Organised Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
was first played in Fremantle in the 1880s with the Fremantle Football Club
Fremantle Football Club (1882–1886)
The Fremantle Football Club was an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, that played in the Western Australian Football Association from 1885–86. The team won the WAFA premiership in 1886...
, which in 1886 won its first WAFA premiership. Founded in 1882, the Fremantle-based Unions Football Club entered WAFA in 1886 after the original Fremantle club disbanded. The Unions dominated the competition with ten premiership victories, and were superceded in 1899 by East Fremantle
East Fremantle Football Club
The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval...
(1898–), South Fremantle
South Fremantle Football Club
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...
(1900–), and North Fremantle
North Fremantle Football Club
The North Fremantle Football Club was an Australian rules football club which competed in the West Australian Football League from 1901 to 1915.North Fremantle started out in the First Rate Junior Association, the state's second tier competition...
(1901–1915). The East Fremantle Sharks are by far the most successful club in the West Australian Football League
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
, winning a total of 29 premierships. East Fremantle Oval
East Fremantle Oval
East Fremantle Oval is an Australian rules football ground located in East Fremantle, Western Australia. The ground was opened in 1906, and underwent a large redevelopment in 1953. It current serves as the home ground of the East Fremantle Football Club in the West Australian Football League...
has been the team's home ground since 1953. Today Fremantle is represented in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
by the Fremantle Dockers, who train at the historic Fremantle Oval
Fremantle Oval
Fremantle Oval is a stadium in the centre of Fremantle, Western Australia. It currently has a capacity of 17,500 with terracing and a members area holding 750. Fremantle Oval was originally used for cricket, but in 1895 hosted its first game of Australian rules football...
, shared with South Fremantle, and play their home matches at Patersons Stadium in Subiaco
Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco is an inner western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, situated to the north west of Kings Park. Its Local Government Area is the City of Subiaco.-History:Prior to European settlement the area was home to the Noongar Indigenous people....
. The Dockers share a rivalry
Western Derby
The Western Derby is the name given to the Australian rules football rivalry match between the Fremantle Football Club and West Coast Eagles, who both participate in the Australian Football League . As both teams are based in Western Australia, the term 'derby' is used to describe the...
with the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
, and their best performance was in 2006 when they finished 3rd on the ladder, however they have yet to appear in a Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
.
As in many other parts of Australia, Fremantle has seen a rise in popularity of association football (soccer) since the arrival of Southern European immigrants. In 1978, members of Fremantle's Portuguese Australian
Portuguese Australian
Portuguese Australians are either Portuguese emigrated to or living in Australia, or native Australians with Portuguese ancestry.Despite their rather modest number compared to the Greek and Italian communities, Portuguese Australians form a very organized, self-conscious and active community in...
community founded Benfica United, now known as the Fremantle Spirit
Fremantle Spirit
Fremantle Spirit Soccer Club is a football club from Fremantle, Western Australia. The Spirit currently play in the Premier Division of the Western Australia State League.-History:...
. The Fremantle Croatia Soccer Club
Fremantle Croatia
Fremantle Croatia H.N.K. Soccer Club is an Australian football club from the city of Fremantle, Western Australia. It is a Croatian backed club. It recently took out the Western Australian Amateur League Division 2 title and will compete in Division 1 when the 2009 season starts.The club is a...
is supported by local Croatian Australian
Croatian Australian
Croatia has been a source of migrants to Australia, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2006, 128,051 persons resident in Australia identified themselves as having Croatian ancestry.- History :...
s. Both teams compete in the Football West State League.
In 2011, Fremantle will host the ISAF Sailing World Championships
ISAF Sailing World Championships
The ISAF Sailing World Championships are held every four years since 2003 and are used as the primary event to qualify countries for the Sailing at the Summer Olympics...
. The Fremantle to Bali Yacht Race started on 23 April 2011 and the yachts reached the finish line at Benoa
Nusa Dua
Nusa Dua is known as an enclave of large international 5-star resorts in south-eastern Bali. It is located 40 kilometres from Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali, and administered under Kuta South District. Nusa Dua means two islands....
harbour after completing their 1,440-nautical journey.
Music
Fremantle boasts a vibrant live music scene with many local performers and venues. Popular live music venues include Mojo's, Clancy's Fish Pub and The Fly By Night Club, all of which host local and touring performers. Bon ScottBon Scott
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
, lead singer of the Australian rock band AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
, lived in Fremantle as a boy. After his death in 1980 his ashes were interred in Fremantle Cemetery
Fremantle Cemetery
Fremantle Cemetery is a 46 hectare cemetery located in the eastern part of Fremantle, Western Australia. Established in 1898, it is known as the final resting place of Bon Scott and several other notable Australians....
. His grave site has become a cultural landmark. In 2009, a statue of Scott created by Fremantle sculptor Greg James was erected at the Fishing Boat Harbour.
Singer-songwriter John Butler
John Butler (musician)
John Charles Wiltshire-Butler or John Charles Butler is an Australian musician, songwriter, record label owner and producer...
(frontman of the John Butler Trio
John Butler Trio
The John Butler Trio are an eclectic roots and jam band from Australia led by guitarist and vocalist John Butler. They formed in Fremantle in 1998 with Jason McGann on drums and Gavin Shoesmith on bass guitar...
) lived in Fremantle during his teenage years, and he started his music career busking in the city's streets. Former John Butler Trio member Gavin Shoesmith
Gavin Shoesmith
Gavin Shoesmith is an Australian singer songwriter and virtuoso double bassist who rose to fame as bass guitarist in the John Butler Trio.He initially formed an organic dance music band called Katamaran, based in Darwin. Alongside Shoesmith on double bass, the band comprised Mark Hoffman on...
is also based in Fremantle with his band The Groovesmiths
The Groovesmiths
-Demonstrations Of Intent:The band's debut EP features 5 original songs, written by Gavin Shoesmith.# "Bushranger" – 3:51# "Lonely" – 4:05# "Rebirth" – 5:04# "Viva La Revolution" – 3:33# "Oh The Sun Is Shining" – 4:35...
. Alternative rock/folk groups The Waifs
The Waifs
The Waifs are an Australian folk rock band formed in 1992 by Josh Cunningham , and sisters Vikki Thorn and Donna Simpson...
, Little Birdy
Little Birdy
Little Birdy are an Australian indie rock band formed in Perth, Western Australia in 2002 by singer and guitarist Katy Steele, drummer Matt Chequer, guitarist and keyboardist Simon Leach, and bass guitarist Scott O'Donoghue...
and Eskimo Joe
Eskimo Joe
Eskimo Joe is an Australian alternative rock band formed by Stuart MacLeod on guitars, Joel Quartermain on drums and guitar and Kavyen Temperley on bass guitar and vocals, in East Fremantle, Western Australia in 1997....
all have connections with Fremantle, and belong to what has been dubbed the 'Freo Sound'. This music scene, and that of neighbouring Perth, were explored in the 2008 documentary Something in the Water
Something in the Water (film)
Something in the Water is a 2008 Australian documentary film written and directed by Aidan O'Bryan. Using live, archival, and interview footage shot in Los Angeles, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Windsor in Berkshire, England, it explores the history and environment behind the development of local...
. Other notable musicians from Fremantle include bassist Martyn P. Casey
Martyn P. Casey
Martyn Paul Casey is an English-born Australian rock bass guitarist. He had been a member of The Triffids, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Grinderman. Casey plays either his Fender Precision Bass or Fender Jazz Bass.-Biography:...
, member of The Triffids
The Triffids
The Triffids were a seminal Australian alternative rock and pop band formed in Perth, Western Australia, in May 1978 with charismatic, David McComb as singer-songwriter, guitarist, bass guitarist and keyboardist. They achieved negligible success in Australia, but greater success in the U.K...
and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
; American-born slide guitarist Lucky Oceans
Lucky Oceans
Lucky Oceans is a pedal steel guitarist and a former member of Country/Western Swing band Asleep at the Wheel. He is now a broadcaster in Perth, Western Australia with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
; indie pop group San Cisco
San Cisco
San Cisco is an Australian four-piece indie pop band, which formed in 2009 as King George in Fremantle, Western Australia. The band consists of Jordi Davieson , Josh Biondillo , Nick Gardner , and Scarlett Stevens . All members except Stevens share duties on keyboards...
; rock musician and manager Vince Lovegrove
Vince Lovegrove
Vincent "Vince" Lovegrove is an Australian journalist, music manager, television producer, AIDS awareness pioneer and musician. He was a member of 1960s rock 'n' roll band The Valentines, sharing vocals with Bon Scott whom he later introduced to heavy rock group AC/DC...
; and Australian Idol
Australian Idol
Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
finalist Cosima De Vito
Cosima De Vito
Cosima De Vito , also known simply as Cosima, is an Australian singer-songwriter. She rose to fame as a contestant of the original Australian Idol series in 2003...
. Songs by these and other artists have been written about Fremantle; the city is the setting for the title track of Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly (musician)
Paul Maurice Kelly is an Australian rock music singer-songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player. He has performed solo, and has led numerous groups, including the Dots, the Coloured Girls, and the Messengers. He has worked with other artists and groups, including associated projects Professor...
's 1987 album Under the Sun, and The Waifs' 2004 single "Bridal Train
Bridal Train
"Bridal Train" is the name of a single by the Australian folk-rock band The Waifs, coming from their album A Brief History.... Bridal Train was written by Vikki Thorn.In Australia, the song was ranked #54 on Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2004.-Synopsis:...
" follows a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-era war bride on a journey from Fremantle to the USA.
American metal band Fear Factory
Fear Factory
Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
filmed the video for their 2004 single "Cyberwaste" inside the derelict South Fremantle Power Station
South Fremantle
South Fremantle might refer to:* South Fremantle Football Club* South Fremantle, Western Australia, the suburb of Perth after which it is named...
.
Redline Records
Redline Records
Redline Records is a Fremantle-based independent record label. Originally started as a joint project between the band Jebediah and their management company Naked Ape Management, it has evolved into being a record label of local Perth indie bands. Redline Records are distributed by Shock Records...
is a Fremantle-based independent label founded in 2000 and co-run by members of Jebediah
Jebediah
Jebediah is an Australian alternative rock band formed in 1994 in Perth, Western Australia. The group consists of vocalist and guitarist Kevin Mitchell, guitarist Chris Daymond, bassist Vanessa Thornton, and Kevin's brother Brett Mitchell on drums...
including frontman and Fremantle-native Kevin Mitchell
Kevin Mitchell (musician)
Kevin Edward Mitchell , is an Australian musician, known for his role as the vocalist and guitarist of the alternative rock band Jebediah and also his solo work under the stage name of Bob Evans....
. Redline's primary focus is on Fremantle and Perth indie
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
bands. In 2002, the John Butler Trio and The Waifs established Jarrah Records
Jarrah Records
Jarrah Records is an independent Australian record label that releases albums by The Waifs and The John Butler Trio. Jarrah is co-owned by The Waifs and John Butler. Jarrah was founded in July 2002 as John Butler's and The Waifs' record label for the territory of the USA....
in Fremantle.
The West Coast Blues & Roots Festival
West Coast Blues & Roots Festival
The West Coast Blues 'n' Roots Festival is an annual music festival held in Fremantle, Western Australia. It features many blues and roots performers, both international and local.-History:...
is held annually at Fremantle Park. RTRFM
RTRFM
RTRFM is a not-for-profit, community radio station based in Perth, Western Australia. It is self-funded, largely through listener subscription and fund-raising events, however it does carry some "advertising material" at a maximum of 5 mins per hour. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, on 92.1 in the...
's annual Fremantle Winter Music Festival features many local Fremantle and Perth performers and is held at multiple venues. From the months of October to March, the Fremantle Arts Centre hosts Courtyard Music, a weekly outdoor music event for picnickers at the property's front garden. Larger concerts are held throughout the year on the Fremantle Arts Centre's 3000 capacity South Lawn. During the early 90s, Fremantle Oval was one of two venues used during the Perth leg of the Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
music festival. Local, national and international acts continue to perform at the oval.
Film and television
In the 2004 film ThunderstruckThunderstruck (film)
Thunderstruck is a 2004 movie starring Stephen Curry , Damon Gameau , Ryan Johnson , Callan Mulvey , and Sam Worthington . The title of the movie was taken from the AC/DC song of the same name.-Plot:...
, 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 the 2006 film Last Train to Freo
Last Train to Freo
Last Train to Freo is a 2006 Australian film based on Reg Cribb's play The Return, and directed by Jeremy Sims.-Synopsis:Two thugs from the Perth suburb of Midland catch the last train to Fremantle. When a young woman, unaware that the train guards are on strike, boards the train several stops...
took place outside Fremantle railway station, and the 2010 musical film Bran Nue Dae
Bran Nue Dae (film)
Bran Nue Dae is a feature film adaptation of 1990 musical Bran Nue Dae by Jimmy Chi. It was theatrically released in Australia on 14 January 2010, and in the United States on 10 September 2010.-Plot:...
had scenes shot in Fremantle's West End. Windrider
Windrider
Windrider is a 1986 Australian romantic comedy film directed by Vincent Monton. Filmed in Perth, Western Australia, Australia.It features Kidman in her first 'adult' role and includes a few nude scenes...
(1986) was filmed in Fremantle and stars a young Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
. Other films shot and set in Fremantle include Wind
Wind (film)
Wind is a film released in 1992. The movie was directed by Carroll Ballard and starred Matthew Modine, Jennifer Grey, and Cliff Robertson.- Plot summary :...
(1992), Teesh and Trude
Teesh and Trude
Teesh and Trude is an Australian drama directed by Melanie Rodriga, and was adapted from an original stage-play by Wilson McCaskill. The film was produced and shot entirely in Western Australia with Production Investment Funding Support from ScreenWest and Lotterywest...
(2003), and Two Fists, One Heart
Two Fists, One Heart
Two Fists, One Heart is an 2009 Australian drama film directed by Shawn Seet and written by Rai Fazio, and is based on Fazio's own life growing up. The film is set and was shot in Perth, Western Australia.-Plot:...
(2008).
Actors and actresses from Fremantle include Emma Booth
Emma Booth (actress)
Emma Booth is an Australian model-turned-actress. From Perth in Western Australia, the former teen model and TV star played a significant role in the 2007 film Introducing the Dwights, opposite Brenda Blethyn.-TV and Movies Career :...
, David Frankflin
David Franklin (actor)
David Franklin is an Australian actor best known to audiences for his role as Meeklo Braca in the science fiction TV series Farscape and as Brutus in Xena: Warrior Princess....
, Mary Ward
Mary Ward (actress)
Mary Ward is an Australian stage and television actress, who trained in England and is best remembered and well known for her roles in Prisoner as Jeanette "Mum" Brooks and Sons and Daughters as Dee Morrell. In 2000, she also appeared in Blue Heelers...
and Simon Lyndon
Simon Lyndon
Simon Lyndon Simon Lyndon Simon Lyndon (born February 1971, in London is an Australian actor who grew up in Fremantle, Western Australia. He is a WAAPA graduate. He played Jimmy Loughlin in Chopper with Eric Bana, for which he won an AFI award for Best Supporting Actor and a Film Critics Circle...
. Sam Worthington
Sam Worthington
Samuel Henry J. "Sam" Worthington is an English born, Australian actor. After almost a decade of roles in Australian TV shows and films, Worthington gained Hollywood's attention by playing Marcus Wright in Terminator Salvation and the lead role, Jake Sully, in James Cameron's science...
and Megan Gale
Megan Gale
Megan Kate Gale is an Australian model and actress.- Career :Born in Perth, Western Australia, Megan Gale's father is English and mother is part Maori and is the youngest of three children with two older brothers.-Modeling:...
attended their first acting classes at John Curtin College of the Arts
John Curtin College of the Arts
John Curtin College of the Arts is a high school with student intake from the greater Fremantle area, in Western Australia. The school currently has over 1100 students attending....
in Fremantle. In 2009, Fremantle model Tahnee Atkinson
Tahnee Atkinson
Tahnee Atkinson is an Australian model, best known for winning fifth cycle of Australia's Next Top Model.-Australia's Next Top Model:...
won the fifth cycle
Australia's Next Top Model, Cycle 5
The Fifth Cycle of Australia's Next Top Model was an Australian reality television program which was broadcast on the Australian subscription television channel, FOX8. The cycle premiered on 28 April 2009. Auditions were held during October and November 2008 across Australia...
of Australia's Next Top Model
Australia's Next Top Model
Australia's Next Top Model is an Australian reality television series, based on a franchise that was created by Tyra Banks with America's Next Top Model...
.
The children's television series The Sleepover Club
The Sleepover Club (TV series)
The Sleepover Club is an Australian/British live action series that was produced Andy Rowley for Wark Clements Burberry Production in association with Rialto Films, with the assistance of the Pacific Film and Television Commission for ITV Network United Kingdom, Nickelodeon and Pop Girl United...
and Streetsmartz
Streetsmartz
Streetsmartz is an Australian television series. Streetsmartz is centred around the lives of a group of children, their friends and family who live in Fremantle, in Western Australia...
—premiering in 2003 and 2005 respectively—were shot and set in Fremantle. In 2006, Fremantle Prison was featured on an episode of the American version
The Amazing Race (U.S. TV series)
The Amazing Race is an American reality game show in which teams of two or four race around the world against other teams, with the first-place team winning $1,000,000. As the original version of the Amazing Race franchise, the CBS program has been running since 2001 and is airing its nineteenth...
of The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams...
. Episodes of the BBC World
BBC World
BBC World News is the BBC's international news and current affairs television channel. It has the largest audience of any BBC channel in the world...
documentary television series Peschardt's People
Peschardt's People
Peschardt's People is a documentary television series, hosted by Michael Peschardt, that premiered on BBC World on 1 April 2006. In the series, Peschardt interviews famous and not so famous personalities from the Asia-Pacific region. In order to be featured in the series, Peschardt has said that...
have been filmed in Fremantle, including an episode with Australian actress Toni Collette
Toni Collette
Antonia "Toni" Collette is an Australian actress and musician, known for her acting work on stage, television and film as well as a secondary career as the lead singer of the band Toni Collette & the Finish....
and another with Fremantle-based English comedian Ben Elton
Ben Elton
Benjamin Charles "Ben" Elton is an English comedian, author, playwright and director. He was a leading figure in the British alternative comedy movement of the 1980s, as a writer on such cult series as The Young Ones and Blackadder, as well as also a successful stand-up comedian on stage and TV....
.
Transport
Sister city relations
Fremantle has twin-townTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
relationships with five other cities. They are (in chronological order): Seberang Perai
Seberang Perai
Seberang Perai / Beseran Darul Hidayah, formerly Province Wellesley, is a narrow hinterland opposite Penang island on the Malay Peninsula, which together with the island forms the Malaysian state of Penang. Its principal town is Butterworth...
, Malaysia (since 1978) Yokosuka
Yokosuka, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 419,067 and a population density of 4,160 people per km². It covered an area of 100.62 km²...
, Japan (since 1979) Capo d'Orlando
Capo d'Orlando
Capo d'Orlando is a comune in the province of Messina, Sicily, Italy and is considered the capital of comprensorio dei Nebrodi. Well-known as a vivacious, active, touristic and commercial center, Capo d'Orlando is also the birthplace of the poet Lucio Piccolo, cousin of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa...
, Italy (since 1983) Molfetta
Molfetta
Molfetta is a city and comune of the province of Bari in the southern Italian region of Apulia, on the Adriatic coast, at sea-level. It is 25 km WNW of Bari.It has a well restored old city, and its own dialect.- History :...
, Italy (since 1984) Funchal
Funchal
Funchal is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira. The city has a population of 112,015 and has been the capital of Madeira for more than five centuries.-Etymology:...
, Portugal (since 1996)
Fremantle also has friendship-city relationships with three cities: Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, Indonesia (since 1996) Padang
Padang, Indonesia
Padang is the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast of Sumatra at . It has an area of and a population of over 833,000 people at the 2010 Census.-History:...
, Indonesia (since 1996) Korčula
Korcula
Korčula is an island in the Adriatic Sea, in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. The island has an area of ; long and on average wide — and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 16,182 inhabitants make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk...
, Croatia (since 1999)
See also
- Fremantle HospitalFremantle HospitalFremantle Hospital is a 24 hour acute-care public teaching hospital situated in central Fremantle, Western Australia, south of Perth.Fremantle Hospital and Health Service provides 575 beds across all campuses, including a 66 bed psychiatric and psychogeriatric service.The main facility of Fremantle...
- Fremantle Football ClubFremantle Football ClubThe Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
- Fremantle PrisonFremantle PrisonFremantle Prison is a former Australian prison located in The Terrace, Fremantle, in Western Australia. The site includes the prison, gatehouse, perimeter walls, cottages, tunnels, and prisoner art...
- Fremantle railway station
- Fremantle HarbourFremantle HarbourFremantle Harbour is Western Australia's largest and busiest general cargo port and an important historical site. The inner harbour handles a large volume of sea containers, vehicle imports and livestock exports, cruise shipping and naval visits, and operates 24 hours a day.The harbour is also...
- Fremantle Arts CentreFremantle Arts CentreFremantle Arts Centre is a multi-arts organisation, offering a program of exhibitions, residencies, art courses and music in a historic building in the heart of Fremantle, Western Australia....
- Trams in Fremantle