Heritage

For tens of thousands of years, the Whadjuk Nyoongar aboriginal people called this place Walyalup, meaning place of the Walyo or Woylie, a small brush-tailed Bettong.

It was a place of strong social, spiritual, and cultural significance. It was also a 'Manjaree' (meeting place and camp) where valuable items were traded, families gathered for kinship and law making, and where young men and women who had 'come of age' met their future husbands and wives. This idyllic life was shattered with the arrival of the first Europeans in 1829, when Captain Charles Fremantle claimed the west coast of New Holland for the British Crown. The legacy of this early European arrival can still be seen in the early architecture around Fremantle.

The Round House–located at Arthurs Head–was built in 1830. This octagonal construction was the first permanent structure built by the Swan River Colony and the oldest building still standing in Western Australia.

Another building with a significant convict past, is the Fremantle Arts Centre. Built in 1860s, this Australian gothic marvel began its life as the Convict Establishment–Fremantle Asylum and Invalid Depot.

But perhaps the most foreboding building that dominated Fremantle's early skyline was the Fremantle Prison. Initially known as 'The Establishment', it first opened its doors in the 1850s and only shut them in 1991. The prison is on the UNESCO World Heritage list and these days it is one of Western Australia's most significant cultural and historical attractions. It's also the most intact of all Australian convict sites. The boom days for Fremantle were the years of 'gold and wheat.' This was at the end of the 1800s, when the port was the gateway to the rich goldfields and pastoral lands to the east. The town grew quickly over the next few decades, becoming a city in 1929. Fremantle's impressive suite of late Victorian and early Edwardian buildings date from these years. You can see the result of this in the impressive West End, with its array of well-preserved nineteenth-century port-city buildings. The whole precinct has been recognised for its unique architecture and historical significance, and over 250 buildings in the area, have been put on the state heritage register.

As Perth grew in importance through the 1960s and 1970s, Fremantle's economy slowed. A turning point in the city's history was the America's Cup Defence in 1987, which revitalised the city and showcased it to the world. Today, Fremantle is Western Australia's biggest commercial port, a thriving oceanside city with numerous attractions and a future that is even more impressive than its past. Learn more about the City's history by taking a walking, cycling or tram tour. Search the tours pages for details of times and prices.